BY NATHAN DOLE
MITIAMO and Pyramid Hill marked confidence-lifting victories in Saturday’s 18th round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
The matches at Marong’s Malone Park and at Newbridge were both preludes to next weekend’s start to the finals series.
Second and third on the ladder, Mitiamo and Marong clashed on the Panthers’ court.
The Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo showed it’s a force to be reckoned with in a 77-48 win against Marong.
A four-time league best and fairest and premiership winning star, Laura Hicks was superb at goal attack for Mitiamo and earned the Annette Grant Memorial Medal for best on court.
Pyramid Hill made its way to Beck Legal Riverside Oval to play Newbridge.
It was also a forerunner to an elimination final between the Bulldogs and Maroons.
The Gemma Scott-coached Pyramid Hill gained plenty of momentum as it scored a 65-41 victory against the Selina Holland-coached Newbridge.
Calivil United capped its final match of the season by scoring a 53-32 win at home against Inglewood.
It was win number four for the Chelsea Hicks-coached Demons.
A tough finish for Bears-Lagoon Serpentine included facing the ladder-leading Maiden Gully YCW at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Stacee Burns-coached Bears battled to halt the Eagles’ slick passing in all thirds of the court.
At the final whistle the Adam Boldiston-coached Eagles led 84-11.
The Aimie Brown-coached Bridgewater had the bye.
Final standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Maiden Gully YCW 190 per cent, 60 points; Mitiamo 167, 52; Marong 144, 46; Pyramid Hill 116, 46; Newbridge 98, 32; Bridgewater 84, 28; Calivil United 76, 16; Inglewood 50, 8; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 42, 0.
Finals action starts next Saturday when qualifying finals are played at Bridgewater.
It’s season on the line when teams meet in Sunday’s elimination finals at Beck Legal Oval in Newbridge’s Riverside Park.
Draw for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Bridgewater:
A-grade: Mitiamo v Marong.
B-grade: Maiden Gully YCW v Pyramid Hill.
C-grade: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
C-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17-and-under: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine v Bridgewater.
15-and-under: Bridgewater v Inglewood.
13-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW v Bridgewater.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Beck Legal Oval Newbridge:
A-grade: Pyramid Hill v Newbridge.
B-grade: Bridgewater v Newbridge.
C-grade: Bridgewater v Newbridge.
C-reserve: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
17-and-under: Calivil United v Maiden Gully YCW.
15-and-under: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine v Maiden Gully YCW.
13-and-under: Inglewood v Pyramid Hill.
Round 18 scoreboard:
B-grade:
Marong 78 d Mitiamo 21, Newbridge 39 lt Pyramid Hill 42, Calivil United 51 lt Inglewood 52, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 21 lt Maiden Gully YCW 60, Bridgewater had the bye.
C-grade:
Marong 53 d Mitiamo 31, Newbridge 40 lt Pyramid Hill 50, Calivil United 58 d Inglewood 27, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 27 lt Maiden Gully YCW 60, Bridgewater had the bye.
C-reserve:
Marong 73 d Mitiamo 21, Newbridge 65 d Pyramid Hill 26, Calivil United 62 d Inglewood 28, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 38 d Maiden Gully YCW 36, Bridgewater had the bye.
17-and-under:
Marong 98 d Mitiamo 9, Newbridge 25 lt Pyramid Hill 38, Calivil United bye, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 57 d Maiden Gully YCW 31, Bridgewater had the bye.
15-and-under:
Marong 72 d Mitiamo 17, Pyramid Hill bye, Calivil United 49 d Inglewood 22, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 24 lt Maiden Gully YCW 29, Bridgewater had the bye.
13-and-under:
Marong 31 d Mitiamo 11, Pyramid Hill bye, Calivil United 52 d Inglewood 13, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 12 lt Maiden Gully YCW 46, Bridgewater had the bye.
Ladders after 18 rounds:
B-grade:
Marong 215 per cent, 64 points; Maiden Gully YCW 171, 56; Pyramid Hill 112, 44; Bridgewater 111, 38; Newbridge 102, 38; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 64, 24; Mitiamo 67, 12; Inglewood 64, 8; Calivil United 59, 4.
C-grade:
Maiden Gully YCW 186per cent, 60 points; Marong 181, 54; Pyramid Hill 152, 50; Bridgewater 117, 44; Newbridge 88, 26; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 89, 24; Mitiamo 76, 20; Calivil United 69, 10; Inglewood 27, 0.
C-reserve:
Marong 253 per cent, 60 points; Maiden Gully YCW 174, 56; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 138, 52; Newbridge 123, 36; Bridgewater 99, 32; Calivil United 82, 24; Pyramid Hill 57, 14; Mitiamo 54, 10; Inglewood 43, 4.
17-and-under:
Marong 180 per cent, 56 points; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 149, 52; Bridgewater 146, 48; Calivil United 144, 44; Maiden Gully YCW 139, 40; Pyramid Hill 71, 22; Newbridge 59, 18; Mitiamo 22, 8.
15-and-under:
Calivil United 172 per cent, 58 points; Bridgewater 143, 50; Inglewood 113, 44; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 119, 40; Maiden Gully YCW 120, 38; Pyramid Hill 84, 26; Marong 97, 24; Mitiamo 28, 8.
13-and-under:
Calivil United 443 per cent, 64 points; Maiden Gully YCW 154, 52; Bridgewater 104, 48; Inglewood 126, 38; Pyramid Hill 88, 34; Marong 58, 22; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 55, 22; Marong 51, 18; Mitiamo 19, 8.