PLAYERS, coaches, officials and spectators rode an emotional rollercoaster in last weekend’s start to the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League’s finals series.
There were 17 matches played across Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.
Venues for week one of the finals were Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street; Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington, Marist College in Maiden Gully; and White Hills Recreation Reserve in Scott Street.
Fans were treated to exciting finishes across a range of ages and grades, and there were some big winning margins.
Clubs and tally of victories in first week of the finals were Castlemaine, one; Golden Square, two; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, two; Rochester, one; Sandhurst, two; South Bendigo, five; St Francis, one; Strathfieldsaye, two; and White Hills, one.
Those who were beaten and number of teams in action were Eaglehawk, two; Golden Square, one; Huntly, one; Kangaroo Flat, two; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, two; Maryborough, one; Mount Pleasant, one; Sandhurst, one; South Bendigo, one; St Monica’s, one; Strathfieldsaye, two; White Hills, two.
Fans watched two great finishes in the under-12B competition.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles fought on to achieve a 28-27 victory against Kangaroo Flat in the under-12D qualifying final.
It was a four-point margin in the under-12D elimination final where Strathfieldsaye defeated Mount Pleasant.
The under-15 Girls qualifying final ended in a nine-point win for Sandhurst White against Strathfieldsaye.
Individual highlights included eight goals by Jagger Benaim for Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the under-14 elimination final; and four-goal hauls by Max Haw for Golden Square’s in the under-16B first semi; South Bendigo’s Archer Griffin in the under-14B qualifying ; and Sandhurst’s Sebastian Doak in the under-14B elimination final.
Bendigo JFL finals series, week one scoreboard:
Under-12 Girls:
Qualifying final
Rochester 7.6 (48) d Eaglehawk Hawks 0.0 (0).
GOALS – Rochester: Frankie Hay 3, Abigail Reid 2, Ava Rasmussen, Isabella Ryan.
BEST – Rochester: Frankie Hay, Ella Forde, Ava Rasmussen, Annemarie Smith, Ellie Riordan, Abigail Reid. Eaglehawk Hawks: Madelyn Bumpstead, Lola Fitt, Barkley Pettifer, Lara Hendy, Abigail Grant.
Elimination final:
South Bendigo Red 3.8 (26) d Golden Square 1.6 (12).
GOALS – South Bendigo Red: Remi Morrice 2, Darcy Ketterer-Smith. Golden Square: Jayla Hartley.
BEST – South Bendigo Red: Ivy Frankel, Ruby Baker, Ella Frankum, Molly Hill, Charlotte Morrissey, Remi Morrice. Golden Square: Lucia Penno, Jayla Hartley, Bella Arthur, Summer Ryan, Emily Dowdell, Summer Novak.
Under-12A:
First semi-final:
St Francis 7.5 (47) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 3.1 (19).
GOALS – St Francis: Max Nielsen 3, Will Hearps, Leo Mason, Sam Palmer. Josh Rodda. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Mac Doherty 2, Dylan Dyer.
BEST – St Francis: Josh Rodda, Banjo Place, Henry Harrington, Max Nielsen, Leo Mason, Sonny Barnes. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Lawson Burke, Harry McIntyre, Eamon Primmer, Mason Barker, Dusty Balic, Finn Mitrovic.
Under-12B:
Castlemaine 4.4 (28) d Eaglehawk Eagles 1.9 (15).
GOALS – Castlemaine: Clancy Hendrickson 2, Quincy Robertson, Sid Wiese. Eaglehawk Eagles: Kayden O’Connell.
BEST – Castlemaine: Sid Wiese, George Cordy, Fletcher Cheesman, Reuben O’Sullivan, Quincy Robertson, Evan McNeill. Eaglehawk Eagles: Thomas Evans, Axel Woods, Charlie Welch, Jaxon Beard, Harry Fitzpatrick, Chad Uren.
