Spotlight on juniors

It was a night out for Horsham at the Wimmera Football Leauge and Wimmera Netball Association junior best and fairest awards on Monday.

Demons Dyson Parish and Oscar Miller won top honours in the under-17 and under-14 competitions respectively, while 15-and-under Horsham netballer Grace Manserra also took home a netball best and fairest trophy.

In the 17-and-under netball count it was Ararat’s Racquel Scott who stood head and shoulders above the competition, polling 29 votes to win by eight from Stawell’s Dakota Cosson, with Horsham’s Molly Lakin and Warrack Eagles’ Molly Stewart tied for third with 19 votes.

Parish was similarly dominant in the under-17 football count, finishing the night with 27 votes to win easily from Horsham Saint Will Brennan, 17.

Stawell Warrior Riley Ika rounded out the top three with 16 votes.

Manserra collected the 15-and-under netball award with a 35-vote total that included six best-on-court performances in the first eight rounds.

Next closest was Stawell’s Madi Taylor on 27 votes, with Jenna Schneider from Nhill taking third with 24 votes.

The under-14 football count was the closest of the night, with Miller’s 36 votes good enough to see him win the award ahead of Minyip-murtoa duo Bailey Mathrick and Oscar Gawith, and Saint Adrianne Lupton – all in a three-way tie for second with 32 votes.

Xavier Mcloughlan of Ararat was awarded a third-place trophy with 23 votes.

Warrick Eagles’ Nicola Clyne rode a superb second half of the season to a win in the 13-and-under netball count.

Clyne’s 30 votes saw her win by four from Horsham Saints’ Sophie Taylor, with Dimboola’s Katie Griffiths finishing third with 20 votes.

• Pictured clockwise from top left, under-17 award winners, Dyson Parish, first, Will Brennan, runner-up and Riley Ika, third; 17-and-under recipients Racquel Scott, first, Dakota Cosson, runner-up, Molly Stewart and Molly Lakin, third, and rising star Zanaiya Bergen; 15-and-under netballers Grace Manserra, first, Madi Taylor, runner-up, Jenna Schneider, third, and rising star Paige Glover; under-14 award winners Oscar Miller, first, Bailey Matherick, Oscar Gawith and Adrianne Lupton, runners-up, and Xavier Mcloughlin, third; and 13-and-under netballers Nicola Clyne, first, Sophie Taylor, runner-up, Katie Griffin, third and Sally Sellens, rising star. Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER