GRAND final wins were spread across 10 clubs as the IGA and Cavalier Homes-backed Bendigo Junior Football League capped the 2019 season across the weekend.
First of the grand finals was played on Saturday when Golden Square took on Strathfieldsaye in the under-16 seniors at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Bulldogs led 21-8 at quarter-time, but Storm surged to be within four points at the long break.
Led by the play of Macey Eaton, Hamish Wall, Jack Stewart, Hugh Freckleton and Oscar Hocking, Golden Square dominated most of the third quarter.
The team in blue and gold scored 6.2 to just two points in that term for a 40 point lead at a quarter to go.
Freckleton and Harry Law kicked a match-high four goals in an 11.10 (76) to 6.8 (44) victory for Golden Square.
Ryley Taylor booted three goals for Strathfieldsaye.
Best on ground medals were presented to Golden Square’s Harry Law and Strathfieldsaye’s Jackson Eadon.
Todd Moule, Darcy Strawbridge, Connor Lyon, Taylor and Jai Featherby played well for Strathfieldsaye.
All other grand finals were played on Sunday at Triple M Park or Enterprise Oval in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane, or at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
In the under-18 girls competition, Golden Square was too strong for Kangaroo Flat.
A brilliant first half put Golden Square in front, 47-2, at half-time.
Kangaroo Flat bounced back to score two goals in the second half as Square added another three.
At the final siren, Golden Square celebrated a 10.8 (68) to 2.2 (14) victory.
Best player medals were presented to Golden Square’s Brooke Hards and Kangaroo Flat’s Abbey Barber.
Castlemaine blitzed in the opening quarter of the under-16 reserves clash with Eaglehawk.
The Hawks had beaten the Magpies by four points in the second semi, but it was Castlemaine which made a superb start to Sunday’s match.
The Pies led 6.3 to 1.1 at quarter-time and did not let up on their way to a 14.10 (94) to 6.6 (42) victory.
Brodie Byrne was best afield for Castlemaine as Izak O’Sullivan earned Eaglehawk’s best player award.
Sandhurst was unbeaten premiers in the under-15 girls competition.
The team in maroon and blue scored 13 goals and kept South Bendigo scoreless in the grand final.
Lucia Painter starred for Sandhurst, and South Bendigo’s Jeanette Ross earned her team’s best player award.
Strathfieldsaye Storm capped a brilliant final quarter fightback to win the under-14 seniors match against Sandhurst.
The Dragons led by nine points at three quarter-time after they kicked four goals in that term.
Storm teamed superbly in the last quarter to overrun Sandhurst for an 8.5 (53) to 6.7 (43) result.
Riley Mulquiney from Strathfieldsaye and Tait Poyser from Sandhurst earned the best player medals.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles soared to a three-goal win against White Hills in the under-14 reserves one grand final.
A high-scoring contest ended in an 11.9 (75) to 8.9 (57) win for the Eagles.
Talented athlete Seb Andrea, who was in Canada for a couple of weeks during the season to compete in track and field, was the Eagles’ best.
Blake McConnell was best player for White Hills.
South Bendigo was the under-14 reserves two premier after an 11.15 (81) to 5.7 (37) result against Huntly’s rising stars.
Best player medals were presented to South Bendigo’s Tyson Hoggan and Huntly’s Eathan Oaten.
Sandhurst dominated the second half of the under-14 reserves three match against Kangaroo Flat.
It was 30-3 at half-time, but Sandhurst then charged away to win by 77 points.
Best on ground medals were presented to Sandhurst’s Ben Sherwood and Kangaroo Flat’s Konrad Walters.
White Hills took out the under-13 girls premiership.
Great defence by White Hills kept Maiden Gully YCW-Sandhurst goalless until the final quarter.
The Demons won 6.4 (40) to 2.4 (16).
Best player awards went to Jorja Morrison from White Hills and Lavinia Cox from Maiden Gully YCW-Sandhurst.
There were many closely-fought games in the under-12 division.
Golden Square scored a four-goal win against Maiden Gully YCW in the under-12A clash.
The Bulldogs won 8.8 (56) to 5.2 (32) as Seth Anderson kicked four goals for the premiers.
Jonty Davis led the Eagles’ attack on four goals.
Golden Square’s Archie Edwards and Maiden Gully YCW’s Jaxon Howard were best on ground.
It was a dramatic finish to the under-12A reserves grand final.
Maryborough fought from 10 points down at the start of the last quarter to defeat Quarry Hill by seven points.