Under-12C:
First semi-final:
South Bendigo 4.5 (29) d St Monica’s 2.2 (14).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Jye Benbow, Jaxson Brown, Thomas Gould, Steele Sims. St Monica’s: Enrique Moefaaduo, Hamish O’Brien.
BEST – South Bendigo: Josh Purton, Jevan DeAraugo, Flynn Smythe, Oliver Poole, Jaxson Brown, Henry Iser. St Monica’s: Fletcher Andrews, Alwyn Trimble, Sam Miller, Lauren Pysing, Blaine O’Brien, Enrique Moefaauo.
Under-12D:
Qualifying final:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 3.10 (28) d Kangaroo Flat 4.3 (27).
GOALS – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Jed Evans, Ryder Lloyd, Thomas Wolters. Kangaroo Flat: Taelon Watson 2, Cooper Cass, Sonny Hull.
BEST – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Jed Evans, Harrison Miller, Ryder Lloyd, Thomas Wolters, Isaac Roberts, Max Young. Kangaroo Flat: Huddo Kent, Koby Carlton, Vincenzo Penno, Jelenka Aurisch, Lachlan Boyd, Luke Bell.
Elimination final:
Strathfieldsaye 6.3 (39) d Mount Pleasant 5.5 (35).
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Ari Carmichael, Asher Magee 2, Henry Hicks, Lincoln Tauelangi. Mount Pleasant: Brock Checkley 3, Judd Dodson 2.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Hamish Scullie, Ari Carmichael, Izaiah Brown, Karsen Brown, Jedd Giri, Asher Magee. Mount Pleasant: Judd Dodson, Kirby Black, Tyler Walsh, Emma Browne, Murray Valente, Charlee Lampard.
Under-14A:
Qualifying final:
South Bendigo 12.10 (82) d Strathfieldsaye 5.5 (35).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Henry Macnee, Will Shadbolt 3, Isaac Manley, Cooper Smythe 2, Hadley Galea, Flynn Todd. Strathfieldsaye: Scout Davies 3, River Davies, Tommy Harrop.
BEST – South Bendigo: Will Shadbolt, Fraser Maddren, Flynn Todd, Archie Coburn, Hadley Galea, Isaac Manley. Strathfieldsaye: Jude Place, Tommy Harrop, Sam Elkington, Brady McDermott, Scout Davies, Gus Ritchie.
Elimination final:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 20.12 (132) d Huntly 6.6 (42).
GOALS – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Jagger Benaim 8, Jimmy Brown, Zach Sheahan 3, Samuel Sohal 2, Oscar Barras, Lachlan Brown, Kingston Clark, Ethan Van Den Aarsen. Huntly: Nash Campbell, Isaac Plant 2, Henry Kleinert, Kyan Manson.
BEST – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Jagger Benaim, Zach Sheahan, Jimmy Brown, Logan Paley, Ethan Van Den Aarsen, Lachlan Brown. Huntly: Isaac Plant, Kyan Manson, Nash Campbell, Ollie Wright, Thomas Barlow, Angus Davies.
Under-14B:
Qualifying final:
South Bendigo 12.9 (81) d Kangaroo Flat 6.7 (43).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Archer Griffin 4, Hudson Membery 2, Mitchell Manley, Brant McRory, Ed Perry, Arch Stacey, Duke Thurgood, Taj Williams. Kangaroo Flat: Chase Brown, Chase Buchan, Levi Cole, Roman Grinter, Roary Pearson, Say ku Shwe.
BEST – South Bendigo: Lucas McCarthy, Andeon Haasbroek, Brant McRory, Taj Williams, Archer Griffin, Archie Clarke. Kangaroo Flat: Henry John French, Say ku Shwe, Spencer Salathiel, Roary Pearson, Mitchell Bird, Chase Buchan.
Elimination final:
Sandhurst 8.17 (65) d Maryborough 3.5 (23).
GOALS – Sandhurst: Sebastian Doak 4, Archie Smith 2, Zachary Dyer, Amos Edwards. Maryborough: Jordon Akdogan 2, Jack Ward.
