Mitiamo marks superb win on Marong’s court
MITIAMO’S pursuit of consecutive A-grade netball premierships gained pace after Saturday’s start to the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley Football Netball League’s finals series.
The Superoos took on Marong in the qualifying and outplayed the Panthers on their court at Malone Park.
Mitiamo’s coach and multiple league best and fairest Laura Hicks was in great form in attack, along with gun recruit Carly Scholes.
At the final whistle, Mitiamo led 57-41.
It was Marong’s first A-grade final hit-out in many years.
The Panthers faced a tough task against a team which knows a lot about finals pressure.
Mitiamo led by three goals at quarter-time and increased the margin by five goals in the second term.
The Superoos did not let up as they won every quarter.
Mitiamo will now prepare to take on Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the second semi-final to be played on Saturday at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Bianca Garton-coached Marong will fight to stay in the premiership race when it faces Calivil United in Sunday’s first semi-final on the Demons court at Calivil.
A strong first half put Calivil United in control of its elimination final clash with Bridgewater at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
The Demons opened up a 10-goal lead in the first half and led by nine going into the final term.
Bridgewater made a brilliant fightback through the play of Claudia Collins who was switched from defence to attack and scored 13 of the team’s 18 goals in the last term.
A high-scoring contest went the way of Calivil United, 61-56.
The Karen Pascoe and Teigan Redwood-coached Demons had many players contribute to a hard-fought victory.
Mia McCrann-Peters scored 44 goals to be best on court against the Aimie Brown-coached Bridgewater.
Scores from qualifying finals played at Marong’s Malone Park:
A-grade: Mitiamo d Marong 57-41.
B-grade: Bridgewater d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 55-39.
C-grade: Marong lt Bridgewater 36-37.
C-reserve: Marong d Newbridge 36-34.
17-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Calivil United 50-37.
15-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles lt Pyramid Hill 40-41.
13-and-under: Pyramid Hill d Mitiamo 23-21.
Scores from elimination finals played at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo:
A-grade: Calivil United d Bridgewater 61-56.
B-grade: Marong lt Pyramid Hill 36-50.
C-grade: Bears Lagoon Serpentine d Calivil United 47-44.
C-reserve: Bridgewater d Calivil United 46-35.
17-and-under: Bridgewater d Bears Lagoon Serpentine 50-38.
15-and-under: Calivil United lt Bears Lagoon Serpentine 44-46.
13-and-under: Bears Lagoon Serpentine lt Calivil United 10-30.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
13-and-under at 12pm: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
17-and-under at 12pm: Newbridge v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Marong.
A-grade at 3pm: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Mitiamo.
C-grade at 3pm: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Bridgewater.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at Calivil Recreation Reserve:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
13-and-under at 12pm: Mitiamo v Calivil United.
17-and-under at 12pm: Calivil United v Bridgewater.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Pyramid Hill.
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
A-grade at 3pm: Marong v Calivil United.
C-grade at 3pm: Marong v Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
Written by Nathan Dole.
