Hitting into finals

The business end of the season has arrived for Volleyball Horsham’s A and B grade competition with finals starting tonight.

In A Grade the night kicks off with St Brigid’s College Raptors and Murtoa Lizards doing battle in an elimination final.

The Raptors have had the wood over the Murtoa team, winning each encounter throughout the season.

John Kearns is the key to a Raptors win. The clever setter will look to get Aidan O’connor and Will Brennan into the game early, while Nathan Sparke is a hitter Murtoa will need to watch, as the youngster has improved significantly as the season has progressed.

But the Murtoa team won’t lie down without a fight.

Cleo Baker and Laelah Robertson are dynamic in defense and are consistent on pass. This should enable setter Hannah Whyte to bring the high-leaping Will Saligari and Lloyd Baker into the game. The smokey for Murtoa will be young gun Bailey Mathrick. The big hitting left hander got his first taste of A Grade last week and did not look out of place.

A five setter is on the cards, with maybe Murtoa Lizards to upset the Raptors boys.

Heidelberg and Phantoms will face off in a qualifying final.

Heidelberg’s chances rest on the ability of Tim Popple, Tyler Snowden and Tim Carter to back up from a Bendigo Tournament at the weekend.

All three had big workloads during that event, so how they recover will determine the outcome of this game.

On the other hand, Nathan Berry’s Phantoms will be fresh, with only Alex Baker backing up after the tournament.

Berry’s ability to bring the big-hitting duo of Jon Fitzgerald and Paddy Sherry into the game will determine the outcome of this game.

Carter versus Berry, Popple versus Fitzgerald, Snowden versus Sherry – a great contest and a five setter seem assured. Maybe Heidelberg 16-14 in the fifth.

In B Grade with a final six in operation, two elimination finals will be played.

First up will be the Von Steiger Derby between the Shadows and Savages.

The Shadows have been on fire over the past month with Mark Block and Mitch Huff receiving great support from Peter Armstrong and Elliott Kelly. But the Savages have rediscovered their good form from the start of the season, with Aaron Evans, Darcy Wills and James Pipkorn all in good form.

This game promises to be a cracker between two in form teams.

In the toss of a coin, maybe it will be the Shadows who keep their season alive.

In the second elimination final perennial favorites Waterhammers take on Murtoa.

Chris Baker, Andrew Wundke and Matt Jolly are the key players for Waterhammers.

But the Murtoa team has been consistent with Bailey Logan, Jarrod Khan and Damian Tanner all in good form.

The Waterhammers know what it takes to win finals and this should be the difference between the two teams.

Finals get underway at 6pm in Horsham’s St Brigid’s College stadium.