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Page 38 - MANSFIELD COURIER - Wednesday, July 20, 2022 SPORT Eagles U17s grind out impressive win

By CHRIS STONEY

A TYPICAL Mansfield winter’s morning greeted the Benalla Giants when they arrived to play on Sunday at our home ground.

Flea and Q were pretty quick to remind our boys that the last time we played them they took it right up to us until the last quarter and what a bad start we had in that game.

It was great to welcome back Adam Storer from injury.

The boys were wound up accordingly and came out firing playing some magnificent footy and it didn’t take long for Nick Taylor to kick the first after a crumbing off hands and quick shot off the ground.

Our big men in AJ , Cozzy and HP were dominating in the air and our little men - particularly Jack Marks and Aston Dean - were everywhere.

We ended up kicking five goals three points for the quarter to the Giants solitary point.

In the second we were kicking against the wind and we lost a bit of control of what turned out to be a tough  game.

The Giants kicked three goals in pretty quick succession while we only added one goal and four points.

The Giants number 10 was playing an exceptional game so Hunter Reeve was given the job of running with him.

At half time the boys were asked just to get back to basics and play our game and that was exactly what happened in the third, with us kicking five for the quarter and dominating the game.

Riley Northcott in his 100th game went back into the midfield and dominated, as did Gupps, who went into the backline.

Riz, who was also dominating, copped a whack on his nose and came off and was replaced by Sunny Murphy, who made an instant impact with the first of his three goals.

A Jack Stoney clever kick backwards to AJ who goaled from long range was the highlight of the quarter.

In the last we held sway kicking two goals one to the Giants wasteful one goal four.

We ended up running out winners by 59 points.

Sports first best - AJ Thomson, second Jack Marks.

MHF - Ashton Dean, MFC - Hunter Reeve.

Other best: Riley Northcott and Harry Purcell.

Eagles roast roarless Tigers

■ From back page

“It felt like we outran them and we were down to one on the bench, too, so it was a really big eff ort.

Owens added that he was really happy with what the group achieved on the day.

“Corey Rich and Dirk Koenan played great,” said Owens.

“Jack Hutchins is back to playing his best footy as well and Jimmy Herridge once again was strong in the middle.”

In the reserves match beforehand, Mansfi eld put on a dominant display to win by twenty goals.

Rochester never appeared to be in it, with a scoreless fi rst half.

The Eagles reserves reeled off twelve unanswered goals before the Tigers were able to slot a couple through in the third term.

But the Eagles never took their foot off the accelerator, soaring home to deliver an absolute drubbing to the black and yellow seconds.

Mansfi eld reserves 22.17 (149) to Rochester reserves 2.1 (13).

Best for the Eagles were Thomas Sheahan, Flynn Harding, Beau Vogelzang, Luke Menhenett, and Sam Morrow.

Rochester’s fi nest consisted of Samuel Frawley, Harley Hayes, Grant Wachter, Ethan Hooppell, and Jarrad Kyne.

Earlier in the day the U18s development sides duked it out in a closer tussle.

But the end result again went Mansfi eld’s way, setting the scene for what would be a disappointing day at home for the Tigers.

The Eagles young guns came out strong in the fi rst, but Rochester went toe-totoe with them in the second term.

Things drew close at the half way mark, but the Eagles were keen to set the tone for a successful day, and brought it home in the last half to secure the win.

Mansfi eld U18s 13.11 (89) to Rochester U18s 6.6 (42).

Best for the Eagles: Nathan Buchanan, William Dunstan, Ben Les, Blake Leenen, and Will Devere.

Rocking it for Rochie was Darby Wileman, Mitchell Collins, Charlie Palmer, Kian Verrall, and Nate Rasmussen.

Mansfi eld seniors are in third spot on the ladder, a 10-3 record to match second placed Euroa, who have a slightly higher percentage but lost to ladder leaders Echuca last week.

