The weekend kicked off with Auskick on Saturday morning which saw over 150 budding footballers pull on their boots. Mother’s Day saw all our junior teams play at home with some mixed results on Sunday.
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U12 Black
This week under-12 Black hosted the undefeated Myrtleford which saw the game moving incredibly quickly all day. Unfortunately, Blacks were unable to score off our fast forward entries in the first half.
Momentum had started to change in our direction after half time with Jack McKenzie kicking a great long goal from a set shot, with other opportunities putting the pressure back onto Myrtleford. Riley Phillips had an outstanding final quarter with some great clearances out of the backline.
Score: Benalla Black 1.3 (9) def by Myrtleford 6.7 (43)
Goals: Jack McKenzie
Best: Jack McKenzie, Bill Bourke, Harley Kupke, Darcy Wallis, Riley Phillips, Ted Clancy
U12 Red
Mother’s Day saw the Benalla under-12 Reds take on Mansfield at home. The Reds started strongly with a few early goals, but Mansfield fought back to lead for most of the game. Benalla rallied late in the third quarter and carried the momentum into the final term to secure a well-deserved win.
Score: Benalla Red 8.4 (52) def Mansfield 6.4 (40)
Goals: Archer Pickering 4, Oli Ross 2, Jaxson Heatherill, Tory Woodhams
Best: Tory Woodhams, Hunter Symes, Oli Ross, Jaxson Heatherill, Harry McConachy, Kendrick Marino
U14 Black
Warm sunny conditions awaited a highly anticipated match-up between top of the table Myrtleford Saints and the young, in-form under-14 Benalla Black outfit on Mother’s Day.
Right from the first bounce it looked as though it was going to be a tough day for the home side with the Saints jumping out of the blocks with tall, athletic, skilful players on every line.
Black tried as hard as possible to tackle, apply pressure and shut down Myrtleford’s dominance, however, it was to no avail. Blacks’ backline was under immense pressure all day with centre half back Teddy Sheehan a clear standout with great reading of the play leading to many marks and rebounding kicks.
The athleticism of Angus Roscoe was a feature of the game with his ruck work, tackling pressure and repeat efforts a big positive. The undersized but always hard-working midfield included Bodie Gall, Caleb Thwaites and Jimmy Jackson, who continued to work hard all day, however, it was hard to gain territory and make any inroads on the scoreboard.
Matt White and Jake Soyer should also receive a mention for their determination and hard-working style of play. A special mention to the under-12 players that doubled up to help with numbers. Benalla looks forward to a big week on the track as it attempts to bounce back next weekend.
Score: Benalla Black 0.0 (0) def by Myrtleford 21.18 (144)
Best: Teddy Sheehan, Caleb Thwaites, Angus Roscoe, Jake Soyer, Jimmy Jackson, Bodie Gall
U14 Red
A tight, fierce contest was what we expected going into Sunday’s game against Mansfield Blue, and that is what we got.
It was a battle of the midfield from the opening bounce with the ball going inside both teams’ forward lines without really being able to hit the scoreboard. A strong defensive effort was required and produced by all defenders. The forward line kept presenting at the kicker and we were able to convert a goal but went into the break a point down.
The second quarter was an arm wrestle with both teams kicking some early goals and both forward lines having the upper hand. A lapse in concentration and defensive structure in red time allowed Mansfield to kick the last three goals of the half and take a 15-point lead into the main break.
At the half time break all players were asked for a big effort, there had been a few players down a bit in the first half and to those particular players it was exceptional the way they responded.
For the second week in a row, we asked all the players to take the game on and attack with the aim to hit the score board early in the quarter.
Every single player made a contribution to the win, showing that we are improving every week both as individuals and as a team.
Effort is our mantra and effort was delivered.
Score: Benalla Red 9.9 (63) def Mansfield Blue 7.9 (51)
Goals: Jackson Quarrell 4, Jack Hart 2, Tom Snell, Louis Horne, Ollie Smith
Best: Jack Hart, Jackson Quarrell, Sam Mount, Tom Snell, Hudson Pickering, Ollie Smith
U17s
Inspired by a stirring pre-game address from Corinne Cooney, the Benalla under-17s celebrated Mother’s Day in style at the Showgrounds, securing a dominant victory over Myrtleford to keep their winning streak alive.
In front of a strong home crowd, the team produced a relentless and clinical performance that set the tone from the opening siren.
Josh Montgomery was the architect of the win, playing a masterful dual role, completely negating Myrtleford’s most dangerous playmaker while simultaneously racking up possessions to drive the team forward. Captain Harry Skelton made a seamless return to the side, leading from the front with his trademark contested work and vocal leadership in the engine room.
The forward line continued to fire, led by the reliable Tom Mount, who maintained his stellar form with another three-goal haul. Small forward Boden Hazell was equally impressive, providing elite defensive pressure and hitting his tackle targets to lock the ball in the attacking half.
It was a complete team effort and a perfect result for all the under-17 mums.
The under-17s will look to carry this massive momentum into next week as we remain at the Showgrounds. We look forward to another big challenge when we take on Wangaratta Centrals at home. Let’s get a big home crowd down to support the boys as they hunt for four in a row.
Score: Benalla 10.10 (70) def Myrtleford 7.5 (47)
Goals: Tom Mount 3, Charlie Bowen 2, Cash Nolen, Jack Pollard, Harry Skelton, Josh Montgomery, Charlie Pollard
Best: Josh Montgomery, Harry Skelton, Tom Mount, Jack Pollard, Charlie Bowen, Tom Osborne