The finals race is on

Wandin got in first for the ball more often than Healesville. Pictures: BETHANY HUTCHISON

By Cameron Hutchison

The race for the finals is certainly heating up.

Woori Yallock is now one game clear on top with Olinda, Upwey and Wandin fighting it out for second spot and Healesville just one game adrift in fifth.

Mount Evelyn is hot on their heels with 28 points.

Seville is one game clear from Yarra Glen with Yarra Junction just one win away in third.

The battle for fourth and fifth is being played out by Gembrook, Yea and Alexandra.

A-grade netball is tight with Olinda and Belgrave sharing the honours in top spot with Wandin ad Woori Yallock jostling for third.

There is a clear break for fifth between Monbulk, Warburton and Mount Evelyn.

Kinglake has leap-frogged Yea and sits on top, with Seville and Yarra Junction still trying to sort out third spot, with Yarra Glen and Powelltown still in a battle for fifth.

Division 1 Seniors Football (Round 13)

Mount Evelyn 17.19.121 d Belgrave 7.11.53

Mount Evelyn got off to a great start, kicking 5.3 to 3.1 in the first.

They piled on the goals in the second with 6.7 to 1.4 to have a very healthy lead of 47 points at half time.

Another five-goal quarter in the third and the lead was a massive 76 points.

The last quarter honours went to Belgrave who outscored Mount Evelyn by two points to take something out of the day.

Mount Evelyn best: A. Chalkley, J. Beamish, D. Kift, C. Urquhart, J. Barden, D. O’Connor (1 goal).

Belgrave best: L. Sproules, J. Marshall, C. Rak, T. Stubley, J. Brown (1 goal), B. Raaymakers (1 goal).

Wandin 11.9.75 d Healesville 8.7.55

The first quarter was tight with Healesville having a four-point advantage.

They kicked 3.3 to two goals to have the lead by 13 points at half time.

Wandin put on the burners in the third and kicked 6.3 to 1.1 to be in control with a 19-point lead going into the last.

The last quarter was goal-for-goal.

Wandin best: P. Bruzzese (1 goal), R. Heasley, B. Harvey, P. Hodgett (3 goals), C. Johnston (2 goals), T. Hinds.

Healesville best: L. Daly, D. Senior, L. Barclay, S. Donkin, D. Iacuone, B. Murphy.

Warburton Millgrove 14.12.96 d Monbulk 13.14.92

Warburton Millgrove celebrated Mick Walker’s 400th game.

The Burras got the early advantage and led by six points at quarter time.

They kicked away in the second with 4.4 to 1.4 to go into the half time break quietly confident.

Monbulk bounced back in the third kicking 5.2 to 4.4 to be only adrift by six points at the last change.

Monbulk threw everything at Warburton in the last and won the last quarter by two points.

Warburton Millgrove best: T. McKenzie (2 goals), L. Barnard (2 goals), A. White (5 goals), M. Walker, J. Walker, S. Andueza.

Monbulk best: P. Barge (3 goals), J. Major, N. Sargent (1 goal), J. Rak, A. Beck (4 goals), S. Williams (2 goals).

Upwey Tecoma 12.16.88 d Olinda Ferny Creek 8.10.58

The first quarter was goal for goal with Upwey leading by just one point at quarter time.

Upwey held Olinda to just one goal in the second while they kicked three to extend their lead to 13 points at the main break.

Upwey was wasteful in front of goal in the third but still managed to increase its lead to 21 points as the side turned for home.

Upwey had the last quarter in its control but the margin could have been greater with accuracy, with 3.5.

Upwey Tecoma best: L. Hughes, L. Van Mourik, D. Waters (7 goals), K. Grenda (1 goal), D. Devers, T. Holland.

Olinda Ferny Creek best: M. Hottes (1 goal), C. Eade, B. Currie, K. Currie, H. Greenall (1 goal), B. Cooling.

Woori Yallock 13.15.93 d Emerald 10.8.68

Woori Yallock got the jump on Emerald in the first with a 16-point lead.