BEST – Sandhurst: Brady Brown, Riley Condon, Zac Mundy, Sebastian Doak, Samuel Gee. Maryborough: Hardy Heathcock, Alfie Boyes, Kylan Hill, Joravar Dhanju, Jordon Akdogan, Patrick Noonan.
Under-14C:
First semi-final:
White Hills 11.6 (72) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 8.7 (55).
GOALS – White Hills: Tyler Heard 3, Samuel Kerville, Patrick Millar 2, Logan Brown, Cooper Doherty, Dexter Kimberley, Harrison Riding. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: not supplied.
BEST – White Hills: Arlie Thacker, Logan Brown, Patrick Millar, Myles Dobbin, Thomas Deason, Mason Argus. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Nate Hadden, Charlie Barnes, Oliver Downing, Thomas Quin, Jack Riley, Rocco Lewis.
Under-15 Girls:
Qualifying final:
Sandhurst White 5.3 (33) d Strathfieldsaye 3.6 (24).
GOALS – Sandhurst White: Macaila Bannan, Stella Rooke 2, Eden Rooke, Strathfieldsaye: Scarlett Woodmore 2, Mia Hirst.
BEST – Sandhurst White: Macaila Bannan, Isabel Baker, Zali Barry, Ella Saunders, Florence Lapthorne, Stella Rooke. Strathfieldsaye: Mia Hirst, Layla Hand, Alex Houghton, Colbie O’Bree, Ayla Lowndes, Scarlett Woodmore.
Elimination final:
Golden Square 6.7 (43) d White Hills 0.2 (2).
GOALS – Golden Square: Lily Gavin 2, Jazmine Bowland, Molly Dang, Frankie Garyfalakis, Stella Tully.
BEST – Golden Square: Jessica Harley, Lily Gavin, Jessica Dowdell, Nina Garden, Helena Lang, Emily Curnow. White Hills: Lucie Passalick, Alexys Higgins, Amelia Savage, Sahrii Alford, Bella Riding, Phoebe Pedersen.
Under-16A:
Qualifying final:
Strathfieldsaye 11.15 (81) d Sandhurst 8.8 (56).
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Charlie Giddings, Miller Polglase, Kobi Read 2, Jed Monaghan, Jimi Read, Henry Strang, Hudson Svanosio, Zander Walker. Sandhurst: Beau Butler, Archer Horan, Henry Sherwood 2, Louis Travaglia, Zion Uerara.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Chace Powley, James Beattie, Charlie Giddings, Jed Willis, Jimi Read, Jed Monaghan. Sandhurst: Jamison Westley, Corben Bell, Liam Hubble, Lon Schelfhout, Quinlan Cody, Henry Sherwood.
Elimination final:
South Bendigo 8.9 (57) d White Hills 6.7 (43).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Ryan Sowerby 2, Ryder Marriott, Thomas McMurray, Jasper Morcombe, Noah Poole, Tarkyn Ralphs, Wesley Scholtes. White Hills: Charlie Dickins 2, Isaiah Cass, Jakob Finch, Ethan McDonnell, Sonny Tuckerman.
BEST – South Bendigo: Harvey Keating, Hser Yu Say Wah, Thomas McMurray, Noah Poole, Ryan Packer, Callan McCarthy. White Hills: Dustin Ketterer, Ari Sawyer, Jakob Finch, Finnigan Parker, Samuel Johnson, Charlie Dickins.
Under-16B:
First semi-final:
Golden Square 13.10 (88) d South Bendigo 4.5 (29).
GOALS – Golden Square: Max Haw 4, Jack Hargreaves 3, Ethan Crocker, Declan Dupille 2, Jack Farley, Will Stedman. South Bendigo: Ryan Hinck 2, Noah Maltby, Alex Obudzinski.
BEST – Golden Square: not supplied. South Bendigo: not supplied.