Jake Kilmartin gets a kick away for Moama’s reserves. Photos: Aidan Briggs
While Moama and Tongala secured wins in the top grade of football and netball respectively, the Magpies’ and Blues’ lower-grade sides, along with Echuca United, also faced numerous battles across the lower divisions.
Football
Mark Watson distributes by hand for Tongala reserves.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Reserves
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Moama kept its season alive against Tongala, goal accuracy proving the difference in a 7.1 (43) to 5.7 (37) victory.
Tonny will rue its four extra scoring shots, with the Blues kicking five behinds in the final quarter as they looked to come back from a 17-point three-quarter time deficit.
Jake Galpin was chief among the Magpies’ snipers, kicking four to lead his team.
Levi Taylor escapes Moama attention in the reserves fixture.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Under-17s
Tongala and Echuca United both crashed out of contention, falling to Mulwala and Barooga respectively in elimination finals.
The Lions had home field advantages against the Blues on Saturday and took full advantage, opening up a 20-point lead at the first break and going on with it to secure a big win.
The lead ballooned above 30 at the final break and a scoreless final term didn’t help matters for Tonny, eliminated 3.2 (20) to 9.10 (64).
On Sunday, Echuca United paid for a feeble first-half scoring performance to be defeated by Barooga.
The Eagles couldn’t find their way on to the scoreboard at all in the first two terms and the third period wasn’t much better, with just two behinds to their names.
The tables turned in the fourth and it was the Hawks who went scoreless, but United wasn’t able to do enough to close the deficit, the game finishing 2.4 (16) to 5.1 (31).
Mackenzie Cowley looks to beat the smother in Tongala’s reserves match-up with Moama.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Under-14s
It was a similar story for the under-14s with both Tonny and United taken out in elimination finals.
Tongala was well-handled by Cobram on Saturday, the Tigers big 10.5 (65) to 1.5 (11) winners.
Strong first and third quarters were key for Cobram, while the Tigers’ defence was also stifling, not allowing a goal until the final term.
The Eagles’ hopes were ended in much closer fashion by Nathalia on Sunday.
Echuca United got the jump on the Purples for a first-quarter lead, but Nathalia responded, gaining the ascendancy by half-time.
Things swung back into the Eagles’ favour after the break, as a three-goal-to-none term gave them the advantage heading into the final period, but United stalled from there, and the Purples were able to secure a 5.6 (36) to 4.8 (32) victory.
Netball
B-Grade
Moama knocked Echuca United out of the flag race with a 47-40 triumph on Saturday.
The Eagles started the better, edging a tight first period by one goal, but the Magpies responded in the second to lead by five at the main break.
The lead was stretched to seven by three-quarter time and that was where it remained when the final siren sounded.
C-Grade
Echuca United and Moama were both ousted in heartbreakers, going down to Mulwala and Finley respectively.
On their home court, the Lions were marginally ahead after a quarter of play, but United was up for the challenge, a huge 16-6 second period earning the Eagles a nine-goal lead.
The Lions clawed back some of the deficit in the third period, reducing the margin to three at the final change, and United weren’t able to hold on in a nail-biting last term, its season ending 41-42.
In was a similar tale of what could have been for Moama, which held a three-goal advantage against Finley after a strong first half.
The Cats came out of the break with purpose and turned the match on its head in the third, earning a six-goal lead with a quarter to play.
The Magpies ate into the deficit but fell short of Finley by three goals, going down 36-39.
C-Reserve
Echuca United scraped its way into week two, snatching a one-goal win over Nathalia.
The Purples moved the ball better in the opening term and opened up a four-goal gap over the Eagles at quarter-time.
From there, United looked like a different side, a huge second period not only closing the gap but reversing it into a five-point lead for the Eagles.
The teams fought to a standstill in the third before a late Purples run saw them fall one goal short, 38-37 at the final siren.
Under-17s
Echuca United wasn’t able to hold on to an early lead against Rumbalara, its season ending in Mulwala on Saturday.
The Eagles’ strong first quarter earned them a six-goal lead, but Rumba doggedly clawed back the deficit, reducing it to just one by half-time.
United surrendered the lead in the third and although the fourth swung back and forth, the Eagles weren’t able to return to parity, going down 47-52.
Under-15s
Tongala advanced to week two at the expense of Echuca United, logging what turned out to be a dominant win over the Eagles, 45-23.
A sluggish first half from United allowed the Blues to build their lead quickly, and Tonny found itself in complete control at the main break, ahead 24-9.
Goals flowed a little more freely for the Eagles in the second half, particularly in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to match the Blues who advanced to the next round in comfort.
Under-13s
Saturday saw Tongala wrap up its under-13s campaign with a loss to Nathalia, while on Sunday, Echuca United advanced to week two after defeating Mulwala.
The Blues held a first-quarter lead against the Purples but were overrun late in the first half, going down 18-25 at the final siren.
Conversely, the Eagles recovered from an early deficit to sweep past the Lions and book their place in the semi-finals next week.
