Willunga Claim Top Spot

Take by Four Quarter Media

Willunga and Victor Harbor played for top spot at Willunga on Saturday under sunny skies. Willunga triumphed. There was a slight breeze to the northern end to which the home team kicked in the first quarter.

Kappler had many touches in the first 5-minutes of the game and it was he who found space and kicked accurately to set up Elmes who booted the first goal of the match. Overall had a chance to kick his team’s second but his shot went wide. Willunga rebounded and forced the ball to the goal square where Beath and Draper competed to soccer Willunga’s first major - Draper got his boot to the ball first. He brought up another goal with a strong mark at 45 metres and a booming kick that split the middle. Willunga’s Stark was awarded a free and a 25-metre penalty but his kick went wide.  Strong running from Nye and a slick handball from J Renney gave the Demons back the lead then just before the quarter time siren, Nobes roved a ball off Draper’s hands and gave the home side a 2-goal lead.

Willunga’s irrepressible captain, Sam Renney, set his team alight with a running 60-metre goal in the first seconds of the second quarter. A minute later Shirvington and Lee created an opportunity for Nobes who marked, went back and kicked accurately. Cooper and Wiese fought hard to move the momentum back Victor’s way but Basham’s shot at goal went wide. On the rebound, Beath won a free on the boundary line and kicked a long arcing goal then Saunders found S Renney on the move and he powered through his second major for the quarter. Elmes got one back against the flow with a booming kick from outside 50-metres but Beath got it straight back with a rover’s goal: he took the ball off hands and kicked accurately around his body from 35 metres to give Willunga a 35-point lead at the long break.

Victor came out after half time determined to attack. It was Willunga who narrowly won the premiership quarter despite both sides kicking inaccurately. Nye kicked the opening goal of the second half when he wove his way around two defenders and snapped truly. Willunga’s MIegel and Saunders proved valuable link players for the home team and set up opportunities for their key forwards Draper and Nobes. Against the flow and benefitting from a 25-metre penalty, Ross kicked a goal for Victor then Heaslip and Overall combined to bring up another. A strong kick from defence by Hoffman, a swell judged mark by Bass and a chip pass from J Renney put Draper in the position to mark and goal – which he did. Unfortunately for Victor, they dominated the next 5 minutes of play but could not convert and put the Demons under scoreboard pressure.

The last quarter, in which both teams converted every opportunity, was narrowly won by Victor. They began with 3-goals in the opening four minutes. They controlled the centre square and kicked the ball quickly into their forward lines which enabled their big men to hold position, mark and convert. Ross, Heaslip and Elmes all kicked majors which halved Willunga’s lead and silenced the home town crowd. Shirvington lifted in the ruck which gave the Willunga on-ballers first look at the Sherrin. The Demons stabilised and moved the ball forward but turned it over on several occasions. It took the skills of Lee and the calm hands and boot of Stark to halt the visitor’s momentum. At the 15-minute mark Victor kicked their fourth and last goal of the game off the boot of Basham. Willunga steadied through the hard-runners Shirvington and S Renney and enabled their team to kick the last goal of the game and give Willunga a 33-ppoint victory and the minor premiership.

Written by Alan Tucker