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Sonics host Sydney Athletic

SALE Amateur Basketball Association partnered with SportFirst Sale to welcome Sydney Athletic Basketball to town lat Saturday for some exhibition games to promote senior basketball in the area. The Sydney teams faced off against two Sale teams comprised of players from the senior Sale Sonics squad and also some players from the local domestic competition. There was four men’s games played over the day that all went the distance, with only a few points deciding all outcomes. The Sale Red team took out the day overall, winning both their games, while Sale White and Sydney Black both managed to go 1-1 each. Cody Tonna was awarded the MVP for Sydney, earning him a Sonics Hoodie and cap, while Josh Butcher was named the Sale MVP with Joe Clarke getting runner-up. There was also a social mixed game played where some Sale and Sydney men’s players teamed up with the Sydney women’s players for a fun game full of laughs. Spectators were also able to get in on the action, participating in a free-throw shootout, a three point shootout, and a half court shootout that finished off the day. All three shootouts had the crowd cheering in excitement as participants went basket for basket and they erupted when local Nick Van Loon hit the half court shot, winning him the big prize of the day - an Allen Iverson jersey. Event organisers were very happy with how the day went, even though they were hoping for a larger crowd turnout, it was always going to be an uphill battle at this time of year with so many outside commitments on. The day, at the least, showed these events can be held, and hopefully can lead to future events to help promote senior basketball in the area.

Sale Amateur Basketball Association hosted Sydney Athletic Basketball in four exhibition games on Saturday. Photo: Contributed

Go7 Grand Finals this Thursday

Zoe Askew

HOW does that saying go, “talent wins games, but teamwork and experience win championships?” On Thursday evening, 16 teams met at Sale United Football Club grounds for the final season round of the Go Sevens summer soccer competition, and with top ladder teams in both draws fighting for a top spot in this week’s finals, tensions were high. Looking at the draw B ladder leading into the final season round, the undefeated Mac Rappers and Misfits were certain to make the first versus second finals no matter their result. Misfits held top spot with five wins, one draw and a goal difference of 25. Mac Rappers followed suit in second with five wins, one draw and a goal difference of 14. Draw A, however, was quite a different story. The completion of Round 6 saw the undefeated Bayside Astronauts maintain top position with five wins and one draw, and a comfortable goal difference of 20. Coming in second was My Little Morty’s with five wins, one loss and the competitions leading goal difference of 25. Pink Bits held third position with five wins, one loss and a goal difference of 17. The position of draw A’s top three teams heading into Round 7 meant Pink Bits, Bayside Astronauts and My Little Morty’s were all fighting for a chance to play in this week’s first versus second finals. Ladder leaders Bayside Astronauts met the unexpected season contenders, My Little Morty’s, at 6.30pm on Main Pitch One for the team’s biggest game of the competition. Bayside Astronauts’ excellence comes from the likes of Sale United Senior Men’s youthful players Isaak Jondahl, Callum Campbell, and Brennan McGill. The young side has undoubtedly proven their capability over the Go Sevens 2022 season. For My Little Morty’s, a significantly older team, with the exception of Dani Wilson and Murray Casella, who has unexpectedly risen to every challenge, the final round would be their biggest test yet. Teams donning red and yellow entered the field, respectively taking their positions in anticipation of the whistles blow. Phwwwwwhht. Game on. For joints less oiled than that of their opponents, My Little Morty’s hit the ground running, and the game’s opening minutes proved a relatively even playing field. A slip in My Little Morty’s defence proved opportune for Bayside Astronauts to make a move, and in his ever-graceful composure, Jondahl found the back of the net to put the team in red ahead. Bayside’s lead would not be kept for long though. The rude awakening shocked My Little Morty’s into top gear, and the team in yellow did what they do best; they worked together, moving the ball upfield to ultimately even the score, scoring

My Little Morty’s Josh Jenx.

