There was disappointment for both Lakes Entrance junior football sides last Sunday, bowing out of the East Gippsland Junior Football Association on preliminary final day.
The under 15s went down to Lindenow in the dying moments after leading by 10 points with eight minutes to play after Kye Piper kicked his second goal for the day.
The Seagulls impressed in the first quarter playing good football to open up an 11-point advantage with the breeze, the Cats unlucky not to be closer with two of their attempts hitting the post.
Lindenow bounced back in the second stanza, kicking three goals to two, narrowing the margin to just five points at half time.
The third quarter became a shootout with the sides trading goals, the Cats getting the final of the term to lead by a solitary point with 20 minutes play, the sides battling for a spot in the grand final against Wy Yung.
It was the Seagulls who struck first in the final term, Leroy Hayes putting them back in front, but it was short lived with Tyrone Clifford snapping truly at the nine-minute mark to put the Cats back in the lead.
But Lakes Entrance wasn’t done, Luca Djokic’s second and Piper’s goal in quick succession giving Lakes a 10-point advantage with the finish in sight.
Malakai Hood-Marks goaled shortly after for the Cats to keep them alive as the ball became hot as both sides chased that elusive final goal.
With less than a minute remaining it was the Cats through Hood-Marks who kicked the final major for the day, the ball sailing through much to the delight of players and spectators.
The siren going as the players battled the final centre clearance.
Earlier in the day the Lakes under 13s were defeated by Lindenow in another close contest.
After an even first quarter the Cats edged away in the middle two quarters with more effective forward 50 entries in a match that was dominated by the respective half back lines.
Lindenow led by two goals in a low-scoring match at three quarter time and when Lakes’ Cooper Kennedy kicked his second goal of the day early in the final term the Seagulls had a sniff.
But it wasn’t to be, a great team inspired goal from the Cats finished off by Lucas Evans put the match out of reach as they ran out impressive 14-point winners.
Best players for the Seagulls were Cohen Kleinitz, Kennedy, Henry Lothian, Mason Luu, Patrick McGinty and Zac Elfrink.
