17 & UNDER – MILLICENT V CASTERTON SANDFORD
The previous encounters between these two sides have been tight and the first quarter started the same before the Saints put their foot down and finished with a 22-goal win to book a spot in the Grand Final against North Gambier.
The match started well with both teams scoring from their centre pass and the mid courters dominating the play.
The Saints, Lillie Paul was dominant early hitting circle edge to find Denton, who scored from long range.
At the other end the Cats, Indi Longhurst was finding space in the attack third, however the pressure from Lauren Van Eeden and Edie Easterby denied access to the post.
The Saints went into the quarter time break with a 7-goal lead.
The second quarter started evenly with the Cat’s GS, Ivy Lane working hard to find space in the goal circle and finishing well.
The Saints GA, Poppy Venn used her speed to open the goal circle and find GS, Keelie Lindner at the post.
The Cats GK, Sarah Richardson applied plenty of pressure, however the ball speed was too much to contain.
Easterby continued to dominate in defence and was well supported Maya Tarrant who rebounded strongly.
The Saints held a 12-goal lead at the half time break.
The Saints continued to rotate their bench and the Cats made changes at the break, swinging Longhurst into Centre.
Her battle with Paul was a tight tussle as both players continued to get plenty of the ball.
With Denton back on at GS the Saints were able to break away as Paul fed long balls and Denton finished with 9 for the quarter.
Venn combined well with WA, Jamie Lucas to ensure the Saints again extended their lead at the final change.
The Cats swung the changes for the final quarter, and it worked in their favour as it was a goal for goal.
The weather turned bad, and the slippery conditions caused both teams to make errors.
Lane scored well for the Cats and Easterby continued to dominate taking intercepts all over the court.
The Saints finished with a 22-goal win and the right to challenge North Gambier in the title decider.
Best players for the Saints Easterby and Paul and for the Cats, Lane and Patton.
15 & UNDER A – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
North Gambier has earned another crack at Millicent after powering to a 56-25 preliminary final victory over West Gamber, taking the final place in the 2023 grand final.
Stopping supply to North shooter Mischa Human was always going to be the biggest headache for West and the tall shooter proved to be the problem they would have envisaged.
Human received quality ball from Maggie Collins, Georgia Nulty and Elodie Adam and her 13 from 16 in the first quarter helped the Tigers race to a 12 goal quarter time advantage.
The speed of the North mid court was proving an issue, allowing them to move the ball efficiently as well while for the Roos it was a matter of supply.
Ella Jolley was presenting well on the attacking wing but the pressure from the Tigers defence saw West generate only five scoring opportunities for the quarter.
The Roos, to their credit, rallied strongly in the second, winning it by one and going into the half time break 11 goals down.
West shooter Lila Pearson started to be a factor holding strongly and netting an impressive eight from 11 as West, through the defensive pressure of Alice Allen and Mikayla Pearson and the hard running of Lara Murdoch – who entered the game at quarter time – started to find their groove.
The third quarter was also hard fought with Kelsie Anderson and Raine Darimaani creating plenty of turnover ball and with Human and Adam converting 14 from 17, the scoreboard continued to be strongly in the Tigers’ favour.
It was one way traffic again in the last quarter and while Mikayla Pearson continued to apply good defensive pressure, the weight of supply told and Human was able to enjoy her most productive quarter of the game, shooting 16 from 17 in a dominant display.
Jolley and Swaye Lindner continued to run hard for the Roos but getting through the Anderson-Darimaani defence proved difficult and Isabella Stafford, who entered the game in the final quarter at goal keeper, slotted in nicely to maintain that pressure.
In the end, North’s dominant start set up the convincing win with Anderson and Adam the best for the Tigers and Jolley and Lila Pearson best for the Roos.
15 & UNDER B – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
The opening term saw a closely contested battle, as both teams capitalized on turnovers and centre-pass opportunities to convert accurately.
West’s, Lila Pearson was a strong target at GA, while at the other end North’s GS, Claire Mitchell used her height and strength to ensure the contest was close and at the break the score was locked at 10 goals each.
West made changes at quarter time with Maya Lynch entering at C and Brydee Starick at WD.