Photos: Tom Parry

a second goal shortly after. My Little Morty’s third goal was disallowed for reasons that were unclear to most. Bayside Astronauts trailed the underdogs at halftime, the scoreboard reading 2-1. A switch up of positions was in order for Bayside as Campbell retired to goals and McGill took the field. My Little Morty’s claimed their third goal, but their lead was quickly shortened after McGill found the back of the net, bringing the score to 3-2. With five minutes remaining, tensions rose, and the heat on the pitch was felt by onlookers

Bayside Astronauts’ Brennan McGill.

who had congregated around the field’s edge. A foul from Bayside saw My Little Morty’s score their fourth and final goal. My Little Morty’s held their own in the final minutes, denying Bayside another goal. Almost simultaneously with the clock reading one minute to go, a foul was called against My Little Morty’s, giving away a penalty to Bayside Astronauts. A clean shot added another goal to Bayside’s score, but one wasn’t enough. The final whistle sounded, and the score was final; triumph went to the underdogs, the aging side, the unsuspected victors. My Little Morty’s beat Bayside Astronauts 4-3 in a wicked battle, claiming top spot on the ladder at the end of the normal season rounds. With Pink Bits unable to claim a win, drawing 3-3 with Divines, My Little Morty’s will meet Bayside Astronauts again this Thursday for the first versus second Go Seven 2022 Grand Final. Purple Cobras, who beat Green Grubs 8-2, will play Pink Bits in the third vs fourth Go Seven 2022 Grand Final. Tekkerslovakia, who tied 3-3 with The Special Ones, will meet Divines for the fifth versus sixth Grand Final, and The Special Ones will play Green Grubs in the seventh versus eighth Grand Final. In Draw B, Misfits will meet Mac Rappers this Thursday for the first versus second Go Seven 2022 Grand Final. Occasionally United play the Mighty Cornflakes in the third versus fourth Grand Final, The David’s face Dico’s Demons in the fifth versus sixth Grand Final and Raglan Street Blues are up against Ringins for the seventh versus eighth Grand Final.

Bayside Astronauts’ Isaak Jondahl.

My Little Morty’s Murray Casella.

My Little Morty’s Zoe Askew presses toward the goal. Bayside Astronauts’ Callum Campbell moves out of goals as Tenellie page chases behind.

Junior fire brigade preseason session results

GIPPSLAND Junior Fire Brigade held its second preseason for season 2022/23 at Maffra on Saturday, December 10. Results were as follows:

(Sale) 2, J. Monck/D. Bhana (Sale) 3, W. Goode/D. Bhana 4. Two Y marshal. T. De-Nobile/C. Knights (Sale) 1, W. Goode/D. Bhana (Sale) 2, T. Schoenmaekers/K. Murphy (Maffra) 3, J. Monck/D. Bhana (Sale) 4. Four Y marshal. Sale (2) 1, Maffra 2. Hydrant race. R. King (Sale) 1, K. Murphy (Maffra) 2, D. Bhana (Sale) 3, T. Schoenmaekers (Maffra) 4, W, Goode (Sale) 5. Two wet Hose. T. Schoenmaekers/K. Murphy (Maffra) 1, J. Monck/D. Bhana (Sale) 2, W. Goode/D. Bhana (Sale) 3, Four competitor wet 1 Disc. Maffra 1, Sale (2) 2, Sale (1) 3, Four competitor wet 2 Disc. Sale (1) 1, Maffra 2. Four competitor wet 1 Disc Twice. Sale (2) 1, Maffra 2, Sale (1) 3. Under 17: One competitor marshal. D. King (Sale) 1, C. Giles (Maffra) 2, C. Svensen (Maffra) 3, I Thexton (Sale) 4, E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 5. Two competitor marshal. D. King/I. Thexton (Sale) 1, C. Svensen/C. Giles (Maffra) 2, B. Lawford/E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 3, B. Whimpress/E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 4, L. Smith/C. Svensen (Maffra) 5. Two Y marshal. D. King/I. Thexton (Sale) 1, C. Svensen/C. Giles (Maffra) 2, B. Lawford/E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 3, L. Smith/C. Svensen

(Maffra) 4, E. Monck/I. Thexton (Sale) 5. Four Y marshal. Bairnsdale 1, Sale 2, Maffra 3. Hydrant race. B. Lawford (Bairnsdale) 1, D. King (Sale) 2, C. Svensen (Maffra) 3, E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 4, I. Thexton (Sale) 5. Two wet Hose. B. Lawford/E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 1, B. Whimpress/E. Pitt (Bairnsdale) 2, C. Giles/C. Svensen (Maffra) 3, E. Monck/I. Thexton (Sale) 4, D. King/I. Thexton (Sale) 5. Four competitor wet 1 Disc. Sale 1, Bairnsdale 2. Four competitor wet 2 Disc. Sale 1, Maffra 2, Bairnsdale 3. Four competitor wet 1 Disc Twice. Sale 1, Maffra 2, Bairnsdale 3. Times-Spectator, Tuesday, 13 December, 2022 – Page 41