BY NATHAN DOLE
EIGHT clubs will be represented across Saturday’s netball preliminary finals in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL action at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
The only club not to feature is White Hills which already has four teams through to the September 16 grand finals at Huntly.
In A-grade, reigning premier Elmore takes on Colbinabbin from 3pm.
Elmore was unbeaten in the home-and-away series, but could not stop White Hills as the Lauren Bowles-coached Demons surged to a 57-53 victory in the second semi.
Jointly coached by Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards, Elmore will be fired up to earn another crack at the Demons in the match which matters most.
To do so the Bloods must beat the Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin this Saturday.
In this season’s meetings between the Bloods and Grasshoppers, Elmore won 61-56 in round two.
Next time they met on Colbinabbin’s court at M.J. Morgan Oval it was the Bloods who ran free in an 81-48 victory in the 11th round.
Colbinabbin’s run in the finals began with a 48-64 loss to White Hills in the qualifying final.
The Grasshoppers struck back for a 68-39 win against Mount Pleasant in the first semi.
Elmore’s team:
Tahnee Cannan, Cayde Hayes, Abbey Hromenko, Maddy Keating, Ellie Laffy, Gabrielle Richards, Chloe Whitfield, Andrea Wilson.
Colbinabbin’s team:
Annie Hughes, Morghan Hughes, Ella Kerlin, Olivia McEvoy, Grace McIntyre, Matilda Mclntyre, Tanzin Myers, Dominique Palmer, Elle Palmer, Emily Percy, Mardie Ryan, Ella Turnbull, Ash Zera.
The A-reserve preliminary final at 1.45pm features Elmore and North Bendigo.
These teams last met in the 18th round where Elmore won 35-22 on the Bulldogs’ court at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
The Abbey Hay and Lauren McKee-coached Bloods finished the home-and-away series on top of the ladder, but went down 26-36 in the second semi-final clash with White Hills.
After a 39-27 loss to White Hills in the qualifying final, North Bendigo hit back for a 41-37 win against Mount Pleasant in the first semi.
The Stacee Kingdon-coached Bulldogs will be aiming to be there on that one day in September.
Elmore’s team:
Isabel Butler, Stephanie Donnellon, Abbey Hay, Hollie Hildebrandt, Abbey McLean, Sophie McLean, Ashleigh Ripper, Tammy Russell.
North Bendigo’s team:
Ella Balic, Phoebe Bett, Cassie Coughlan, Kysha Dowling, Maddy Foster, Frances Knight, Jammisyn Manns, Tyesha Rainsbury, Natalie Watson.
It’s a showdown between Elmore and the Harlowe Huntly Hawks in the B-grade preliminary final from 11.15am.
The Hayley Langdon and Elly Hayes-coached Elmore is on the rebound from a 41-46 loss to White Hills in the second semi.
The Hawks’ run in the finals began with a 41-36 loss to Elmore in the qualifying final.
Jointly coached by Kylie Webster and Taylor Mann, Huntly hit back for a 49-29 win against Colbinabbin in the first semi.
When the Bloods and Hawks met in round 10 at Elmore it was the red and white which claimed a 50-33 victory.
Elmore’s team:
Tyanah Case, Madison Cliff, Lauren Dawes, Elly Hayes, Lauren Holmberg, Emily Jones, Lauren McKee, Jane Reid, Philippa Renshaw.
Huntly’s team:
Jenna Baker, Simone Corboy, Holly Guerra, Charlotte Harrison, Taylah Harrison, Anna Kane, Montana Kekich, Maddi Kennedy, Alisha Matthies, Melissa Matthews, Brit Shaddock, Georgia Smith.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks are also in the B-reserve clash with North Bendigo at 12.30pm.
Hawks’ coaches Kylie Webster and Taylor Mann will be determined to gain another crack at White Hills after a 47-44 loss in the second semi.
The Bobbie Simpson-coached North Bendigo is on a winning streak.
A 41-34 win by the red, white and blue against Elmore in the elimination final was followed by a 31-26 victory in the first semi against Mount Pleasant.
