THE FIRST DEPARTURES

The race for the premiership is down to three in Division 1, 2 and 4 as we bid farewell to respectively. 
All the drama was at Sportscover Arena Whitefriars and Old Geelong battled it out to a draw before Old Geelong got up by two points in extra time to win the right to face Peninsula in next week’s Preliminary Final. 
Whitefriars were first to find their groove as they jumped to 22 point quarter time lead. 
In sunny but windy conditions the margin was reduced to three goals at half time but was back out to 20 points in favour of Whitefriars at the final change. 
The OG’s stormed back and when the final siren sounded scores were level on 11.10.76 each so we had five minutes of football each way. 
Eventually the hoops edged ahead to be two points up as the siren sounded on a famous victory 12.14.86 to 12.12.84. 
In Division 2 Prahran/Assumption and Old Paradians played a first semi final at Central Reserve in a low scoring battle that saw the Two Blues win by 16 points end the season for Paradians. 
Division 3 finals got underway with a qualifying final at Bill Lawry Oval in Northcote where Ivanhoe met UHS-VU with the winner to face the rested Yarra Valley next week. 
Ivanhoe have had a sluggish couple of weeks but they turned on the magic today to win by 46 points over UHS-VU. 
Ash Close kicked a lazy seven goals and the Hoes get a crack at Yarra Valley next week in a second semi final.  
In the Elimination Final at Box Hill City Oval, Aquinas accounted for Kew to end their season in a tight tussle, with the final margin just five points. 
Aquinas now meet UHS-VU in another cut throat final. 
Division 4’s first semi final between Eley Park Sharks and Point Cook had a shoot out at Scammell Reserve with the margin just six points at the long break, the Sharks turned it on in the second half to win by 11 goals and book a date with Swinburne Uni next week. 
Next week’s finals fixtures will be published at 6.30pm tonight.