BENDIGO Harriers and Eaglehawk retained their high places in the AVSL standings after the sixth round of the 2021-22 season was run at Bendigo’s Regional Athletics Complex in Flora Hill.
The Harriers employed the Powerplay and gained maximum premiership points of 20 after they scored 29,199 to lead the round from Western Athletics on 28,888; Ballarat Harriers 28,215; and South Bendigo, 24,711.
Both Harriers clubs capitalised on the Powerplay.
South Bendigo is yet to use the Powerplay and holds sixth place on 36 points in a division two premiership race led by Western 64; Bendigo Harriers 56; Keilor St Bernards 44; Sandringham 43; and Ballarat Harriers, 40.
In Premier division, Essendon has a score of 284,493 across six rounds and 67 points to lead the ladder.
Next best is Diamond Valley on 248,930 and 59.
Eaglehawk is third on 248,202 and 59; and Glenhuntly holds a top-fourth berth on 224,543 and 54.
In the latest round, Diamond Valley scored the maximum of 20 through the Powerplay as Essendon, Eaglehawk and Glenhuntly were next best.
All top four clubs in the Premier division have used their Powerplay.
In division five, Bendigo University and South Coast are fourth and fifth on 41 points, but Uni Pride leads the scores on 15,773 to 11,945.
Ivanhoe used its Powerplay in round six and has 69 points to lead the division five ladder from Williamstown 64, and Maccabi 58.
A score of 1223 earned University fifth place in the latest round of AVSL action.
There were many highlights in the latest round of AVSL in Bendigo.
Eaglehawk’s ‘young guns’ and some classy veterans broke Centre records in the 4 x 100m relays.
The Hawks’ line-up of Kenan Seebah, Kye Mason, