BY NATHAN DOLE
Top two mark dramatic victories
TOP teams White Hills and North Bendigo marked single-digit victories in Saturday’s 16th round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The ladder-leading Winslow White Hills Demons were under enormous pressure from Leitchville Gunbower at the Scott Street ground in White Hills.
A high-scoring first term went the Demons’ way, 28-19.
The Bombers cut the deficit as they scored 2.2 as White Hills added 1.6 in the second term.
White Hills won the third, 29-14.
Although it was down 69-47 at three quarter-time, Leitchville Gunbower played a brilliant final term.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers scored three goals, but the Demons tally of four behinds was enough to clinch a 73-67 victory.
Nick Warnock kicked three goals for White Hills as co-coach Kaiden Antonowicz and Liam Bartels booted two.
The Demons’ attack was led by Blake Dye on three as Tom Brereton and Lachlan Sverns finished with two majors.
Best for White Hills were Cameron Taggert, Ryan Walker, Callum Crisp, Jake Pallpratt, Alex Davis and co-coach Jack Fallon.
Brady Hore, Charles Hancock, James Brereton, Brad Green, Lachlan Sverns and Billy Hawken starred for the LG Bombers.
A win-loss tally of 13-2 for White Hills includes an unbeaten run of eight matches at home.
It was another thrilling showdown between Mount Pleasant and North Bendigo at Toolleen.
The Blues led 22-14 at quarter-time, but the Bulldogs struck back to win the second term, 26-14.
Defences were on top throughout the third as both teams added two goals.
A Mount Pleasant team which has Cam Carter as director of coaching and Ben Bisset and Jack Hickman as playing coaches scored two unanswered goals to take the lead in the final term.
The Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs fought back with goals by Sam Barnes and Jake Dean to clinch a 68-64 victory.
North Bendigo’s best were wingman Nic Waterson, ruck-rover ryan Hartley, Bailey Cain, Hamish McCartney, Cody Riddick and Aidan Brohm.
Fletcher White, Jack Hickman, Chris Down, Caelan Smith, Michael Whiting and Sam Greene were Mount Pleasant’s best.
Lockington Bamawm United dominated play at Nichol Trading Oval in Lockington to score a 63-point win against Colbinabbin.
Although it’s out of the finals race the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU is determined to mark a strong finish to the season.
On Saturday the Cats led 22-11 at quarter-time and then slammed on seven goals as it kept Colbinabbin to a tally of three behinds in the second term.
The Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin fought back to win the third, 16-7, but it was LBU which finished with plenty of run.
Jack Reiter went on to kick eight goals in a best on ground performance as LBU won the last, 37-18, to complete a 111-48 victory.
Brayden Hull and Stuart Ryan booted three goals apiece for the Cats.
Colbinabbin’s attack was led by Jed Brain and Ned Morgan on two.
Best for LBU were Jack Reiter, Elijah Bruns, Jacob Gardiner, Brayden Hull, Jesse and Brodie Collins.
Angus Martin, Will Lowe, Nathan Basile, Connor Aldous, Julian Bull and Nick Knight were Colbinabbin’s best.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks kept finals hopes alive as they won 74-29 against Elmore at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
It’s a hat-trick of wins for the Hawks who followed up victories against Colbinabbin and North Bendigo with another strong performance against the Bloods.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks led 22-6 at half-time and then dominated the third quarter.
As Huntly scored 6.3 it kept the Bloods to a tally of two points.
In a superb defensive effort, Huntly kept Elmore to a goal until three quarter-time.
The Nathan Kay-coached Elmore fought back to win the last term, 21-13.
Huntly’s attack was led by Abe Sladden on three goals as Lachlan Brook, Tori Ferguson and Lachy Wilson added two.
James Harney kicked two goals for the Bloods.
Huntly’s best were Tori Ferguson, Abe Sladden, Darby Walsh, Harry Whittle, Jackson Fry and Dale Lowry.
Kynan Sharpe, Nathan Kay, Daniel Russell, Rhys and Zach Holmberg, and Jack Trewick played well for the Bloods.
Heathcote had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
White Hills 182 per cent, 52 points; North Bendigo 158, 44; Heathcote 119, 32; Leitchville Gunbower 99, 32; Colbinabbin 91, 28; Mount Pleasant 114, 24; Huntly 74, 24; Lockington Bamawm United 75, 16; Elmore 44, 4.
Round 17 on Saturday features Heathcote against White Hills in the battle of the Saints and Demons at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
It’s the Bulldogs against the Cats as North Bendigo meets Lockington Bamawm United at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
Leitchville Gunbower will be on home turf at Leitchville to play the in-form Huntly.
Elmore and Mount Pleasant clash on Elmore’s turf.
Colbinabbin has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
55 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
48 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
47 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
45 James Harney, Elmore.
38 Ben Bisset, Mount Pleasant.
37 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
32 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
28 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
27 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
26 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
24 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
24 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
23 James Davies, White Hills.
23 Anthony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
22 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
21 Sam Barnes, North Bendigo.
21 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
18 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
18 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
18 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
17 Fraser Buchanan, Leitchville Gunbower.
17 Cooper Webber-Mirkin, Heathcote.
16 Jackson Conforti, Heathcote.
15 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
15 Jed Brain, Colbinabbin.
15 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
15 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
15 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
14 Caleb Hislop, Leitchville Gunbower.
14 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
14 Charles Ryan, Colbinabbin.
14 Jordan Wilson, Colbinabbin.
13 Jaxson Nihill, Mount Pleasant.
13 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
13 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
12 Pat Bogers, North Bendigo.
12 Blake Dye, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Hamish Morcom, Huntly.
12 Ben Taylor, White Hills.
12 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.
11 Tom Brereton, White Hills.
11 Flynn Campbell, Huntly.
11 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
11 Lachlan Sverns, Leitchville Gunbower.
11 Nick Warnock, White Hills.
10 Callum Crisp, White Hills.
10 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
10 Stuart Taylor, Lockington Bamawm United.