The Eagles take on Shepparton this weekend at the Mansfi eld Recreation Reserve.

“The Bears are going really good, so it’ll be a tough game this weekend,” said Owens.

“But we’re in a good spot to launch into the rest of this season.”

DUAL AUSSIE WINNERS: (from left ) The team of Thomas Grice and Mansfield’s Catherine Skinner won silver at the recent Trap Mixed Teams World Cup event, while fellow Aussies Penny Smith and James Willett won the gold.

LAST week the Australian Shotgun team dominated in the Trap Mixed Teams event at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea, securing both the gold and silver medals.

The mixed team of Penny Smith and James Willett shot an impressive combined score of 146 out of a possible 150 targets to secure a top qualifying position.

Mansfield’s Catherine Skinner and her team mate Thomas Grice shot 143 out of 150, finishing second in qualifying and securing an all Australian Gold medal match.

Into the medal match, where the two top qualifiers would contest the gold and silver medals, it was inevitable that both would be coming home to Australia.

After the first two series of 10 targets, both teams were tied before Smith and Willett proved too strong winning the gold medal six points to two.

“We both had a really good qualifying and really good final and Catherine and Tom shot extremely well today also,” said Smith.

“It was really hot and really humid and I think quite challenging conditions again,” said Skinner, to which Grice echoed, noting that visibility was not as good as you might expect, but very nice targets.

The gold and silver medals in Changwon further cemented the Australian athletes strength in the trap mixed team event, resulting in medals at all four ISSF World Cups attended this year.

The medals added to the gold medal won by Willett and Laetisha Scanlan in Azerbaijan, bronze medal won by Willett and Skinner in Italy, and the silver and bronze medals won by Willett and Scanlan and Mitch Iles and Smith in Cyprus.

The trap shotgun athletes will now return to Australia and the focus will turn to the athletes competing in the remaining skeet (shotgun), pistol and rifle events.

Skinner wins silver in World Cup teams event

Junior footy back with a bang

By MICHAEL BRETHERTON

AFTER a two week break for school holidays, junior footy was welcomed back to the Lords on Saturday morning.

The under 10s kicked off in the early game and had plenty of run and carry despite the heavy conditions.

For the Eagles, Callum Logan-Williams ran hard all day and was rewarded with a great goal, new recruit Parker Darby was given an award this week for his best game for the club since joining, and Angus Parsons who took some great marks and put his body on the line.

All the Eagles players contributed as a team all day and supported each other in the contests.

After starting slow the Demons hit their straps, using the ball and bringing each other into the game.

Paige Gridley had another good game and kicked her first goal for the season, while Henry Chandler continued his good work in the ruck and around the ground.

Awards for the Demons went to Harry Buscombe who had his best game for the year alongside Jax Heath, with both players attacking the ball hard and winning contests at will.

The Hawks had another good day on the park, with a solid team performance sharing the ball around and running hard all day.

Award winners were Spencer Yencken and Axel Anstee who battled well all day, with special mention to Sophie Snell on kicking her first goal for the season and Bodhi Clifton on another dominant performance.

The under 13s followed as conditions became a little more trying with the cold setting in.

The Eagles had a great day with Isaac Crowe having his best game providing plenty of drive off the backline, well supported by Heath Shelvin who also had his best game for the year, both players taking out the awards.

Sam Kain was also terrific giving the Eagles first use of the ball all day in and around the clearances.

For the Cats, award winners were Nick Hoskins who had a terrific game providing plenty of options around the ground, and Logan Kent who was solid as a rock in defence.

The Blues put in another solid team performance with Zander Haslau brilliant down back, supported by Will Anderson who was outstanding setting up the play from the half back line, earning both players the awards for this week.

Special mentions to Will Benton and Henry Banks who ran and drove the ball with purpose and direction all day.

Many thanks to Bertalli’s Bakery for supplying the pastry goods so the players could enjoy a pie night during the week.