Emerald played some inspiring footy in the second, kicking four goals to one, and stunned Woori Yallock by taking the lead at the main break by five points.

Woori bounced back in the third, kicking 4.3 to 2.3 to have the momentum back in their favour by seven points.

They ran away with it in the last kicking four goals to two.

Woori Yallock best: C. Smedley, J. Adams, S. Kennedy, C. French, M. Anderson (1 goal), Z. Monkhorst (1 goal).

Emerald best: D. Edwards (2 goals), J. Bishop (1 goal), L. Sheppard, B. Wilson, S. Kelleher, J. Rich.

Division 2 Seniors Football (Round 14)

Yarra Glen 20.14.134 d Powelltown 5.7.37

The first quarter was tough, contested footy with Yarra Glen kicking 4.3 to 2.3 to be in front by 12 points.

They kicked away in the second with a six-goals-to-one quarter and the lead was 45 points.

Yarra Glen continued where they left off, kicking four goals to one to have a handy three quarter time break and all the momentum.

They finished off the game well, kicking six goals to one.

Yarra Glen best: A. Smith, J. Marks, T. Russell, B. Ashton (2 goals), C. Tait, L. Coulson (2 goals). Powelltown best: N. Moody, J. Iacono, J. Moore, B. Wratten, J. Garthwaite, J. Dobson.

Seville 22.18.150 d Alexandra 10.8.68

Seville kicked 7.3 to 3.2 in the first to set up the day.

The second quarter was a closer quarter, as Alexandra kicked four goals straight to Seville’s 5.3.

In the third quarter, Seville took control, kicking 4.7 to 1.4 and taking a lead of 55 points into the last break.

Seville had the ball on as string in the last kicking 6.5 to 2.2 and came away with their eyes set firmly on finals.

Seville best: N. O’Keefe (5 goals), G. Fraser (3 goals), J. Cecere (3 goals), J. Wilkinson (1 goal), S. MacDonald, J. Neal (4 goals).

Alexandra best: M. Steiner, S. Steiner, P. Ferguson, M. Whitbourn, D. Rouget, M. Coombs (1 goal).

Kinglake 12.12.84 d Yea 10.11.71

Kinglake got off to a good start, kicking 4.5 to 1.1.

They kept that up in the second, kicking 4.3 to 2.4 to be in front by 33 points at half time.

Yea won the third quarter but could not make much of an in-road into the Kinglake lead and was down by 30 points going into the last.

Yea had eight scoring shots to two in the last but could not find the big sticks.

Kinglake best: J. Hamilton, J. Nixon (4 goals), M. Quinton, M. McAllister, J. Butterworth, J. Poecher (3 goals).

Yea best: H. Jarvie, J. Salau, R. Aldous (1 goal), A. McCarthy, J. Ryan, M. Curcio.

Gembrook Cockatoo 26.19.175 d Thornton Eildon 1.2.8

Gembrook Cockatoo started off with 4.3 to 1 behind and it looked like a tough day for Thornton. The lead opened up to 51 points at half time.

Thornton was under the pump in the last half as Gembrook piled on 18 goals.

Gembrook Cockatoo best: B. Jones, J. Gibson (2 goals), L. Taylor, T. Whytcross, J. Firrito, L. Ramage (2 goals).

Thornton Eildon best: A. Sporton, J. Sloane , J. Scotland, T. Bail, B. Davis, B. Azzopardi.

Under 18s Football (Round 14)

Mount Evelyn 16.10.106 d Alexandra 4.8.32

Mont Evelyn best: J. Oultram (2 goals), C. Serci, J. Merrett (1 goal), M. Travis (1 goal), D. Thiele, L. English.

Alexandra best: D. Kaempkes, J. Laurie-Rhodes, J. Keath, D. Ray, W. Woolford, Z. Pedlar.

Healesville 13.11.89 d Wandin 3.5.23

Healesville best: J. Simnett, T. Millman, T. Green, R. McQueen, L. Scott, N. Pye.

