A look back over last weekend’s preliminary finals in our Under-16 to Under-18 junior competitions.
The Under 18 Girls preliminary final saw Eltham face off against Diamond Creek Women’s at Ben Frilay Oval. This was an incredibly hard match to split throughout the opening three quarters, and it was especially highlighted in the first half, with the Creekers leading by two points at quarter time, before scores were level at the main break. Diamond Creek Women’s would have more scoring shots than their opponents in the second half, but it was the Panthers’ accuracy that helped them take a four-point lead at three quarter time, and then a 13-point victory to head to the Grand Final. Cassie Hicks and Abbey Vaughan were outstanding for Eltham in the triumph, the latter having now been named in her side’s best in five consecutive games. Elisah Folino was one of three goalkickers for the Creekers and she finished her individual campaign with 23 goals.
It was a first vs fourth preliminary final in Under 17.5 Boys (1) as Yarrambat took on Whittlesea at Coventry Oval. The Bats held a narrow six-point lead at quarter time before extending that advantage out to 17 points at half, with the Eagles still in the hunt, having only registered two less scoring shots to that point. However consecutive three-goal terms in the second half helped Yarrambat secure an impressive 39-point victory and a trip to the decider next week. Team leading goalkicker Archer Harvey was the only multiple goalkicker for the winning side, with three majors, seeing him reach the 50-goal mark in his 16th match of the season. Justin Chamber-Jones still produced a magnificent display for Whittlesea despite his side’s loss.
Under 17.5 Boys (2) saw Laurimar go up against Mernda in their preliminary final at Eltham Central Park. Both sides registered the same number of scoring opportunities in the opening term, but the Power couldn’t find the big sticks, allowing the Demons to gain a 10-point advantage in the early stages. Their lead got cut down slightly as each term progressed, with Laurimar still in the hunt by facing just an eight-point deficit at three quarter time, but both sides would produce two majors in the last quarter, which helped Mernda finish seven-point winners. Ethan Jephcott was at his best for Mernda, booting two goals and finishing as his side’s best. Teammate Darcy Kinash also added two majors of his own, while Jack Cornwell kept Laurimar in the game throughout the afternoon.
Ben Frilay Oval played host to the Under 16 Girls (1) preliminary final as Whittlesea clashed with Yarrambat. These sides met in the final round of the home and away campaign, with the Eagles claiming a three-point triumph, but it was a completely different story on Sunday afternoon. The Bats set the tone with a six-goal to nil opening term, and continued finding the big sticks, while keeping Whittlesea to just one behind for the game. Yarrambat would end the match with 29 scoring shots in a huge 108-point win, booking their place in the Grand Final. Their 16 goals were split by just five players, with Grace Daly, Charli-Jordan Ford and Somer McCormack all booting four goals apiece, while teammate Emily Webb had a great afternoon. NFNL representative Jamie Robinson was a standout for the Eagles.
In Under 16 Girls (2), the preliminary final pitted Diamond Creek Women’s 2 and South Morang against each other at Redleap Reserve. A high-pressure contest took place between two sides looking to reach the Grand Final, and while no goals were kicked between either side for the first three terms, both teams had their fair share of opportunities in a terrific match. The lone major of the game came in the last quarter, courtesy of the Madison Vita of the Creekers, which proved decisive in their 11-point win over the Lions. Vita ended as her side’s best for the afternoon with Jordyn McClure also terrific. Amelia Di Benedetto’s great finals campaign continued for South Morang and Ciara Ciano was another to standout for the Lions.
Coventry Oval was the scene of an entertaining Under 16 Boys (1) preliminary final between Mill Park and Yarrambat. This was a game with multiple lead changes, starting with a tight opening half, as Mill Park led by a point at quarter time before the Bats had an advantage of the same margin at the main break. Incredibly, the second two terms were almost identical to the opening two, with Yarrmabat’s one-point three quarter time lead outdone by the Parkers, who managed some important behinds in their three-goal final term to help prevail by the barest of margins and earn a Grand Final spot. Blake Justice was the difference up forward, kicking three goals for the winning side. Despite the defeat Jordan Harris had a great day in front of goal for Yarrambat kicking three goals, with Dylan McLaughlan also playing well.
In the Under 16 Boys (2) preliminary final, Whittlesea faced Greensborough at Eltham Central Park. Both sides put together a great battle during the opening half, with just three points separating the two teams by half time. But the Boro would put a strong challenge towards the Eagles, in which the minor premiers failed to respond to, as Greensborough piled on six unanswered goals in the third term to break the game open on their way to an outstanding 54-point victory. Kayden Ramirez performed terrifically for the Boro and finished as his side’s best, and teammates Asher Bell and Xavier Byrne kicked three goals apiece. Xavier and Willem Morrison were solid contributors for Whittlesea.
