Mounts face uphill battle against Elmore on netball court
MOUNT Pleasant faces a huge task against the powerful Elmore line in Saturday’s start to the A-grade netball finals in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League season.
The Blues and Bloods will take to Lockington’s court for the qualifying final.
This season’s meetings between the teams have ended in wins for Elmore.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore won the round one match at home, 59-33, and followed up with a 71-46 victory on the Blues’ court at Toolleen in round 10.
The Bloods ended the home and away series in second place on a win-loss record of 14-2.
Only defeats for Elmore were a 66-57 loss at home to White Hills in round 14 on a day the Heathcote DFNL marked 60 years of netball.
Elmore had racked up an incredible 23 wins in a row across the shortened 2021 season and then into the ’22 campaign.
An 84-25 win by the Bloods at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve in the 17th round became a 25-0 win in favour of the Hawks after Elmore had not completed the scoresheet correctly.
Key players for Elmore include Gabe Richards and Abbey Hromenko in attack, Tahnee Cannan in defence, and Cayde Hayes.
A high level of pressure will be the focus for the Carine Comer-coached Mount Pleasant.
The Blues achieved an 11-5 record in the regular season and worked hard to claim the double chance at finals time.
Mounts warmed up for the finals by scoring a 55-44 victory on Colbinabbin’s court last Saturday as third took on fourth.
Key players for Mount Pleasant include Kristen Lang, Chantal Moore and Liv Slattery.
The winner of the Elmore and Mount Pleasant clash will meet White Hills in the second semi-final on August 20.
It will be season over for Colbinabbin or Huntly after their clash in the A-grade elimination final on Sunday at M.M. Morgan Reserve in Colbinabbin.
The Lisa Myers-coached Colbinabbin will be aiming to capitalise on home-court advantage against the Hawks.
When these clubs met in round 16 at Colbinabbin it was the Grasshoppers who won 50-37.
In round seven, Colbinabbin won 55-39 at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Key players for the Grasshoppers include Lizzy Ingram and Ella Kerlin.
The team in green and gold will be on the rebound from a loss to Mount Pleasant.
Huntly had a 6-10 record and won a closely-fought battle to be fifth and qualify for finals action.
The Emily Eliades-coached Hawks will look for big games from the likes of Serryn Eenjes, Chloe Fletcher and Laura Parkhill.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Lockington:
13-under at 8.45am: Elmore v Leitchville-Gunbower.
15-under at 8.45am: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.
17-under at 10am: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
B reserve at 10am: White Hills v Leitchville-Gunbower.
B grade at 11.30am: Huntly v Colbinabbin.
A reserve at 1pm: White Hills v Colbinabbin.
A grade at 2.30pm: Elmore v Mount Pleasant.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
13-under at 9.30am: Heathcote v Huntly.
15-under at 9.30am: Elmore v Huntly.
17-under at 11am: Leitchville-Gunbower v Heathcote.
B reserve at 11am: Mount Pleasant v Elmore.
B grade at 12.30pm: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
A reserve at 12.30pm: Mount Pleasant v Huntly.
A grade at 2pm: Colbinabbin v Huntly.
Final standings in the Heathcote DFNL’s A-grade netball competition:
White Hills 169 per cent, 60 points; Elmore 159, 56; Mount Pleasant 108, 44; Colbinabbin 98, 32; Huntly 83, 24; Heathcote 86, 20; Lockington Bamawm 85, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 80, 20; North Bendigo 63, 12.
Written by Nathan Dole.