The Huntly Hawks won both of the home-and-away matches with the Bulldogs by margins of six and 38.
Huntly’s team:
Laura Bawden, Simone Corboy, Kiara Cowling, Emarnee Davies, Jorja Egan, Brooke Engi, Holly Guerra, Madi Lawrence, Melissa Matthews, Nikita Matthews, Lexi Thomas, Maddy Townsend.
North Bendigo:
Kate Hayes (captain), Taylah Nicholson (captain), Lauren Bell, Adelaide Bollard, Charlize Clark, Sophie Humphreys, Larissa Murphy, Morgan O’Meara, Lindsay Simpson, Alison Walsh.
Another team which has fought its way from an elimination is Mount Pleasant’s 17-and-under team.
The Teagan Byrne-coached Blues take on Lockington Bamawm United in the preliminary final from 8.45am.
Mounts’ run in the finals began by eliminating Huntly, 53-23, and then Heathcote, 30-29, in the first semi.
The Annalese Turner-coached LBU is on the rebound from a 45-39 defeat to Colbinabbin in the second semi-final.
Most recent meeting between the Blues and Cats was in round 18 where Mount Pleasant won 43-40 at Toolleen.
Lockington Bamawm United’s team:
Imogen Anderson, Remee Christian, Scarlett Connelly, Cordelia Fry-Smith, Audrey Giorgianni, Chelsea Newton, Chelsea Read, Evie Ritchie, Kasey Stone.
Mount Pleasant’s team:
Madalyn Nihill (captain), Emily McCooke (captain), Imogen Ash, Georgie Butler, Claire Dunstan, Juliet Hogan, Ruby Loverso, Shae Osborn, Bree Tuohey, Ella Wilkinson, Lucy Wilkinson, Piper Wright.
The 15-under preliminary final between Elmore and Huntly starts at 10am.
These teams met in the qualifying final where the Abbey Hromenko and Ellie Laffy-coached Elmore won 52-35.
Margin was much closer when the Bloods took on the Hawks in the 10th round at Elmore.
On that occasion the Lisa Clohesy-coached Huntly won 40-34.
The Bloods are on the rebound from a 36-37 loss to Mount Pleasant in the second semi.
Huntly stayed in the premiership race after a 36-30 victory against Colbinabbin in the first semi on Elmore’s court.
Elmore’s team:
Hayley Broucek, Annie Dalton, Ginger Hay, Scout Hayes, Jaz Milligan, Lynette Mountjoy, Kayla Pascoe, Lily Reid, Bailey Town, Ameika White.
Huntly’s team:
Jayda Alford, Maleah Alford, Jorja Bell, Bella Clohesy, Ella Ferguson, Madi Gill, Lily McKee, Ruby Morrish, Georgia Moulday, Emmy Schmidt, Mackenzie Trotter.
Two weeks after they met in a qualifying final, Heathcote and Leitchville Gunbower will contest the 13-under preliminary final from 8.45am.
A 23-12 victory by Heathcote in the qualifying final gave the Saints a 2-1 record in this season’s meetings with the Bombers.
In round two, Heathcote won 26-21 on its court at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve.
The Bombers struck back for a 36-17 win at Gunbower in the 11th round.
A Heathcote team coached by Annaliese Dundon was beaten by Lockington Bamawm United in the second semi.
Although the Saints had home-court advantage at Pigeon Park, LBU won 34-13.
The Karlee Gilmore-coached Leitchville Gunbower won a thrilling first semi-final against Colbinabbin by a goal.
Heathcote’s team:
Mylee Ayres, Romy Conway, Lyra Damchef, Bonnie Flynn, Vanessa Huang, Catherine McCarthy, Willow Obts, Victoria Pese, Emmersyn Slee, Thea Tobin, Tianna Vanzin, Memphis Virgona, Emma Wani.
Leitchville Gunbower:
Evie Fletcher, Sophie Gilmore, Lucy Gretgrix, Sadie Jones, Emily Law, Isabel McGillivray, Lilli McGillivray, Zara McGillivray, Milla Ryan, Harper Shiels, Dotti Simmonds.