James Murphy
FINALS began for the Limestone Coast Women’s Football season on Sunday, with South Gambier booking itself the first place in the grand final.
The ladder-leading Demons claimed a 20-point qualifying final win over second-placed Kybybolite to earn themselves a two-week break prior to the decider on April 24.
The clash started with maximum effort coming from both teams, but South hit the scoreboard first with a goal from Chelsea Frost.
Kybybolite managed three behinds for the quarter to trail by three points at the change.
However, the Demons found there groove in the second term and added four majors to their total.
They carried a 15-point buffer into half time before another goal in the third extended the lead to 20.
Both teams scored 1.2 in the final quarter which left South with two weeks to work on its grand final game plan.
Alice Tentye was named best player for the victors, while Tess Andrews, Melanie Bateman and Frost also put in solid performances.
Tentye led the way in front of goal with three to her name, while Leonie Robertson and Madelyn Sutherland also found themselves on the score sheet with a goal each.
For Kybybolite Tyler Atkinson was best on ground, while the hard work of Ella Jones, Emily Cattuzzo and Georgia Gill was also recognised.
Kybybolite will now turn to this Sunday’s preliminary final against Mundulla in hopes to book a rematch with South in the big dance.
Mundulla scraped through by a slim three-point margin on Sunday, as it faced Penola in the A elimination final.
An arm wrestle of a match unfolded, but the Moots were too strong when it counted.
The Eagles were off to a positive start and kicked truly on two occasions in the first quarter to put themselves 10 points up at the first change.
Mundulla responded in the second and added two goals of its own and a couple of behinds to be up by four points at half time.
Both teams hit the scoreboard in the third term but the Tigers held the advantage heading into the final stanza with a one-goal buffer.
Things heated up in the fourth and Mundulla failed to convert early with two behinds, while Penola bagged a goal to keep itself in the hunt with a two-point deficit.
However, when Mundulla’s Melody Maddern marked in front of goal and converted with eight minutes to go, the pressure was back on the Eagles.
A nine-point lead stood with four minutes to play and the match appeared done.
The Eagles fought valiantly and were rewarded with a goal from Simone MacDonald with just 20 seconds left on the clock, but it was too little, too late and Mundulla held on for a nail-biting win.
Casey McElroy was the standout for the victors, while for Penola Caroline McGrath put in a consecutive best-on-ground performance.
In the B Division finals, Casterton Sandford claimed a dominant 104-4 point win over Kongorong to take the first place in the consolation grand final.
Scarlett Jarrad paved the way to victory with an impressive six-goal haul in a best-on-ground performance, while Sophie Arkun was another standout with four goals to show for her efforts.
Chloe Foster and Chloe Finnigan excelled as well, while for the Hawks it was Sarah Lucas who received the best player accolade, ahead of Evie Sealey and Taylor Cozzie.
The B elimination final was an equally dismal result when North Gambier progressed to the preliminary with a 100-0 point win over Millicent.
The Tigers set up a 15-point lead by quarter time, before they doubled their efforts in the second term to hold a 34-point advantage at the main break.
The Saints’ scoreboard remained untouched for the full four quarters, while North finished strongly with another three majors in the third, before a dominant fourth quarter yielded seven goals and an eventual 100-point win.
Dianne Wilson was the standout for the victors, while Chloe Perryman and Dana Jones also excelled.
Wilson’s boot was dialled in well and she banged through seven goals for the match.
Perryman managed three majors, while Yenna Joyce – also among the Tigers’ best – and Jasmyn Plew-Jones scored two each.
Amellia Gronn stood tall in Millicent’s defeat and earned herself recognition as the Saints’ best on ground.