Wandin best: A. Mandl, A. Baker (1 goal), R. Johns, C. Steiner, M. Smith, B. Ebeyer.

Monbulk 11.7.73 d Warburton Millgrove 9.4.58

Monbulk best: T. Taylor (6 goals), B. te Boekhorst, M. Dekker (2 goals), L. Beecroft, D. Rak (1 goal), J. Wensley.

Warburton Millgrove best: B. Norfolk, S. Figg, J. Pride, J. Coshutt, J. Farrugia (3 goals), T. Walker (2 goals).

Woori Yallock 16.13.109 d Emerald 3.4.22

Woori Yallock best: R. Blackney, M. Cliff, J. Aitchison (4 goals), J. Hambling, J. Holland (1 goal), T. Amarant.

Emerald best: R. Goonan (2 goals), B. Brockwell (1 goal), B. Rodwell, J. Zimmerling, A. Kapahnke, J. Raukola.

Division 1 A Grade Netball (Round 13)

Wandin 55 d Healesville 25

Wandin got away early, leading by six goals at quarter time, and extended its lead to 11 at half time.

That blew out to 17 goals at the final change.

Wandin best: K. Dolphin, K. Nicol, A. Gedge (47 goals). Healesville best: A. Bryan, K. Wandin-Collins, G. Ford.

Olinda Ferny Creek 92 d Upwey Tecoma 18

A big first quarter set the scene for the day and Upwey was at the mercy of Olinda.

A half-time lead of 39 goals was going to be tough for Upwey.

Olinda Ferny Creek best: A. Paget, P. Stewart (72 goals), M. Taylor. Upwey Tecoma best: G. Bull (16 goals), P. Day, B. Price.

Warburton Millgrove 51 d Monbulk Hawks 41

Warburton led early, shooting 15 goals to nine in the first.

They increased their lead to 11 goals at half time.

The third quarter was very even, with Monbulk pushing Warburton all the way.

Monbulk beat Warburton in the last, but the margin was too big to claw back.

Warburton Millgrove best: B. Daniels (33 goals), B. Hipwell, N. Petrucev. Monbulk Hawks best: K. Seamer, K. Wragg, S. Stubbs (11 goals).

Belgrave 69 d Mount Evelyn 20

Belgrave was clinical in the first, shooting 13 goals to five.

They threw everything at Mount Evelyn in the second and shot 22 goals to two and had a lead of 28 goals at half time.

Another big last half shooting 34 goals to 13 and it was all over.

Belgrave best: L. Bennett (31 goals), P. Keogh, J. Dewhurst. Mount Evelyn best: G. Marsh (12 goals), S. Jones (5 goals), S. Hall.

Woori Yallock 52 d Emerald 38

Woori Yallock got the early lead by three goals at quarter time.

Emerald played well in the second but Woori Yallock went into half time with a seven-goal lead. Woori upped the pace in the third, shooting 17 goals to 10 and it was always going to be a tough road for Emerald from there.

Emerald fought it out and held Woori to just 11 goals in the last but could not reduce the deficit. Woori Yallock best: S. McCabe, L. Walsh, B. Sudomirski (16 goals). Emerald best: K. Ellis, N. Te Whata (21 goals), J. Terry.

Division 2 A Grade Netball (Round 14)

Yarra Glen 52 d Powelltown 44

Yarra Glen best: C. Birchall, P. Purdey, K. Fraser. Powelltown best: G. Haynes, D. Barber, J. Lord.

Seville 59 d Alexandra 23

Seville best: S. McNay, A. Tucker, P. Stanley (37 goals). Alexandra best: C. Haggis, L. Steyger (2 goals), E. Hedger (11 goals).

Kinglake 54 d Yea 45

Kinglake best: M. Nagle (26 goals), B. Waack (28 goals), A. Barnes. Yea best: N. Watts (18 goals), R. Hickey, G. Duncan.