SOUTH Morang and Whittlesea suffered setbacks for its Northern Football Netball League division two seasons, while Laurimar continues to firm for a top two spot.
South Morang’s loss to St Mary’s at Whatmough Park came after a tense four-quarter affair where the momentum shifted multiple times throughout the afternoon.
Despite nursing an injury list with as many as two-dozen players on it, the Lions were up for the fight early, but it was St Mary’s who made the early running by kicking four goals to two in the opening term to open up a 10-point lead, 25-15.
The second term belonged to Sebastian Latina, as the livewire forward kicked four goals for the term to turn the game upside down. Latina’s heroics ensured the Lions would lead going into half time, 42-39.
It was St Mary’s turn to take control of the game in the third quarter, kicking another four goals to turn to return the game to where it was at quarter time – the Burra holding a 10-point lead, 67-57.
The last term was a gritty affair, with St Mary’s going goalless, while South Morang had to tenaciously fight back.
James Hewson kicked a goal to give the Lions a chance, before Latina’s sixth goal levelled the scores.
However, a holding-the-ball decision gave the Burra a chance to win the game, which was duly delivered with a behind, with St Mary’s kicking 10.11 (71) to 10.10 (70).
Latina’s game was one of the finest individual performances of the season, while Bailey Brown, Davin Cameron, Alex Kirkopoulos, Dean De Propertis and Demetrios Constantinou were also named in the best.
It is just about last chance saloon for Whittlesea this week, following the Eagles’ 31-point loss to Macleod.
The Kangaroos have emerged as a bogey side for Garry Ramsay’s men in the last year and a half, and it seemed it would be no different again on Saturday as Macleod skipped out to a 13-point lead at the opening change, before extending the margin to 31 points at the main break, 55-24.
After trailing by as much as 42 points at two separate stages of the third quarter, Whittlesea embarked on a fightback, kicking the last three goals to close to within 25 points at the final change, 51-76.
Thoughts of a revenge comeback win after last year’s qualifying final heartbreak were on when the Eagles kicked the first two of the last to close to within 12 points. But Macleod had all the answers, kicking away again to eventually win 15.11 (101) to 10.10 (70).
Bailey Robinson and Thomas Falls continued to work hard in the Whittlesea engine room, while Cruz Young, Caden Allen, Mitchell Andrews and Paul Higgins were also named in the best.
In division three, a gigantic 10-goal third quarter helped guide Laurimar to a 122-point triumph over Lalor.
The result leaves Laurimar three games clear in second position, but more pleasing for Jimmy Atkins and his men was the 28 goals the Power kicked.
Early on, it looked as though Lalor would give the Power a fright by kicking three of the first four goals, but the Power stormed back by kicking the final five goals of the term to lead 38-20.
Lalor stayed in touch, and the margin was down to seven points early in the second term, but Laurimar had a big run at the end of the second term to kick the last six goals of the half to lead 85-38 at the main break.
Laurimar erupted to kick seven goals in 17 minutes to extend the lead to 92 points midway through the third, and added three more for the quarter to lead 148-50 at the final change.
It was party time for the Power as unlikely goalkickers started to bob up, with Janus Waldron and Cameron Maloney getting their names on the scoresheet as two of 12 goalkickers, with Hayden Trim leading the way with six goals, while Joel Lawson and Zac McMahon kicked four and Ethan Bateman and Matt Keys added three apiece as the Power won 28.17 (185) to 10.3 (63).
Jesse Donaldson continued his standout season, while Bateman, Lawson, Trim, Luke Wilson and Joshua Campbell were also named in the best.
Mernda had a bye, but face a tough assignment on return when it hosts Ivanhoe.
On Friday night, the region’s netball teams had a mixed night on the court.
Whittlesea scored a great win in division 1 of the Premier netball competition, defeating North Heidelberg 2 43-28, while there was a similar result for Whittlesea 2 in division 3, also defeating the Bulldogs 35-34.
South Morang’s Premier division 3 team defeated Thomastown 1 41-30. Whittlesea also had a draw with South Morang and a loss in lower divisions, while South Morang had a draw, a loss and a win.
Laurimar’s netball teams had a tougher night, losing four of its five games, with Laurimar 4 the only successful team.