Parrots’ Under 17s do Leongatha proud

THE Leongatha Under 17s did an enormous job just making the Gippsland League Grand Final against Bairnsdale at Morwell on Saturday, September 20.

They finished fifth on the ladder, with nine wins and nine losses, just squeaking into the finals by half a game from Moe in sixth. But they roared into the grand final on the back of some great performances in the lead-up finals, overcoming teams above them, including Drouin and Sale in convincing style.

This earned them a crack at Traralgon, equal top with Bairnsdale at the end of the season, with 17 wins and one loss each, and apparently destined to play off against each other in the grand final.

But in a thrilling preliminary final at Sale, the star-studded Leongatha lineup had other ideas.

Boasting four girls who played in the historic SSV State Title-winning Mary MacKillop College team during the week, including Gemma Meadley, Hattie Jefferis, Lucy Heber and Tyler Peters, but also with Lacy Fennell up from the 15s, they took it right up to Traralgon throughout the match and got up in thrilling circumstances by one goal, 27-26.

The prelim was goal for goal from the outset with Leongatha up 19-18 at the last change, but with the wind playing havoc and the defenders of both teams on top, including Tyla Peters GD and Hattie Jefferis GK for Leongatha, scoring was restricted.

Gemma Meadley was working overtime through the midcourt, not only providing good supply to Tess Croatto and Lucy Heber in goals but also applying immense pressure to the Traralgon passing game.

In the last quarter, it was more of the same with the scoreline even most of the time, and both teams hitting eight goals each, the go-ahead goal coming with only seconds remaining when Tess Croatto held her nerve to get the score and the win.

On the back of a thrilling preliminary final win, the Leongatha girls were delighted to be there on grand final day, but not just to make up the numbers. They were represented by Tess Croatto, Claudia Donohue, Danay Grabham-Andrews, Charlize Hawkins, Lucy Heber, Hattie Jefferis, Willow McGannon, Gemma Meadley, Tyla Peters, and Mia Yates.

The Parrots started well, leading 8-7 at the first change and even went two goals up at the beginning of the second quarter until the talented Bairnsdale side kicked into gear, dominating the scoring in the latter part of the quarter to go in at half time 18-11.

They doubled down in the third quarter as Mia Ballinger (17 goals) and Eve Sabell (20 goals) found their range and they put on 12 goals to five to have their game in their keeping by the last change.

Best Players: Bairnsdale, Olivia Pearson, Maizy Duck, Mia Ballinger (Bairnsdale); Leongatha, Gemma Meadley, Hattie Jefferis, Tyla Peters.

Best on Court: Liv Pearson (Bairnsdale).

Final Scores: Bairnsdale 37 def Leongatha 20.