By Armin Richter
FOOTBALL
Seniors
Since the Upwey-Tecoma football club formed in 1946, Monbulk have been their most played opponent. The Hawks met the Tigers for the 161st time on Saturday at Upwey, with the record standing at 64 wins, 94 losses and two draws leading into the match.
Both sides had a 1-2 record and needed a win to stay in touch with Wandin, Olinda, Woori Yallock and Healesville. After a tight opening term Monbulk established a 27 point lead by the main break. Playing their best match for the year they were able to combine slick ball movement with pressure on the opposition and a hard attack at the contest. A flurry of goals at the finish saw the Hawks triumph by 47 points, their biggest win at Upwey since a 51 point result in 2007. It was their third win in four years at the Chosen Avenue ground since Monbulk returned to the top Division. The ground is no longer the graveyard that it once was as Monbulk are now clear fifth.
Monbulk 17.13.115 def Upwey-Tecoma 10.8.68
Best: Adam Banks, Lochlan Beecroft, Joel Wensley, Lachlan Sheppard, Ryan Burleigh, Josh Wentworth
Goals: Joel Wensley 5, Lochlan Beecroft 4, Pat Barge 2, Bailey Rutherford 2, Ziggy Hatherley 2, Josh Wentworth 1, Declan Browne 1
Reserves
The unbeaten Upwey and Monbulk sides met to decide who would take the top position on the ladder and premiership favouritism. Upwey found too many avenues to goal and a gallant display by the Hawks was no match in the end as the Tigers won comfortably.
Monbulk 5.1.31 def by Upwey-Tecoma 13.9.87
Best: Johnathon Hevern, Nicholas Heron, Coby Passingham, Ryan Gilbert, Dylan Werts, Jayden Spencer
Goals: Nicholas Heron 2, Matthew James 1, Johnathon Hevern 1, Aaron Smith 1
Under 18s
Despite giving away some height and weight, the Monbulk Unders took the match right up to the Tigers. Early in the second term they had established a 10 point lead but weren’t able to maintain the pressure and were eventually overrun but not disgraced.
Monbulk 3.3.21 def by Upwey-Tecoma 9.12.66
Best: Brock Downey, William Hughson, Eamon Dawson, Finley Ede, Finn Horsfall, Ryder Koelewyn
Goals: Cooper Palmer 1, Charlie Seamer 1, Finn Horsfall 1
NETBALL
A Grade
Monbulk and Upwey were two of the seven Division 1 teams that comprised the original netball competition 20 years ago in 2005. Upwey-Tecoma won the inaugural A Grade premiership with Monbulk claiming the 2006 flag, incidentally against the Tigers. The clubs had met 34 times leading up to Saturday’s clash, with the Tigers ahead 20-14. Upwey-Tecoma won 17 consecutive matches 2007-2016 although Monbulk had emerged victorious on the last nine occasions.
Sophie Stubbs, who debuted for Monbulk in 2011, played her 200th game for the Hawks. 190 of these games have been played in A Grade by the 2015 Best & Fairest, which is the club record in this grade. In a fiercely contested match the Tigers challenged the Hawks but Monbulk just had an edge in class and emerged victorious by nine goals in their tenth consecutive win against Upwey. The Hawks remain third while Peri Reid has opened up a lead of 46 amongst the goal shooters.
Monbulk 64 def Upwey 55
Best: Paige Whitworth, Nicole Macdowell, Stephanie Ferguson
Goals: Peri Reid 39, Stephanie Ferguson 24
B Grade
The longer the game went, the stronger Monbulk looked in B Grade. The ladder leading Hawks had a seven goal lead at half time but then outscored the Tigers 32 to 10 in the second half to come away with a resounding win. Jorja Wragg is leading the competition shooters in B Grade with 167 after four games.
Monbulk 57 def Upwey-Tecoma 28
Best: Asha Jones, Dayna Walsham, Elizabeth Cutting
Goals: Jorja Wragg 34, Dayna Walsham 20, Chloe Carmichael 3
C Grade
This match was to ebb and flow as Upwey led by seven goals at half time before the Hawks bounced back to tie the match at the last change of ends. The Tigers steadied to register their first win of the season while Monbulk dropped to seventh.
Monbulk 28 def by Upwey-Tecoma 31
Best: Laura Del Biondo, Courtney Witt, Maddy Buckland
Goals: Chloe Carmichael 21, Grace Sands 4, Maddy Buckland 3
D Grade
Monbulk proved more agile around the court to record their second win of the season and stay in touch with the leaders. The win was set up in a 9-4 second quarter as the rest of the match remained close on the scoreboard.
Monbulk 34 def Upwey-Tecoma 23
Best: Macy Giling, Simone Beattie, Jamie Sands
Goals: Jamie Sands 21, Macy Giling 13
Under 17s
It was a tough day at the office for the Under 17s as ladder leaders ROC White proved too strong for the last placed Hawks.
Monbulk 4 def by ROC White 35
Best: Ella Flynn, Maddison Bedet, Isabelle Cross
Goals: Ella Flynn 2, Maddison Bedet 1, Kaitlyn Summers 1
Under 15s
The ladder topping Monbulk Maroon had a bye while Monbulk Gold met ROC White at Officer. Both sides had a win each and it was ROC that started better. After quarter time however Monbulk came to the fore and scored a well deserved win by 8 goals. Eden Murphy heads the league goal shooting over Monbulk Maroon’s Isla Stubbs, who still has a game in hand.
Monbulk 26 def ROC White 18
Best: Amelia Magarry, Eden Murphy, Olivia Leonard
Goals: Eden Murphy 16, Amelia Magarry 9, Sophie Pringle 1
