TWO junior St Arnaud sides have won their way into North Central Football league grand finals while the club’s reserves will have a second chance in the third week of the finals.
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The club’s under-16s sides won through after it defeated Birchip-Watchem 15.5 (95) to 11.2 (68) in Saturday’s second semi-final at Sea Lake.
It was a tight contest for much of the first half before the young Saints blew the game open in the second. Score were level at half time but the Saints led by 22-points with a quarter away and continued to build momentum in the final quarter.
Alex Lloyd kicked six goals in the win while Nicholas Myers and Jack Tillig were also in the side’s best.
The under-13s St Arnaud side set up its win with a big second quarter.
Goals were hard to come by in the first quarter but the Saints set the game up with four goals in the second quarter before the side went on to win 7.6 (48) to 3.2 (20).
Sam Male, Aidan Medlyn and Jack Ryan were best on ground for the Saints.
The club’s reserves side went down by nine points against Wedderburn in its semi-final.
The Saints trailed all day but closed the margin late before the final siren sounded as the scoreboard indicated the Rebacks had won 8.7 (55) to 7.4 (46).
Kyle Flanagan, Jame Coloe and Daniel Needs were best on ground for the Saints side which will get a second change at winning its way to grand final against Wycheproof-Narraport in Saturday’s preliminary final.
In senior football Birchip-Watchem managed to upset premiership favourites Wyhceproof-Narraport. The Bulls were on top right from the start and managed to win 15.8 (98) to 8.8 (56). A six goal first quarter set the win up for the Bulls. The Demons came back strongly in the second quarter but still trailed by 10-points at half-time. Birchip-Wathcem controlled the second half to win by 42-points.
Mininera and District
Wickliffe-Lake Bolac earned its place in the senior grand final by defeating Moyston-Willaura in Saturday’s second semi-final.
After a slow start the Magpies came alive in the second quarter to eventually overrun the Pumas 11.18 (84) to 9.12 (66).
Moyston-Willaura kikced 5.5 to 2.0 in the first quarter but injuries hits the side hard. When Lynden Brewis was stretchered from the ground with a dislocated knee in the second quarter the side’s bench was left empty. The Magpies continued to claw their way into the contest but still trailed at every break.
At three-quarter-time the margin was 24-points but Moyston-Willaura had little run left.
The Pumas managed just a single behind in the fourth as Wickliffe-Lake Bolac peppered the goals. Six goals and seven behinds later the club has secured a memorable victory by winning the final quarter by 42 points.
Luke Kenelly kicked five goals in the win. Ben Keilar was best on ground with strong support coming from Kenelly and Harley Hunter.
The Pumas will have a second chance against the winner of Sunday’s semi-final between Lismore-Derrinallum and Penshurst.
Wickliffe-Lake-Bolac did not get the same result in reserves with its side coming up short against SMW Rovers. The game finished 12.12 (84) to 6.5 (41).
