Yarrawonga unveiled a 14-year-old debutant in its 56-40 win over a gritty Wodonga Raiders.
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Indiana Fraunfelder played in the 16 and under competition earlier in the day.
“Indiana was fantastic,” Pigeons’ coach Bridget Cassar said.
“She plays goals in our 16s, but we brought her on to the midcourt, she stepped into the centre and she got a couple of turnovers defensively and just fed beautifully and found the right goalers at the post all the time.”
Raiders played superbly in the first quarter, restricting the undefeated Pigeons to 10-all.
The home team still trailed by only six goals at half-time and it was only the third stanza, where the Pigeons scored 16 goals to seven, which blew the margin out.
“We had a disastrous week last week but today was much improved,” Raiders’ coach Alison Leech said.
“They’re a super opposition and I felt for three quarters of the game we really took it up to them.”
Leech made a handful of changes in the third quarter, but admits they didn’t work as planned.
“In the first half, I didn’t feel they were committing and they were just floating too much and we were opening it up for them,” she said.
“We needed to have a harder drive in our attack end.”
Leech was superb for the home team, while Brook Pryse was also terrific.
“They’re just one of those sides that every time you play them, you know it’s going to be hard for four quarters,” Cassar said.
“They’re really skilled, they barely miss goals and it’s physical.”
Cassar was the Pigeons’ best with 40 goals, while Toni Wilson medallist Hannah Symes was outstanding in defence.
“It’s going to make my job really hard come finals time,” Cassar said.
“But, look, it’s a really good position for the club to be in.”
Meanwhile, Lavington has stormed home to topple Albury in a thriller.
Albury led for most of the game, but a Kate Yensch intercept in the final minute placed Lavington on the attack and the resultant goal completed a 33-31 win.
Alison Meani snared 19 goals, while Yensch and Ainslee O’Connell were the team’s best.
And Albury’s defenders Brigetta Hart and coach Olivia Aughton were strong, repelling a host of Panthers’ attacking raids.
In another battle of top five teams, North Albury toppled Wangaratta 54-44.
Elsewhere, Corowa-Rutherglen beat Wodonga 48-41, while Wangaratta Rovers defeated Myrtleford 45-39.
And around 500 youngsters have attended the Association Championships.
The Albury event was the North East section, with teams from a host of areas.
