Top spot up for grabs

Mount Evelyn player Martin tackling Upwey player Hackett. 171993

By Derek Schlennstedt

AFL YARRA RANGES
There’s only one round to go in Division 1 and Healesville and Woori Yallock share top spot. Olinda Ferny Creek are sitting in third with Wandin in fourth and Upwey Tecoma secure in fifth.
Top spot is still up for grabs though and next week is important for all teams.
In the reserves, Olinda and Healesville share top spot, Wandin has a stranglehold on third while there is still jostling for fourth and fifth between Mount Evelyn, Emerald, Monbulk, and Upwey Tecoma.
Mount Evelyn still holds onto top spot in the Under 18s with Emerald in second, Wandin have an opportunity to steal second but have a solid hold on third. Healesville will remain in fourth, Upwey Tecoma is fifth with Woori Yallock in sixth and Warburton and Gembrook making up the final eight.
The home and away season is over for Division 2 – Belgrave are Minor Premiers in Senior and Reserves Football as well as A and B Grade netball. Yea have taken out the honours for C Grade and Yarra Glen in D Grade.
Keep in touch with all the last round Division 1 scores on Saturday and Division 2 results on Sunday by tuning into YVFM 99.1 over the weekend.
Division 1 Seniors Football
Round 17
Healesville 15.19(109) def Wandin 3.4(22)
Healesville share top of the ladder with Olinda with one round to go after a dominant performance over fourth-placed Wandin. Healesville got off to a reasonable start kicking 3.3 to 1.2 but that is where Healesville started to kick into gear. They held Wandin scoreless in the second term and kicked 4.6 to have a half time lead of 43 points. Wandin could only manage 1.1 in the third quarter and they can be thankful that Healesville were inaccurate in front of goal kicking 4.6. Healesville straightened up in the last with a four goal quarter to one and came home with a big win by 77 points. Healesville Best: B. Murphy, N. Mende, A. Davies, M. Jeffery, S. Donkin, T. Costigan.
Wandin Best: M. Polkinghorne, D. Stephen, N. Molnar, B. Chapman, J. Del Giudice, J. McInnes.
Woori Yallock 11.13(79) def Warburton Millgrove 7.4(46)
Woori Yallock share top spot with Healesville after a win over ninth-placed Warburton, but it was not a convincing win considering the ladder positions.
Woori Yallock got a good start kicking five goals to two but Warburton held Woori Yallock to only 3.4 while they kicked 3.2 and the margin was 24 points at half time. Another even third quarter and the margin was 17 points at three-quarter time. Woori Yallock got the run they were looking for in the last and held Warburton scoreless in the last but could only manage 2.4 themselves.
Woori Yallock Best: H. Smith, M. Baxter, J. Matthews, C. Smedley, B. McDonald, R. Allen.
Warburton Millgrove Best: T. Walker, T. McKail, J. Mullan, S. Andueza, L. Barnard, T. Mavric.
Monbulk 16.13(109) def Gembrook-Cockatoo 6.10(46)
Monbulk had a big win over tenth-placed Gembrook on Saturday but have left their winning run all too late. They got off to a flyer booting 6.2 to 2.3 in the first quarter and were never in doubt from there. Monbulk kicked another 5.5 in the second term while Gembrook did not worry the scorers. Gembrook outscored Monbulk in the third quarter by kicking 4.3 to 2.1 but the margin was still 44 points. Another three goals to four behinds in the last and the game was all over.
Monbulk Best: B. Emmett, S. Koole, C. Tibb, S. Williams, H. Emmett, A. Moerenhout.
Gembrook Cockatoo Best: L. Henzen, R. Causer, J. Kruithof, D. Welsh, M. Templeton, D. Williams.
Olinda Ferny Creek 14.16(100) def Emerald 4.6(30)
Olinda Ferny Creek are sitting third on the ladder after a 70-point win over eighth-placed Emerald. Olinda got off to a slow start kicking 3.4 to 1.2 and held a 14-point lead at quarter time. They held Emerald goalless in the second term but could not make much of an impact on the score line as they only kicked 1.4 themselves. Things opened up for Olinda in the third quarter with a five goal to one quarter and the margin at the final break was 49 points. Another solid last quarter and they ran away with the game in the end.
