Sport
22 July, 2025
First-half barrage from Tigers sinks Lions
An outstanding first half allowed the Lexton Tigers to hunt down their fellow apex predator in the Harcourt Lions, culminating in a 43-goal victory.
The win jumps Lexton past Navarre on the MCDFNL ladder, currently sitting in sixth with four rounds to play.
After missing the Tigers’ hard-fought victory over Campbells Creek last weekend, Caitlin Howell was a key inclusion for the hosts.
Looking to bolster the defence after their encouraging defeat to Talbot, rising star Milla Berry and B grade standout Abby Williams were brought into Harcourt’s side, making their season debut in A grade alongside B grade shooter Katrina Walters.
The Tigers got off to a near-perfect start in the first quarter, with Brodey McKay and Sarah Griffin suffocating the Lions on defence and the addition of Howell bolstering their midcourt.
It resulted in Lexton having 30 shots on goal in the first 15 minutes, with Leesa Donhardt and Kristy Hadler scoring 23 of those attempts to give the hosts an 18-goal lead at quarter time.
Bagley broke away from the shackling defence of McKay and Griffin to score four goals from six shots for Harcourt, with her teammate Gemma Papadimos netting one.
Lexton remained unrelenting in the second quarter, doubling the margin at half time after outscoring Harcourt 24-6 in the second term.
With the rotating Berry and Williams restricting Hadler’s shooting chances to seven goals, Donhardt produced one of her best quarters of the season, netting 17 goals in the period.
Looking for an offensive spark, the Lions brought on Walters in the second quarter, combining well with Bagley who top-scored with five goals while scoring one of her own.
After being frankly dominated in the first half, Harcourt showed the heart of a Lion in the third quarter, a trait they have displayed throughout the season.
Morgan Yarwood and Tamara Farr stepped up their defensive play, while the decision to move Bagley into the midcourt brought needed stability, with Stacey Mitchell and Ella Rule rotating at centre.
The Lions were much more competitive in the third period, however, the Tigers still managed to extend their lead to 39 goals by three-quarter time.
With the result virtually sealed in Lexton’s favour, the hosts introduced promising teenager Charlize Kennedy to gain experience ahead of the tail-end of the season.
Kennedy showcased why she’s so highly touted, netting all 13 of her team’s goals in the third quarter.
After being held to one goal in the first half, Papadimos exploded to start the second, scoring seven of her eight attempts while helping Walters convert three with some clever passes.
Following their improved performance in the third period, Harcourt followed it up with another strong showing in the fourth, but it wouldn’t change the result, with Lexton winning the match 75-32.
With Donhardt rested after scoring a game-high 31 goals, Kennedy remained Lexton’s main option, netting 12 goals in the fourth period while Hadler added three.
Papadimos remained on fire in the second half, converting nine of her ten shots in the fourth quarter to finish as Harcourt’s top scorer with 17 goals. Walters added two in the final term.