Sharks come from behind
Hillside secured its fifth win of the Essendon District Football League division 1 season on Saturday with a 70-point smashing of Hadfield.
The Sharks didn’t have things all their own way and went to the quarter-time break six points down.
But that was the last time Hadfield led as Hillside booted 16 goals in the final three quarters to claim the 18.13 (121) to 7.9 (51) win. Evan Bassingthwaighte was named best on ground for the Sharks and finished the match with five goals.
The victory keeps Hillside in seventh place on the division 1 ladder, while the defeat sent Hadfield to the bottom and facing relegation. With finals out of reach, the Sharks will meet top-of-the-table West Coburg in their final match of the season.
Early burst sets up Lakers
An eight-goal first quarter set up a 62-point win for Caroline Springs against North Footscray in division 2 of the Western Region Football League on Saturday. The Lakers continued the strong showing all afternoon, kicking another 11 goals on their way to a 19.11 (125) to 8.15 (63) win. Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke continued his brilliant season with a bag of seven and was clearly the most dominant player on the ground. The win, the 10th of the season for Caroline Springs, keeps the club in sixth spot on the division 2 ladder.
The Lakers have missed the finals and Saturday’s match against second-placed Wyndhamvale will be their last of the season.
Thunder rolls to a sudden stop
Keilor men’s Big V basketball finals campaign came to an end on Saturday night with the Thunder going down to Casey by nine points in the semi-final series. In a battle between first and fourth on the division 2 ladder, the lower-ranked Keilor went into the game needing a win after dropping the opening match at home seven days earlier. The Thunder made a bright start and took a one-point lead into quarter-time. But from there it was all Casey as the Cavaliers piled on the pressure in the second and third quarters to seal the 73-64 win. Brooklyn Carey ensured Keilor went down fighting, he put up 20 points and had nine rebounds in an impressive performance. Casey will take on the Shepparton Gators in the division final after the Gator’s 2-0 series win against Keysborough Cougars.