Olinda Ferny Creek Best: B. Walter, B. Cooling, M. Wright, D. Noorda, E. Greenall, J. Charge.
Emerald Best: P. White, M. Stephens, C. Thomsen, S. Anthony, S. Paull, D. Triffitt.
Upwey Tecoma 11.17(83) def Mount Evelyn 6.20(56)
Upwey Tecoma is comfortably sitting in fifth spot after a solid win over sixth-placed Mount Evelyn. Upwey got a good start kicking 3.4 to 2.5 and their lead was a slim five points. The second quarter was toughly contested and Upwey’s lead was only eight points at half time. Mount Evelyn peppered the goals in the third term but could not convert kicking 1.6 to 3.2 and the deficit was now 20 points. The game was there for the taking but Mount Evelyn has suffered with the yips in front of goal this season and today was no different kicking another 1.5 to 2.6. This game was achievable for Mount Evelyn but they could not convert when it mattered.
Upwey Tecoma Best: B. Oates, J. Hackett, I. Krijt, H. Stanley, R. Hannagan, L. Hughes.
Mount Evelyn Best: J. Yeomans, D. Matarazzo, L. Corrin, B. Maynard, J. Barden, A. Murray.
Tara Press Division 2 Seniors Football
Round 18
Alexandra 14.13(97) def Seville 9.6(60)
Alexandra have finished fourth on the ladder after a surprise win over second-placed Seville on Saturday. Seville took the early lead by six points at half time. Alexandra had a strong second quarter kicking 5.7 to 2.1 and the game had changed to Alexandra leading by 18 points at half time. The third quarter was tight but Alexandra came out in front leading by 20 points at the last break. Alexandra kicked away in the last with 5.2 to 2.3 and a handy win by 37 points.
Alexandra Best: B. Woollard, J. Purcell, R. Norris, J. Goonan, B. Norris, M. Coombs.
Seville Best: M. Cecere, J. Neal, C. Suban, A. Mammoliti, L. O’Keefe, C. Trainor.
Belgrave 14.16(100) def Thornton Eildon 6.7(43)
Belgrave have finished Minor Premiers after a 57-point win over Thornton Eildon. The first quarter was close but Belgrave were indirect in front of goal kicking 4.6 to three straight. They kicked away in the second term with 2.4 to three behinds. The third quarter was again goal for goal but Belgrave had the game under control. Thornton could only add to their final score by kicking four behinds while Belgrave finished the home and away season kicking 4.6.
Belgrave Best: T. Stubley, M. Brown, J. Brown, J. Webb, R. Fitzgerald, T. Marks.
Thornton Eildon Best: B. Wratten, J. Ashby, B. Clarke, T. Keating, A. Reddan, J. Dickson.
Kinglake 14.9(93) def Yarra Junction 6.9(45)
Kinglake have just fallen short of playing finals this year finishing sixth after a good win over Yarra Junction who have finished seventh. Yarra Junction got the early break in the first term kicking 3.5 to 2.3. Kinglake took complete control in the second quarter with an eight goal quarter while Yarra Junction could not add to theirs. Both teams kicked two goals in the third term but Kinglake had a lead of 40 points at three-quarter time. Goals were hard to come by in the last but Kinglake saluted the judges at the final siren.
Kinglake Best: C. Arnott, J. Mende, H. Prest, B. White, M. Fitzclarence, B. Hamer.
Yarra Junction Best: J. Welch, J. Bombinski, T. Barton, M. Houston, D. Hewitt.
Yarra Glen 10.6(66) def Powelltown 9.7(61)
Powelltown were playing to hold onto 4th spot on the ladder and Yarra Glen needed the win for some self-confidence going into finals and this game did not disappoint. The game was played in tough conditions that neither side has played in this season. Powelltown had the advantage in the first term and handled the wet, muddy conditions better kicking 2.2 to three behinds. Yarra Glen tightened up in the second quarter kicking 5.2 to 2.2 and the lead was now seven points at half time in Yarra Glen’s favour. Powelltown fought back in the third term with three goals to one and the lead had changed to Powelltown by five points. The lead see-sawed in the last with Yarra Glen closing it out in the dying seconds.
Yarra Glen Best: B. Ashton, R. D’Argent, M. Gower, L. Vanderstadt, C. Moate, B. Binion.
Powelltown Best: M. Lord, N. Moody, M. McLaughlin, J. Walker, M. Pote, M. McArthur.