The Magpies won 6.3 (39) to 4.8 (32).
Maryborough’s Archie Chadwick kicked five goals to be best afield.
Quarry Hill’s Charlie Duke won a lot of contests for the Demons.
Just one point separated Kangaroo Flat and Huntly at the end of the under-12B contest.
Scores were level at quarter-time and half-time, before the Roos held a one-point lead at the start of the final term.
The Roos and Hawks both scored 2.1 in the last quarter as Kangaroo Flat fought on to win 3.3 (21) to 3.2 (20).
Kangaroo Flat’s Brodie Hull and Huntly’s Rohan Griffin earned the best on ground medals.
In under-12C, Kyneton led by 21 points at three quarter-time, but Strathfiedsaye fought back to add three goals in the last term.
A great contest ended in a 7.5 (47) to 7.2 (44) win for the Kyneton Tigers.
Olivia Datson was a driving force for Kyneton and earned the best player award.
Brady Jones adjudged best for Strathfieldsaye Storm.
A low-scoring thriller in the under-12D grand final was won by White Hills.
The Demons and Castlemaine were locked on 2.1 (13) apiece at half-time.
Defences were well on top in the second half as White Hills took out a great game, 2.6 (18) to 2.2 (14).
Seth Fuller from White Hills and Max Matheson from Castlemaine were presented with the best player medals.
Goalkickers and best players from some of the grand finals were not listed on the Bendigo Junior Football League website.
Bendigo Junior Football League grand finals scoreboard:
Under-18 girls:
Golden Square 3.2 7.5 8.6 10.8 (68)
Kangaroo Flat 0.2 0.2 1.2 2.2 (14)
GOALS – Golden Square: M. Gallagher 4, E. Snell, D. Villiva 2, S. Findlay, M. Pianta. Kangaroo Flat: A. Rusbridge (only name supplied).
BEST – Golden Square: B. Hards, S. Findlay, B. Heiden, D. Villiva, E. Snell, M. Pianta. Kangaroo Flat: A. Barber, A. Rusbridge, R. Stubbings, I. Pitto, E. Gretgrix, E. Wicks.
Under-16 seniors:
Golden Square 3.3 4.8 10.10 11.10 (76)
Strathfieldsaye 1.2 4.4 4.6 6.8 (44)
GOALS – H. Freckleton, H. Law 4, M. Eaton 2, O. Hocking. Strathfieldsaye: R. Taylor 3, J. Featherby, M. Noden, C. Pickering.
BEST – Golden Square: M. Eaton, H. Wall, J. Stewart, H. Freckleton, O. Hocking, H. Law. Strathfieldsaye: T. Moule, J. Eadon, D. Strawbridge, C. Lyon, R. Taylor, J. Featherby.
Under-16 reserves:
Castlemaine 6.3 9.4 9.4 14.10 (94)
Eaglehawk 1.1 2.2 2.2 6.6 (42)
GOALS – Castlemaine: J. Denahy 6, O. Demaria-O’Sullivan 3, C. McLennan 2, D. Chaplin, A. Mayes, B. Moran. Eaglehawk: D. Noordam 3, X. Bourke, J. Fry, A. Hanley.
BEST – Castlemaine: C. Kays, J. Denany, A. Mayes, C. McLennan, B. Byrne, A. Keogh. Eaglehawk: X. Bourke, K. Cairns-Oxley, B. Cauchi, H. Draper, B. English, J. Fry.
Under-15 girls:
Sandhurst 4.6 8.9 11.13 13.14 (92)
South Bendigo 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0)
GOALS – Sandhurst: L. Painter 5, J. Fenwick 3, L. Keck 2, J. Bish, A. Donnelly, P. Maher.
BEST – Sandhurst: L. Painter, S. Orritt, A. Donnelly, I. St Clair, C. Taylor, L. Turner. South Bendigo: not supplied.
Under-14 seniors:
Strathfieldsaye 3.3 3.3 4.3 8.5 (53)
Sandhurst 0.1 1.3 5.6 6.7 (43)
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: M. Gordon 4, W. Gilmore, R. Mulquiny 2. Sandhurst: A.Carr, C. Edwards 2, X. Austin, L. Banfield.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: not supplied. Sandhurst: X. Austin, T. Poyser, B. Nihill, D. Uerata, T. Bake, C. Edwards.
