BY NATHAN DOLE
Demons outplay Blues at White Hills
WHITE Hills outplayed Mount Pleasant in Saturday night’s finale to the second round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The Demons and Blues clashed at the Scott Street ground in White Hills.
A high-scoring opening term was won by the red and black, 32-20.
The Cam Carter-coached Mount Pleasant fought back to outscore the Demons in the second, 19-11.
A four-point lead for White Hills at half-time became 27 points going into the last quarter as the home team scored 4.6 to 1.1.
Led by the play of Alex Davis, Jake Pallpratt and Cohen Kekich, White Hills marked consecutive victories in an 87-56 result.
Liam Bartels kicked three goals as co-coach Kaiden Antonowicz added two.
Mount Pleasant’s multiple goalkickers were Christian Hatzis and Riley McNamara on two.
Best for the Demons who are jointly coached by Antonowicz and Jack Fallon included ruckmen/forwards Callum Crisp and Jack Lawton and Cameron Taggert.
Mount Pleasant’s best were Ben Bisset, Daniel Frame, Riley McNamara, Reardon McIvor, Fletcher White and Daniel Whiting.
Leitchville-Gunbower fought on for a one-goal win against Colbinabbin at Gunbower.
On the rebound from defeat at Lockington in round one, LG led 12-3 at quarter-time.
Both teams had five scoring shots in the second term, but Colbinabbin’s greater accuracy, 4.1 to 3.2, meant the Bombers held a four-point buffer at the long break.
Defences were well on top for most of the third quarter.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers added 1.3 to 1.1.
A tally of 3.1 apiece in the last meant Leitchville-Gunbower held on for a 60-54 victory.
Billy Hawken and Chris Horman kicked two goals each for the Bombers.
Alex Carr was again a key target in Colbinabbin’s attack and finished with a game-high three goals as Laine Fitzgerald chipped in with two.
Best for the Bombers were Tom Guerra, Josh Hawken, Jobee Warde, Max Hagan, Brad Green and Jye Keath.
Nathan Basile, Jude Ryan, Aidan Basile, Alex Van Ruiswyk, Laine Fitzgerald and Alex Carr played well for the Jed Brain-coached Grasshoppers.
Seven goals to nil in the opening term put Heathcote well in control of its clash with Lockington Bamawm United at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
The Saints led 46-4 at the first break.
In the second it was LBU which outscored the home team, 21-18.
Led by the play of Cheatley medallist Liam Jacques in the on-ball duels and Corey Grindlay in the forward 50m arc, Heathcote scored 5.5 and held the Cats to a goal in the third term.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote won the last quarter, 9-8, to complete a 108-40 victory.
Grindlay again led the Saints attack on four goals as Liam Birch chipped in with three.
Other multiple goalkickers for the winners were Liam Jacques, Zak Saad and Cooper Webber-Mirkin on two each.
Anthony McMahon kicked three goals in a contest where LBU was held to a tally of five by a strong defence.
Best for the Saints were Jacques, Grindlay, Rhys Bolton, Callum Birch, Connor Hamilton and Billy Price.
Brodie Collins, Bowden Stone, Charlie Hinks, Joseph Wolfe, Lachlan Tenace and Anthony McMahon worked hard for the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU.
North Bendigo marked a 58-point victory in its first match of the season at Elmore.
The Bulldogs raced to a four-goal lead by quarter-time.
In the second term it was the Bloods who fought back brilliantly to outscore the visitors, 4.3 to 3.4.
The Rob Bennett-coached North Bendigo broke the game wide open in the third quarter.
Led by the play of Billy Robertson, captain Aarryn Craig and gun recruit Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo slammed on 6.5 to 1.2.
Elmore added 4.4 to 5.4 in the last as the Bulldogs won 128-70.
The Bulldogs attack was led by Dylan Klemm, four; Pat Bogers, Storm Giri, Billy Robertson and Nic Waterson, two each.
James Harney kicked a match-high five goals for the Bloods as Nathan Kay added three.
The Bulldogs’ best included midfielder Bailey Cain, Cody Riddick and on-baller Nathan Newlan.
Nathan Kay, Rhys Holmberg, James Harney, Zack Holmberg, Luke Price and Connor Walsh were best for the Mick Woolhouse-coached Bloods.
Huntly had the bye.
Heathcote DNFL senior footy ladder:
Heathcote 184 per cent, 8 points; White Hills 182, 8; North Bendigo 182, 4; Colbinabbin 168, 4; Lockington Bamawm United 81, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 78, 4; Mount Pleasant 68, 0; Huntly 48, 0; Elmore 45, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
12 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
8 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
8 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
6 Stuart Taylor, Lockington Bamawm United.
5 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
4 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
4 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
3 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
3 Christian Hatzis, Mount Pleasant.
3 Liam Jacques, Heathcote.
3 Charles Ryan, Colbinabbin.
3 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
In next Saturday’s third round, North Bendigo takes on Leitchville Gunbower at The Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street at 2.15pm.
Colbinabbin tackles Heathcote at M.J. Morgan Oval in Colbinabbin.
Lockington Bamawm United plays White Hills at Nichol Trading Oval in Lockington.
Mount Pleasant faces Huntly at Toolleen.
Elmore has the bye.
PHOTO: Mt. Pleasant FNC