AN eight-goal haul from Mitiamo coach Justin Maddern has propelled the Superoos into the second week of the Loddon Valley league finals, while ending Bears Lagoon-Serpentine’s season of rapid improvement.
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Maddern’s eight goals was the pivotal difference on Sunday as the Superoos defeated the Bears by 35 points in the elimination final at Calivil.
The Superoos prevailed 14.8 (92) to 8.9 (57), and while the result may look comfortable enough for Mitiamo, it was anything but.
Halfway through the final quarter the Superoos led by just 10 points – 10.6 to 8.8 – but it was the Bears who had all the momentum having fought back from a 33-point half-time deficit.
The Bears were dominating the clearances and looked to have more run in their legs on a hot day, while the Superoos were clinging onto their lead against the tide of play.
However, the Superoos responded to the challenge when Maddern snapped his sixth goal off his left foot to push the advantage back out to 16 points.
It proved the goal that broke the Bears, as the Superoos added three more late – another two to Maddern and one to skipper Dylan Clohesy – to push the final margin out to 35 points.
The second quarter proved the match-winning period for the Superoos when they added 5.2 to 1.0, with Maddern kicking four of his goals for the match.
“Being finals football we knew it was important to get off to a good start and we were able to do that,” Maddern said.
“We knew Serp would come at us being the good side they are, but our boys showed plenty of resilience.”
The Superoos, who named defender Ben Bacon, midfielder Aaron McKean and Clohesy their best, will now play Newbridge in the first semi-final next week.
Orion Crilly-Downing, Josh Walsh, who was moved onto Maddern after he had done the bulk of his damage, and the classy Harry Gadsden were best for the Bears.