Under-14 reserves 1:
Maiden Gully YCW 2.0 6.3 9.6 11.9 (75)
White Hills 2.5 5.7 6.7 8.9 (57)
GOALS – Maiden Gully YCW: S. Andrea 4, M. Beatty, C. Evans 2, L. Hale, F. Holland, N. Roberts. White Hills: not supplied.
BEST – Maiden Gully YCW: S. Andrea, F. Holland, J. Addlem, C. Evans, G. Nevins, J. Wendels. White Hills: not supplied.
Under-14 reserves 2:
South Bendigo 4.1 6.4 8.10 11.15 (81)
Huntly 2.1 3.3 4.3 5.7 (37)
GOALS – South Bendigo: L. Hocking 3, T. Hutton 2, M. Lane, B. Leech, F. McKinstry, X. Thomas (only names supplied). Huntly: A. Billings, T. Slater 2, B. Stroud.
BEST – South Bendigo: L. Hocking, L. Jones, B. Ferguson, M. Saxon, D. Lavery, B. Leech. Huntly: J. Patullo, E. Oaton, K. Burrill-Grinton, B. Stroud, A. Billings, J. Edwards.
Under-14 reserves 3:
Sandhurst 2.1 3.4 6.6 13.8 (86)
Kangaroo Flat 0.3 0.3 1.1 1.3 (9)
GOALS – Sandhurst: D. Waters 4, N. Armstrong 3, D. Artavilla, D. Delaney, E. French, J. Kristiansen, J. McCullough, B. Sherwood. Kangaroo Flat: D. Chandler.
BEST – Sandhurst: not supplied. Kangaroo Flat: J. Brown, N. Sutton, N. Cain, F. Waters, D. Chandler, P. Lahtz.
Under-13 girls:
White Hills 0.2 2.3 5.4 6.4 (40)
Maiden Gully YCW-Sandhurst 0.2 0.3 0.4 2.4 (16)
GOALS – White Hills: E. Cail 3, T. Cain, B. Moss, E. Newlan.Maiden Gully YCW-Sandhurs: A. Bysouth 2.
BEST – White Hills: J. Sargeant, J. Morrison, E. Cail, S. Pearce, Z. Field, C. Edwards. Maiden Gully YCW-Sandhurst: not supplied.
Under-12A:
Golden Square 2.2 3.5 4.7 8.8 (56)
Maiden Gully YCW 1.1 1.2 2.2 5.2 (32)
GOALS – Golden Square: S. Anderson 4, R. McNamara 2, C. Mortimer, C. Smith. Maiden Gully YCW: J. Davis 4, F. Clymo.
BEST – A. Edwards, D. Webb, S. Anderson, H. Wright, C. Mortimer. Maiden Gully YCW: J. Howard, J. Davis, D. Brown, X. Coghill, B. Nicholls, N. Hadden.
Under-12A reserve:
Maryborough 0.0 3.1 3.2 6.3 (39) d Quarry Hill 2.1 2.3 4.6 4.8 (32)
GOALS – Maryborough: A. Chadwick 5, J. Skinner. Quarry Hill: C. Duke 2, L. Borchard, J. Corr.
BEST – not supplied.
Under-12B:
Kangaroo Flat 0.1 1.1 1.2 3.3 (21)
Huntly 0.1 1.1 1.1 3.2 (20)
GOALS – Kangaroo Flat: O. Lowndes 2, I. Cole. Huntly: J. Cook, M. Dunstone, A. Kuno.
BEST – Kangaroo Flat: B. Hull, O. Lowndes, K. Higgins, J. Burns. Huntly: T. Biggs, J. Cook, A. Triplett, W. Callum, B. Miller, M. Coad.
Under-12C:
Kyneton 2.2 3.5 7.5 7.5 (47)
Strathfieldsaye 2.0 2.2 4.2 7.2 (44)
GOALS – Kyneton: B. Jeffrey 3, L. Bond, O. Datson, E. Jeffrey, G. Roulston. Strathfieldsaye: E. Cousins 4, S. Gibson 2, L. Sharam.
BEST – Kyneton: not supplied. Strathfieldsaye: B. Jones, E. Smith, J. Wallace, S. Gibson, O. Chilver, C. Wilson.
Under-12D:
White Hills 1.1 2.1 2.4 2.6 (18)
Castlemaine 1.1 2.1 2.1 2.2 (14)
GOALS – White Hills: L. Cummings, F. Millar. Castlemaine: A. Freeman, T. Kenneally.
BEST – not supplied.