Central Highlands 15.13 (103) d Horsham District 5.6 (36)
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
LIKE their senior counterparts later in the day, Horsham District Football Netball League’s under-17.5s could not match it with their slicker Central Highlands Football League opponents.
While the margin was not as great as in the seniors, Central Highlands was no less dominant in its 15.13 (103) to 5.6 (36) win.
Horsham District put up a good fight early in the game, with Jasper Gunn getting the home side on the board.
Central Highlands controlled most of the play however, adding four goals from eight scoring shots to take a 22-point lead into the first break.
A running goal in the pocket from left-footer Joel Chester was an exclamation point on the first quarter for the visitors.
The district league fought back in the second term with goals to captain Joe Harrison of Kalkee and Edenhope-Apsley’s Daniel Richardson.
Richardson’s Saints team-mate Grant Cother played well in the middle, but two early goals from Central Highlands kept Horsham at arm’s length.
A four-goals-to-one third term by the visitors ended any chances of a comeback, but the green and gold defence held up well despite being shelled.
Noradjuha-Quantong’s Remy Cross was terrific in the backline.
Cross was one of the few players who could match the Highlanders’ physical toughness, and put his body on the line in marking contests to cut off their forward entries.
Cother picked up Horsham District’s AFL Victoria Country medal for best on ground, while Chester won Central Highlands’ medal.
Harrison, Cross and Harrow-Balmoral’s Peter Staude were some of the home side’s other standouts.
District league coach Heath Francis said the Highlanders’ efficient ball use was hard to counteract.
‘‘They were too slick and clean, and made us pay on the rebound,’’ he said.
‘‘We got a fair bit of the ball but we turned it over way too much.
‘‘Early on in the first quarter we had a lot of the play but couldn’t put a score on the board, and after that they kicked a few late goals to pull away.
‘‘That’s what told in the end – they were a bit bigger, a bit stronger and too slick.’’
