Mount Pleasant climbs back to win thriller at Colbinabbin
FOR the second time this season, Mount Pleasant capped a final quarter fightback to win a thrilling contest with Colbinabbin in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League’s senior footy action.
The Blues faced a 20-point deficit at the start of the last quarter in Saturday’s match played on Colbinabbin’s turf at M.J. Morgan Reserve.
The Julian Bull-coached Grasshoppers turned a 41-34 lead at half-time into a 20-point buffer after they won the third term, 25-12.
Led by the play of ruck-rover Billy Mahony, captain and co-coach Adam Baird and ruckman Chris Down, Mount Pleasant dominated the final term.
The Blues scored 4.4 to a goal to clinch a dramatic 74-72 victory and in the process gain a psychological edge as they will face Colbinabbin in next Saturday’s qualifying final at Lockington.
Mounts’ attack was led by Zac Featherby, Jack Teasdale and Ben Weightman on two goals apiece.
Hugh Barlow and Ben Southam kicked two goals for Colbinabbin.
Best for the Blues who are jointly coached by Darren Walsh and Adam Baird included Daniel Whiting, Fletcher White and Zebb Murrell.
Luke Moore, Hadleigh Sirett, Logan Fitzgerald, Todd Clarke, Ben Barton and Ben Southam played well for the green and gold.
A 69-point victory by White Hills against Huntly ensured the Demons would lock up fifth place and a berth in next Sunday’s elimination final.
After an evenly-fought first half it was White Hills which led 49-34 on its ground in Scott Street.
The Jack Fallon-coached Demons slammed on 5.5 to a point in the third term and added 3.9 to 1.1 in the last to complete a 111-42 victory.
Mitch Dole and Bayden Fallon kicked three goals apiece as Liam Bartels, Nathan Moffat and Matt Sawyer added two.
Huntly’s attack was led by Mitch Christensen and Jayden Matthews with two apiece.
Best for the Demons were Nathan Moffat, Patrick Eefting, Nic Wallace, Ryan Walker, captain Rhys Irwin and Cohen Kekich.
Mitch Christensen, Tyler Miles, Jaydon Cowling, Jayden Matthews, Jayden Cordy and Connor Aldous played well for the Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks.
Heathcote rounded out its season by scoring a 168-61 win against Leitchville Gunbower at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote not only had to beat the Bombers, but also needed Huntly to win at White Hills to climb to the fifth rung and a finals appearance.
It was not to be.
The Saints led 91-28 at half-time and then added 11.11 to 5.3 in the final hour.
Multiple goalkickers for Heathcote were Jackson Jones, five; Kai Cavallaro and Connor Hamilton, three; Rhys Bolton, Will Direen and Braden Padmore, two.
The Saints had 14 goalkickers.
Billy Hawken booted four goals for the Bombers and Joel Regan added two.
Braden Padmore capped a superb first season with Heathcote by being best afield as Jackson Jones, Connor Hamilton, captain Codie Price, Shaun Harrison and Mitch McLean also starred for the Saints.
Best for the Tim Bannan-coached Leitchville Gunbower were Nathan McLellan, James Kervin, Billy Hawken, Sam Lewis, Leyton Shenfield and Blake Azzopardi.
Lockington Bamawm United warmed up for the finals by scoring a 97-point win at Elmore.
The Cats led 60-22 at half-time and then added 11.9 to 2.4 in the second half to record a 135-38 victory.
Anthony McMahon led the attack on six goals as Tyler Phillips, three; Jarod Bacon and Coby Cox, two, were the other multiple goalkickers.
Elmore’s Darcy Laffy kicked two goals to end with a season tally of 53.
Best for the Brodie Collins-coached LBU were Jacob Gardiner, Joseph Wolfe, Anthony McMahon, Marcus Angove, Baxter Anderson and Charlie Hinks.
Rhys and Zack Holmberg, Nic Palmer, Nic Kellow, co-coach Dylan Gordon and Zac Laffy played well for an Elmore tam also co-coached by Dylan Friedberger.
North Bendigo had the bye.
Minor premiers across the three grades were Lockington Bamawm United, seniors; White Hills, reserves; and North Bendigo, under-18s.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Lockington Bamawm United 210 per cent, 60 points; Mount Pleasant 168, 52; Colbinabbin 155, 50; North Bendigo 136, 42; White Hills 89, 32; Heathcote 93, 28; Elmore 62, 12; Huntly 60, 8; Leitchville Gunbower 42, 4.
Leading goalkickers:
65 Ben Weightman, MP.
53 Darcy Laffy, Elm.
51 Dylan Klemm, NB.
44 Anthony McMahon, LBU.
42 Liam Bartels, WH.
41 James Brain, Colbo.
37 Braden Padmore, H’cote.
36 Jed Brain, Colbo.
31 Thomas Leech, LBU.
30 Billy Hawken, LG.
28 Jarod Bacon, LBU; Matt Gray, NB.
27 Kai Cavallaro, H’cote.
26 Jordan Ford, NB.
24 Ben Fulford, LBU.
23 Rhys Woodland, LBU.
22 Mitch Bennett, MP; Jack Brooks, H’cote; Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo., Hakeem Johnson, NB; Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.
21 Tyler Phillips, LBU; Dean Tydell, MP.
19 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Jesse Collins, LBU; Bayden Fallon, WH; Luke Gray, Huntly; Jackson Jones, H’cote.
Finals action kicks off next Saturday when qualifying finals are played at Lockington.
In the seniors, Colbinabbin take on Mount Pleasant.
Mount Pleasant tackles Heathcote in the reserves clash.
The under-18s match will be between White Hills and Lockington Bamawm United.
Elimination finals are on Sunday at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
North Bendigo and White Hills feature in the seniors clash.
It will be the Bulldogs against the Cats as North Bendigo meets Lockington Bamawm United in the reserves.
Colbinabbin and Leitchville Gunbower will fight to stay in the under-18s premiership race.
Written by Nathan Dole.
