A RESERVE
The influence of the respective goal shooters was always going to be a key factor in the second WBNA A Reserve semi-final.
Millicent’s Annelise Janssen and North’s Alisha Bryan did not disappoint as they anchored their teams’ offensive lines.
The Saints took a five goal lead into the final term as Shelby Gallio relished a move into the centre.
The Tigers threatened but not enough, going down by four goals as the Saints booked a grand final berth.
The first semi-final between East Gambier and West Gambier was a rollercoaster ride, with both sides having the chance to set up victory in what ended up a three goal win for the Bulldogs.
West started the better of the two sides, with clinical ball movement in attack from Zoe Malseed and Caitlin Carraill, but the Bulldogs were able to fight back as Teagan Gray started to take control of the attack line.
After the Roos reduced the deficit to six by the main change an epic last quarter was set upp.
West pushed hard with Emily Dawe and Clarie Hunter being huge, but in the end, East earned the right to take on North Gambier in this weekend’s preliminary final.
B GRADE
With Millicent and South Gambier entering the B Grade second semi-final on the back of their last encounter being a one goal win to the Demons, it was always going to be an epic battle and it did not disappoint.
Millicent coach and goal shooter Jacqui Matthews led from the front to get an early lead but Demons’ defenders Bella Morale and Charlene Riley started to make life more difficult.
The final quarter flipped the game on its head thanks to Jaymee O’Neil’s sublime form as South enjoyed 23 scoring opportunities to Millicent’s seven and booked a grand final spot with a five goal victory.
C GRADE
Millicent started the C Grade qualifier with a bang through great connection between Nicola Batten and Sapphire Sims.
The deficit was nine at half time but the Tigers continued to dig deep to claw back some ground.
But it was one way traffic in the last as the shooting combination of Sims and Jodie Reilly netting 18 from 22 to put the result beyond doubt.
East Gambier entered the C Grade knockout hot favourites having defeated South Gambier on the past two occasions with comfortable margins.
But the Demons had other ideas and in what was a goal for goal battle for much of the contest, kept their season alive with a three goal victory.
17 & UNDER
It was always going to be a tight battle in the 17 and Under qualifier between Millicent and South Gambier.
Lucy Denton put the Saints in a strong position before the Demons fought back to bring the deficit into single figures.
But Millicent advanced to the grand final with a six goal victory.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for North Gambier in the 17 & Under first semi against West Gambier and once the Roos got off to a flier, there was no turning back.
By the time the final whistle blew it was a 26 goal margin as West moved into the preliminary final to meet South Gambier.
15 & UNDER A
West Gambier got off to a flier and built a five goal lead against East.
The Roos finished strongly, running out winners by 17 goals.
Millicent powered to a big lead early against North, but by the first break the damage was only two goals.
Millicent eventually worked its way to a 10-goal win.
15 & UNDER B
Millicent’s attack started the game with swift ball movement and put West on the back foot straight away.
Errors crept into both sides’ but the Saints were able to increase their lead and take the contest 32-21.
13 & UNDER A
South did the damage early to knockout West out of the 13 and Under A competition.
The Demons dominated the first half before settling for a 12- goal win.
Nothing split Millicent and North Gambier in the first half, with the former holding a one-goal lead at half time.
But the Saints flicked to march towards a 17-goal win.
13 & UNDER B
It was all about the defenders in the fight for a grand final spot between Millicent and North Gambier.
The Tigers built a four goal half time buffer and increased the margin to take the win.
