BY NATHAN DOLE
WHITE Hills and Mount Pleasant were victorious in the weekend’s start to the A-grade netball finals in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
On Saturday it was White Hills which faced Colbinabbin in the qualifying final at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
Both teams had met the previous week when White Hills won the round 18 showdown on Colbinabbin’s court at M.J. Morgan Oval.
After an even opening five minutes to the qualifying final the Lauren Bowles-coached White Hills took charge to race to an 18-7 lead by quarter-time.
Moves into the attacking third by the Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin were a highlight of the second term.
The Grasshoppers won quarter, 17-16.
In term three the experience and skill of the White Hills line-up was to the fore as the Demons scored 17 goals and held Colbo to a tally of 11.
Both line-ups scored 13 goals in the last as White Hills claimed a 64-48 victory.
Best on court honours went to Amy Morrissey from White Hills.
Olivia McEvoy was Colbinabbin’s best.
On Sunday it was Mount Pleasant and Heathcote which fought to stay in the premiership race as they played the elimination final at North Bendigo’s Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
The Carine Comer-coached Mount Pleasant capitalised on a nervous start by the Saints to lead 13-6 at quarter-time.
Heathcote hit back to win the second term, 10-8.
Excellent teamwork by a Saints line-up jointly coached by Brooke Bolton and Kelsey Hayes meant Heathcote led 31-29 at a quarter to play.
In the last it was the Blues which doubled the Saints goal tally, 14-7 to record a 43-38 victory and roll into a first semi-final.
Blues’ mid-court star Ainsley Tupper was Mount Pleasant’s best.
Brooke Bolton played another outstanding game for the Saints.
Qualifying final scoreboard:
A-reserve:
White Hills 39 d North Bendigo 27.
Best on court – North Bendigo: Tyesha Rainsbury. White Hills: Emily Gloury.
B-grade:
Elmore 41 d Huntly 36.
Best on court – Elmore: Emily Jones. Huntly: Taylah Harrison.
B-reserve:
White Hills 45 d Mount Pleasant 36.
Best on court – White Hills: Zoe McLean. Mount Pleasant: Rochelle Young.
17-and-under:
Colbinabbin 42 d Heathcote 35.
Best on court – Colbinabbin: Grace McIntyre. Heathcote: Nicole Foster.
15-and-under:
Huntly 35 lt Elmore 52.
Best on court – Elmore: Jaz Milligan. Huntly: Bella Clohesy.
13-and-under:
Leitchville Gunbower 12 lt Heathcote 23.
Best on court – Heathcote: Emma Wani. Leitchville Gunbower: Sadie Jones.
Elimination final scoreboard:
A-reserve:
Colbinabbin 44 lt Mount Pleasant 46.
Best on court – Mount Pleasant: Maisy Harrop. Colbinabbin: Macy McCaig.
B-grade:
Mount Pleasant 30 lt Colbinabbin 36.
Best on court – Colbinabbin: Jo Brown. Mount Pleasant: Jess Kopp.
B-reserve:
North Bendigo 41 d Elmore 34.
Best on court – North Bendigo: Lauren Bell. Elmore: Georgia Southern.
17-and-under:
Mount Pleasant 53 d Huntly 23.
Best on court – Mount Pleasant: Georgia Butler. Huntly: Charli McInerney.
15-and-under:
White Hills 37 d Lockington Bamawm United 35.
Best on court – White Hills: Alice Coller. Lockington Bamawm United: Cadence Major.
13-and-under:
Huntly 6 lt Colbinabbin 23.
Best on court – Colbinabbin: Macey Ryan. Huntly: Maleah Alford.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at M.J. Morgan Oval in Colbinabbin:
13-and-under at 8.45am: Lockington Bamawm United v Heathcote.
15-and-under at 10am: Mount Pleasant v Elmore.
17-and-under at 8.45am: Lockington Bamawm United v Colbinabbin.
B-reserve at 11.30am: Huntly v White Hills.
B-grade at 10am: White Hills v Elmore.
A-reserve at 1pm: Elmore v White Hills.
A-grade at 2.30pm: Elmore v White Hills.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at Elmore:
13-and-under at 9.30am: Leitchville Gunbower v Colbinabbin.
15-and-under at 11am: Huntly v White Hills.
17-and-under at 9.30am: Heathcote v Mount Pleasant.
B-reserve at 12.30pm: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.
B-grade at 11am: Huntly v Colbinabbin.
A-reserve at 12.30pm: North Bendigo v Mount Pleasant.
A-grade at 2pm: Colbinabbin v Mount Pleasant.