BY NATHAN DOLE
VICTORY in Saturady’s 18th and final round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DNFL home and away series ensured Mount Pleasant qualified for the A-grade netball finals.
Mounts went into its home game at Toolleen against Lockington Bamawm United needing to win to jump back to the fifth rung.
Not only did the Carine Comer-coached Blues have to beat LBU, but also needed Elmore to win its match on North Bendigo’s court.
Both scenarios went Mount Pleasant’s way.
Led by a 56-goal haul by Ava Nihill and great games by Ivy Harrop, Aish and Maeve Tupper, Mount Pleasant scored a 63-38 win against LBU.
North Bendigo started the round in fifth place, but had to break Elmore’s unbeaten run to stay there.
Jointly coached by Imogen Davies and Kiralee Kinder, North Bendigo tried hard but could not halt the Bloods’ run.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore won 76-35.
In a prelude to the qualifying final, Colbinabbin and White Hills met on Colbinabbin’s court at M.J. Morgan Oval.
White Hills led 11-9 at quarter-time and 23-20 by the long break.
In second place on the ladder, White Hills upped its play to win the third quarter, 16-10.
A nine-goal lead for the Lauren Bowles-coached Demons at the start of the final term was 11 by the end as the red and black marked a 54-43 victory.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Grasshoppers take on the Demons in next Saturday’s qualifying final in Pigeon Park at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
Heathcote warmed up for a long-awaited A-grade finals appearance on Saturday by scoring a 55-34 victory against the Harlowe Huntly Hawks at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
A Saints’ line-up coached by Brooke Bolton and Kelsey Hayes will now meet Mount Pleasant in next Sunday’s elimination final at North Bendigo’s Hibo Hotel Oval.
Leitchville Gunbower had the bye.
Final standings in the Heathcote DFNL A-grade netball competition for the 2023 home and away series:
Elmore 185 per cent, 64 points; White Hills 179, 56; Colbinabbin 136, 48; Heathcote 107, 32; Mount Pleasant 90, 28; North Bendigo 80, 28; Huntly 80, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 55, 8; Lockington Bamawm United 53, 4.
Round 18 scoreboard:
A-reserve:
Colbinabbin 36 lt White Hills 54, Mount Pleasant 41 d Lockington Bamawm United 34, Huntly 33 d Heathcote 25, North Bendigo 22 lt Elmore 35, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
B-grade:
Colbinabbin 30 lt White Hills 32, Mount Pleasant 47 d Lockington Bamawm United 36, Huntly 69 d Heathcote 29, North Bendigo 30 lt Elmore 46, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
B-reserve:
Colbinabbin 15 lt White Hills 71, Mount Pleasant 59 d Lockington Bamawm United 26, Huntly 73 d Heathcote 16, North Bendigo 42 lt Elmore 45, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
17-and-under:
Colbinabbin 49 d White Hills 15, Mount Pleasant 43 d Lockington Bamawm United 40, Huntly 37 d Heathcote 33, North Bendigo 29 lt Elmore 51, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
15-and-under:
Colbinabbin 22 lt White Hills 51, Mount Pleasant 55 d Lockington Bamawm United 23, Huntly 56 d Heathcote 19, North Bendigo 30 lt Elmore 43, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
13-and-under:
Colbinabbin 42 d White Hills 9, Mount Pleasant 3 lt Lockington Bamawm United 57, Huntly 22 lt Heathcote 26, North Bendigo 11 lt Elmore 21, Leitchville Gunbower bye.
Ladders after 18 rounds:
A-reserve:
Elmore 165 per cent, 56 points; White Hills 140, 56; North Bendigo 116 , 44; Colbinabbin 109, 36; Mount Pleasant 104, 32; Huntly 85, 28; Lockington Bamawm United 90, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 66, 8; Heathcote 66, 8.
B-grade:
White Hills 148 per cent, 56 points; Elmore 150, 52; Huntly 134, 52; Mount Pleasant 118, 36; Colbinabbin 91, 28; Lockington Bamawm United 89, 24; North Bendigo 87, 24; Leitchville Gunbower 73, 12; Heathcote 47, 4.
B-reserve:
Huntly 204 per cent, 64 points; White Hills 144, 48; Mount Pleasant 143, 48; North Bendigo 162, 44; Elmore 137, 36; Mount Pleasant 138, 44; Lockington Bamawm United 80, 24; Colbinabbin 64, 16; Heathcote 36, 8; Leitchville Gunbower 39, 0.
17-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United 148 per cent, 60 points; Colbinabbin 116, 42; Heathcote 134, 40; Mount Pleasant 113, 38; Huntly 101.9, 38; Leitchville Gunbower 101.6, 38; Elmore 89, 20; White Hills 58, 8; North Bendigo 62, 4.
15-and-under:
Mount Pleasant 309 per cent, 64 points; Huntly 244, 56; Elmore 151, 44; White Hills 117, 44; Lockington Bamawm United 92, 32; North Bendigo 64, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 63, 20; Heathcote 41, 8; Colbinabbin 45, 0.
13-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United 378 per cent, 56 points; Leitchville Gunbower 240, 56; Heathcote 144, 52; Huntly 170, 38; Colbinabbin 120, 36; Elmore 101, 26; White Hills 59, 16; Mount Pleasant 23, 8; North Bendigo 13, 0.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Pigeon Park, Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve:
13-under at 8.45am: Leitchville Gunbower v Heathcote.
15-under at 10am: Huntly v Elmore.
17-under at 8.45am: Colbinabbin v Heathcote.
B-reserve at 12.30pm: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
B-grade at 11.15am: Elmore v Huntly.
A-reserve at 1.45pm: White Hills v North Bendigo.
A-grade at 3pm: White Hills v Colbinabbin.
Draw for Sunday’s elimination finals at Hibo Hotel, Atkins Street, North Bendigo:
13-under at 9.30am: Huntly v Colbinabbin.
15-under at 11am: White Hills v Lockington Bamawm United.
17-under at 9.30am: Mount Pleasant v Huntly.
B-reserve at 12.30pm: North Bendigo v Elmore.
B-grade at 11am: Mount Pleasant v Colbinabbin.
A-reserve at 12.30pm: Colbinabbin v Mount Pleasant.
A-grade at 2pm: Heathcote v Mount Pleasant.