Elmore has won four of its past five and is now in the finals places.
A reinvigorated and in-form Elmore has surged its way into the finals places, while the top sides continued to solidify their own claims in round 16 of Heathcote District Netball League.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The round
Leitchville-Gunbower 43 lt Elmore 44
Mount Pleasant 58 d White Hills 44
Huntly 38 lt Colbinabbin 67
Heathcote 36 lt North Bendigo 73
Lockington-Bamawm bye
Elmore v Leitchville-Gunbower
You’d be forgiven for doing a double take after looking at Elmore’s past five fixtures.
After winning twice in the first 11 rounds the Bloods are now on a run of four victories in five, the purple patch taking them all the way into the top five.
It wasn’t convincing at the weekend at Leitchville Recreation Reserve, but with both sides making a last desperate push for finals, it was Elmore that held its nerve to claim the 44-43 victory.
The result ends the Bombers’ finals chances officially, while sending the Bloods above Huntly and into fifth-place, the first time Elmore has been in the finals spots all season.
With two rounds remaining, the side will now look to hold what it has earned, and it could lock in finals this Saturday as it returns to home action against Huntly.
With only two points separating the sides on the table an Elmore win will seal finals, while a Hawks success will set up a grandstand finish.
Mount Pleasant v White Hills
Top two Mount Pleasant and Colbinabbin continue to rack up convincing wins
In a clash of second v third, Mount Pleasant showed it is a cut above all but leader Colbinabbin, accounting for White Hills at home at Toolleen Recreation Reserve.
It wasn’t a cakewalk for the Mounts, but the hosts showed themselves to be comfortably superior on the day, taking the win 58-44.
The top third of the table is officially locked in following the result, with Mount Pleasant unreachable in second and third-ranked White Hills with a similar unbridgeable gap to those below.
Mount Pleasant has the bye this weekend in the penultimate round, while White Hills hosts bottom-of-the-table Heathcote.
Huntly v Colbinabbin
Huntly ran into the league’s juggernaut at the weekend, kicked from the top five after being chewed up by Colbinabbin 67-38.
The Grasshoppers doubled the Hawks’ score in the opening term, leading 16-8 and pushed on to a similar second period to establish a 32-17 half-time lead.
Huntly kept things a little closer in the second half, but was ultimately well beaten and is now in a desperate fight for a finals place.
Colbinabbin takes on Lockington-Bamawm United at home this weekend in its last regular season game before finishing with the bye.
Huntly and Elmore will battle for a finals spot in a blockbuster showdown.
In the remaining result, bottom side Heathcote couldn’t stack up to North Bendigo, dominated 73-36.
