Opening stanzas and surging third quarters

USING the league ladder as a guide, hosting Inglewood was going to be a challenge for Pyramid Hill in both Seniors and Reserves.

In the opening stanza in both grades this proved to be the case. The Dogs reserves, hoping to bounce back after an unexpected loss the previous week were made to earn the points by a speedy Blues outfit. Accurate kicking however, meant the hosts got “bang for their buck” and despite having two fewer scoring shots at the main break they lead by three goals.

Eventually this told on the visitors. Rowan Pollock was back to his dangerous best with eight goals, and with tough four quarter efforts from the returning Dylan Tonkin and second gameplayer Dylan Lovell, Pyramid Hill was able to

Seniors

GOALS - Bridgewater: H. Donegan. Marong: B. Grenfell 7, K. Robins, M. Riordan 4, R. Taylor 3, J. Davis, N. Devanny, J. McCaig, M. Bradbury, C. Gregg.

BEST - Bridgewater: J. Symons, H. Donegan, L. Allison, D. Wood, B. Derrick, T. Estrada. Marong: M. Bradbury, N. Devanny, K. Robins, R. Taylor, R. Tibbett, J. McCaig.

GOALS - Calivil: J. Lawry 3, J. Sinclair , M. Avard, R. Lourie 2, T. Wakefield, B. Pickles, L. Brook, J. Lea. Maiden Gully: J. Covington 2, N. Murley, B. Dimech, C. Hale, T. Birch.

BEST - Calivil: R. Lourie, J. Lawry, J. Hynes, E. Ritchie, M. Avard, L. Brook. Maiden Gully: J. Burns, W. Noden, N. Murley, J. McDonald, H. McCartney, T. Miles.

GOALS - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: J. Laird 3, S. Gladman, C. Gadsden, D. Poulter 2, C. Anstee, D. Tineo, C. Draper. Mitiamo: J. Reynolds 5, J. Pianto, A. Cussen, R. Turner, C. Milne, D. Walters. BEST - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: J. Taig, J. Laird, C. Gadsden, D. Poulter, K. Zass, J. Bailey. Mitiamo: D. Proud, J. Reynolds, D. Walters, D. Clohesy, L. Lougoon, R. Turner.

Pyramid Hill 5.3 12.6 16.11 22.11 (143) Inglewood 2.2 5.3 10.7 12.10 (82) lead from start to finish. The seven-goal victory was also built off the back of big contributions from Rylan Delamere, Brad Moon, Connor Gibbins and Dylan Goulding, and promising efforts from youngster Blake Gibson and first gamer Darcy Woodward.

GOALS - Pyramid Hill: Z. Alford 6, B. George 4, W. Perryman, S. Mann 2, M. Dingwall, A. Holland, T. Brennan, B. Micevski, S. Relouw, B. Carroll, E. Caburnay, M. Gunther. Inglewood: B. Cotchett 4, D. Polack, T. Kendal, C. Ingham 2, C. McGaw 1, S. Dorevitch.

BEST - Pyramid Hill: Z. Alford, B. Morison, J. Sheahan, D. Slingo, B. George, T. Brennan. Inglewood: B. Cotchett, S. Dorevitch, D. Polack, C. Ingham, C. Wright, C. Marchi.

The Dogs improved their percentage and put a small gap between themselves and the fourth and fifth teams. Inglewood was served best by Deklen Gorrie, Kyle Simpson and Zach Schmidt.

In similar fashion to the opening game, the senior clash was full-on from the opening bounce. End to end football saw seven goals posted in the opening term, but with five of those to the hosts it saw them with a three-goal lead at the first change. The Blues had a fair share of the ball but the Dogs were more polished once they ventured forward. A seven goal second stanza saw the Bulldogs blow the game blown wide open, and set up what would be a 10-goal final margin.

To the Blues credit they kept surging, and with noticeably more on-field depth than the previous season, they were able to narrowly claim the third term.

Led by Zach Alford (six goals) and Bailey George (four), the Bulldogs kept the flag wavers busy and finished with more than twenty goals.

Key performers for the home team were Zach Alford, Bailey George, Billy Micevski, Bryden Morison, Brodie Carroll, Zac Dingwall and Dylan Morison. Bregon Cotchett (4 goals), Sam Dorevich and Cody Wright all contributed over four terms for the visitors.

- GEOFF HICKMOTT

Bounceback Blues will exorcise mid-season Demons

INGLEWOOD had better be wary when the Devil arrives in town on Saturday.

The Blues will need to be on their A game for four quarters against the steadily improving Calivil.

The Demons put in sufficient patches of direct and disciplined play to be the fifth team this season to clip Maiden Gully’s wings.

Inglewood had the tough assignment of a road trip north, meeting Pyramid Hill and found the Bulldogs still a few steps ahead in skills and strength.

The Blues should bounce back this Saturday but will need a four-quarter effort - still to be realised in 2023 - to take the points and in a manner, one should expect from a club pushing for a top three berth.

Pyramid Hill is again at home, this time against Newbridge. The Maroons will be without a few key players again, reducing its options up forward.

The sheer strength of Bears Lagoon Serpentine will be too much for Maiden Gully. Although with a few players out, Serpentine has shown its ability to bombard goal and ruthlessly cut off opposition thrusts and Saturday will be no different.

Mitiamo may have been buoyed to push Serpentine last Saturday but that will be but a distant memory when Marong lines up for another win in season 2023 on Satuday.

- Calivil: T. Piercy, S. Fawcett. Maiden Gully: C. Sungalis 5, H. White, W. Donaczy, J. Doolan 2, M. Dean, M. Clark, A. Cazar.

- Calivil: S. Fawcett, N. Vine, B. Coates, J. Manderson, D. Ryan. Maiden Gully: T. Hudson, W. Anderson, W. Donaczy, C. Sungalis, T. Durston, M. Dean.

GOALS - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: J. Gladman 4, M. Niezen, C. Davies 3, Z. Hollis, P. Russell, A. Edwards. Mitiamo: T. Irvine, C. Collins, K. Galvin, A. White. BEST - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: M. Quinn, C. Davies, C. O’Shannessy, J. Gladman, T. Clarke, J. Wingrave. Mitiamo: A. White, H. Storey, K. Pentreath, D. Saliba, M. Storey, T. Campbell.

(34)

GOALS - Pyramid Hill: R. Pollock 8, N. Moon 2, P. Walker, R. Delamare. Inglewood: Z. Schmidt 3, K. Simpson.

BEST - Pyramid Hill: D. Lovell, P. Walker, B. Moon, B. Gibson, D. Goulding, C. Gibbins. Inglewood: D. Gorrie, K. Simpson, J. Rouse, J. Sleep, K. Healey, Z. Schmidt.

(7)

(78)

- Bridgewater: J. Roberts. Marong: B. Matthews 5, R. Gretgrix 2, Z. Turnbull, H. Baker, T. Thach,

BEST - Bridgewater: O. Horan, L. Harrison, J. Campbell, J. Higgins, J. Roberts, M. Flood. Marong: B. Stewart, C. Thiesz, H. Baker, C. Ling, B. Matthews, P. Gretgrix.