The Bairnsdale Bullets fielded two under 12 sides at the Junior Country Championships in Bendigo last weekend, with the girls finishing tournament runners-up.
Coached by Nigel Pearce, the girls’ team featured Elise Mahony, Wilari Wilson, Lenni McLeod, Hannah Ashley, Elsie Anderson, Addison Pearce, Perri Smith and Charlotte Saunders.
They won four of their six preliminary matches, defeating Benalla, Wangaratta, Wallan and arch rivals Lakes Entrance.
In the quarter-finals, the Bullets outclassed Phillip Island by 17 points, with Smith top-scoring with 17 points.
The semi-final was a thriller, with Bairnsdale trailing Bellarine by four points with 40 seconds remaining before an Ashley two-pointer put them in front in the closing stages.
Leongatha proved too strong in the final, opening a buffer by half time and holding firm in the second half to record a 28–20 win over the gallant Bullets.
The under 12 boys also showed strong form, recording wins over Echuca and Sale in the qualifying rounds before bowing out in the quarter-finals to Horsham, 58–20. Samuel Snow top-scored with 10 points.
The boys’ squad featured Finn Anderson, Hamish Savige, Jai Kelly, Snow, Nate Barnes, Nate Gardam, Darby Robinson, Nixon Dennison, Noah Froud and Samuel Savige.
