Wounded Wombats silence Kangaroo home court crowd

Inglis and Caddison Mulholland suffered serious injuries late in the season, but the Wombats were able to overcome the challenge to claim an 11-goal win.

Lancaster was seemingly sparked into action on the back of a month long end to the season where they lost their only two games of the season and surrendered top spot on the ladder.

At the final siren of the qualifying final on Saturday, played on Girgarre’s home court, all that was a distant memory as the Wombats moved into the grand final with a 49-38 victory.

Jacqui Gahan set an early tone in front of her home crowd, shooting 10 goals as Girgarre led by a goal in a 14-13 first term.

By half time the battle of the league’s best goal shooters, Gahan and Lancaster’s Chicquita Vick, saw the Wombats star one in front - 19-18.

By three quarter time, however, Vick was clearly on top after shooting 10 goals in the third term and followed that up with 11 in the last (40 for the game).

She and Lexi Thomas remained in goals for the entire game, with Alyssa Trebilcock at wing attack after half time.

Captain Zoe Hayes and Girgarre star Holly Nelson went head to head in the centre for a majority of the game, while Girgarre’s defensive trio of Abigail Sergienko, Allana Adams and Darcie Stammers shared responsibility for the attempted shut down of Vick.

Gahan finished with 29 of her team’s 38 goals, with Kim Hanratty spending the first two quarters in goals before moving into defence.

The experienced Sheree Starling spent time on a wing, in the centre and, in the final term, in goals in a bid to alter the second half momentum.

Girgarre will now face Shepparton East in a do or die preliminary final. In round three just one goal separated the teams, which was their only meeting of the home and away season.

– Stanhope secured a spot in the C-grade grand final with a dominant opening half against Shepparton East which landed the team a 13-goal half time lead.

The eventual winning margin was 15, a 46-31 scoreline built on the back of 36 goals from star goal shooter Hayley Trevena.

Experienced captain Kara Canny led a mid-court which comprised of Bella Davis, Zarlee Harris and Amanda Gledhill, while the defensive work of Stephanie Said and Bianca Atley was a highlight.

After keeping Shepparton East to just 11 first-half goals, only two goals separated the teams in the second half. Stanhope will meet either Shepparton East or Murchison-Toolamba in the grand final in a fortnight.

– Merrigum has been knocked out of the race for the Kyabam District League’s B-grade and C-Reserve titles after losing both elimination finals on the weekend by one goal.

After leading by two goals at half time of the B-grade game the Bulldogs were outscored by Nagambie 10-5 in the third quarter and despite outscoring its opposition in the final term they lost 35-36.

Nicole Doherty shot nine final quarter goals in an outstanding effort and finished with 23 for the game. Abbey Mottram and captain Jazmin Edwards supplied plenty of ball to their goalers from the mid court.

In the C-Reserve game Merrigum led by three goals at half time of its match with Girgarre, but the Girgarre defensive trio of Tatiana Taylor, Chloe Graham and Tess Brookman kept the Bulldogs to three goals in the third term.

That squared the game with a quarter to play when Caitlin Campbell and Kerisha Milnes combined to put eight goals on the board in tandem with Giulia Pulsoni to give Girgarre victory.

Merrigum captain Jacqui Cronyn worked hard in defence with the experienced Blynda Tranter, but could not prevent the 24-25 loss.

– Merrigum will have a week’s rest, awaiting confirmation of its 17 & Under grand final opponent following a six-goal win against Shepparton East.

Hollie Saywell shot all eight of the team’s first quarter goals and with the defensive efforts of Zeenat Ishola and Angel Spencer the Bulldogs led by three goals.

That margin was cut two just two at half time, before the mid-court work of Alyssa Christou and support of Grace Ryan-Roberts in the goaling circle gave the Merrigum team a five-goal final term lead.

Only one goal separated the teams in the final term as Merrigum secured the win 35-29.

– Stanhope’s 17 & Under team is through to the third week of the finals after winning by eight goals against Rushworth in Sunday’s knockout final.

Mid-court captains Tia Harrison and Charlotte Gray interchanged through the centre to five Isabella Pate and Charli Miller plenty of chances to put the winning 52-44 scoreline on the board.

For Rushworth an outstanding 31-goal effort from Grace Barlow was worthy of mention.

– Stanhope has won the right to challenge for a place in the 15 & Under grand final with a come from behind nine-goal win against Girgarre.

Girgarre led by four at quarter time on the back of seven goals from captain Neve Pethybridge. That margin was cut in half by half time and then a 10-5 third term gave Stanhope a three goal lead at the final break.

The Lions were dominant in the last quarter, Amity Wright and Matilda Schubach both shooting seven goals to win the game 38-29.

Pethybridge fought all the way to the wire, shooting all eight of Girgarre’s final quarter goals to finish with 25 for the match.

Stanhope defenders Layla Ratcliffe, Taylah Gray and Chloe Berner did their best work in the second half, while Kade Starling worked tirelessly in the mid-court for Girgarre.

– Girgarre’s 13 & Under team lost only its second game of the season on Saturday after it was tied at three quarter time of the qualifying final with Tallygaroopna.

The Kangaroos will now need to win through a preliminary final in order to have a second crack at the team which it lost to 25-27.

Five goals in the first term from Indi Dove gave the Kangaroos a three goal lead on its home court, but after being outscored by three in the next two quarters it was level pegging in a tense last quarter.

All nine members of the team were used during the game, Ruby McMeekan showing the flexibility of the team as she spent time in defence, attack and the mid-court.