By Anne-Marie Ebbels
Healesville women’s team went into the grand final as the underdogs with Pakenham having defeated Healesville three out of the four times they had played this season.
The blustery conditions favoured the team kicking to the southern end of the Kilsyth ground.
The first quarter was tight with the scores at quarter time even. Pakenham gained the ascendency in the second quarter kicking with the wind to go into the half time break with a 19-point lead.
Healesville kept Pakenham goalless in the third quarter to reduce Pakenham’s lead to 13 points at the final break.
Pakenham made good use of the wind in the final quarter to win the premiership by 33 points.
In the netball, Healesville had a team in the open finals for the first time in 11 years.
The A Grade team took on Alexandra in the Elimination final at Woori Yallock. Healesville took control of the game in the first quarter to go into the first break with an eight-goal lead.
Alexandra hit back in the second quarter, but Healesville held their nerve and extended their lead to 11 goals at the big break.
A very even third quarter, where Alexandra couldn’t make any in roads into the Healesville lead meant Healesville went into the final break with a 12-goal lead.
The final quarter saw Healesville continue to extend their lead to book themselves a semi final against Yarra Glen next week.
The Reserve played Seville in the Qualifying final. Healesville kicked with the wind in the first quarter to jump out to an early 14-point lead at quarter time.
Healesville managed to score into the wind and maintain an 11-point lead into half time.
Healesville dominant the play in the third quarter with the wind to extend their lead to 30 points at three quarter time despite some inaccurate kicking.
Healesville defended hard in the final quarter as Seville kicked with the wind to book a semi-final berth against Belgrave next week and maintain their double chance.
In the final game of the day, the Senior played Warburton-Millgrove in the Qualifying final at Woori Yallock.
Warburton-Millgrove started the game well kicking with the wind to go into the first break with a five-point lead.
In the second quarter Warburton-Millgrove played the conditions well kicking four goals into the wind to Healesville three to be nine points up at half time.
Warburton-Millgrove continued to control the game in the third quarter as Healesville managed to stay in touch to be 20 points down at three quarter time.
In the final quarter, Healesville dominated the possession despite the wind dropping and the rain starting to fall keeping Warburton-Millgrove goalless to run over Warburton-Millgrove by five-points to book a semi-final berth against Seville.
Next week we have four teams, U18s, A Grade netball, Reserves and Seniors in finals action at either Yarra Glen or Woori Yallock.
Football
Senior Women Healesville 22 defeated by Pakenham 55
Senior Men Healesville 75 defeated Warburton-Millgrove 70 Best: J Bates, J Savage, A Edwards, L Greenwood, N
Mende, D Senior
Reserves Men Healesville 67 defeated Seville 49 Best: M Renouf, P Jones, K Jones, T Campbell, J Parish, J Newsome
Netball
A Grade Healesville 61 defeated Alexandra 45