North’s, Lily Brook continued to dominate the midcourt, combining well with WA, Lacey Allen to deliver the ball to Mitchell who shot 9 for the quarter to be the dominant shooter.
North’s defenders, Penny Coleman and Isabella Stratford tightened up and restricted the access to Pearson to help North take a 4-goal lead at the main break.
The third quarter started well with a goal for goal battle before Coleman and Stratford again dominated with Coleman taking timely intercepts in the goal third and driving the ball into attack.
North’s Mia Griffith stepped up her work rate, combining well with Mitchell and becoming a scoring threat.
West’s GK, Analeigh Anderson continued her work rate to get some vital touches, however missed shots by West allowed North to extend their lead and be 8 goals in front at the last change.
West fought hard in the last quarter despite the wet conditions setting in and with Pearson back under the post and they pegged the lead back before North’s WD, Georgia Nulty settled her side, getting some important touches in the defence end to ensure North increased their lead.
The accuracy of the North goalies in the last quarter was an important factor as they scored 7/8 attempts while West were forced to shoot long and scored 5/14.
North’s mid court dominated the game with Brook being named best and was well supported by Nulty.
West were best served by Pearson in goals and Anderson in defence.
North will now enter the Grand Final against the Saints.
13 & UNDER A – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
North Gambier got off to a flying start in the 13 & under A preliminary final, setting up an early buffer and West Gambier just could not find a way to peg it back.
The first quarter belonged to two Tigers – Mackenzie Harrold, who took a number of clean interceptions as well as key deflections and Lacey Hunter, who found space at will and netted eight straight.
The hard running of Jenna Baron and defensive pressure from Amelie Adam was also key and while the Roos recovered late on the back of some Ella Mckenny brilliance and Claire Hunter and Isla Lynch securing late turnovers, the margin at quarter time was six.
From that point on, North just bult its lead with West struggling to find a way through the full court defensive pressure and just not getting enough scoring opportunities to make a dent in North’s lead.
It was nine at half time with Carey Grivell working her way into the contest at goal shooter, holding strongly and nailing some stunning long range attempts and after another perfect shooting quarter in the third from Lacey Hunter, the lead ta the final change was 20.
The Tigers also dominated the last to advance to the grand final on the back of a confidence building 28 goal victory.
Harrold, who carried her first quarter form right throughout the match creating more turnover ball than any other player on court, while Baron ran hard both ways, Lacey Hunter and Grivell made sure the scoring opportunities counted and Adam rebounded strongly.
Grace Collins was composed with ball in hand and presented strongly, while Ava Halloran drove hard through the mid court to turn defence into offence.
McKenny, Claire Hunter and Isla Lynch were best for the Roos, with some hard running from Mia Jackway also providing some good transition opportunities.
13 & UNDER B – EAST GAMBIER V MILLICENT After a tightly contested first quarter the Millicent Saints pulled away in the second half to run out comfortable 14 goal winners and advance to the Grand Final against the talented Casterton Sandford.
Both teams started nervously, and early turnovers saw the match go end for end without scoreboard damage.
The Saints started to find their attacking flow and with Goalies, Lindy Van Eeden & Brydie Madden finding her range at the post and C, Prudence Johnson controlling the midcourt, the Saints took an early lead by 4 goals.
East settled through the good work of GS, Isabelle Cook.
She found her range and combined well with C, Sailor Mc Cracken whose speed was a highlight in the midcourt.
Tight defensive pressure from both sides ensured low scoring until Van Eeden found space and finished with 7 for the quarter.
The Saints defenders Olivia Hales and Audrey Galambus were able to get some important touches and the Saints extended their lead to be 7 goals in front at the main break.
Changes were made at the main break and the Saints mid court used their speed with Lacey Sunderland hitting circle and combining well with Lottie Matthews to find VanEeden, who continued to be the dominant scorer on court.
East’s Ava Hosking made some important intercepts, combining well with Olsen, however the Saints were able to extend their lead by 13 at the last change.
With more players rotated at the final change by both sides the quarter was evenly contested.
The Saints moved Johnson to GD and she read the ball well to take some timely intercepts.
The Saints controlled the ball in their attacking third and went on to win by 15 goals to earn the right to challenge Casterton Sandford in the Grand Final.
