Top teams hoist flags

By Stuart Teather
GRAND-final action hit Pakenham on Saturday for the Casey Cardinia Netball League and it was Beaconsfield that took top honours.
Beaconsfield’s A-grade girls led from start to finish to blitz their Pakenham opponents, recording a 60-33 win.
Beaconsfield went through the regular season undefeated, but Pakenham turned the tables in their qualifying final, winning 47-42 to book a berth in the decider.
The minor premiers had to fight their way through a preliminary final to get another crack at Pakenham and they did not make the same mistake twice. The Eagles were on top from the outset, shooting to a four-goal lead by the first change and extending it to double figures by the half.
From there it was smooth sailing, with an 18-point three-quarter time lead shooting out to 27 by the end of the game.
Jacinta Goldsack had a standout game from goal attack for Beaconsfield, but it was the perennial champion Jasmine Maddocks who took the best-on-court medal.
It was the final piece to the puzzle for Maddocks who has won every possible award this year.
She won the league best and fairest, the club best and fairest, played in a premiership, was named in the Team of the Year and also coached a premiership — the Beaconsfield 15-and-unders.
Beaconsfield coach Shona Osbourne said Maddocks was a star.
“She’s the most dedicated, hardworking netballer, exceptionally fit, she plays a very, very steady, strong game,” she said.
“At no time in a game is she ever going to run out of gas.”
The coach, reflecting on the game, said her players had extra motivation following the semi-final loss.
“We put a lot of preparation into different scenarios that we hadn’t expected from them in the second semi-final, that came out.
“We worked really hard at training last week and made sure whatever they threw at us we weren’t going to get frazzled.”
It was a fantastic year all round for Beaconsfield that won the Club Championship and claimed two flags in total on Saturday, with Maddocks’ 15-and-under girls saluting as well.
Pakenham was the only club to match Beaconsfield’s haul, taking out the B and C-grade titles, while Narre Warren (17-and-under) and Cranbourne (13-and-under) also tasted success.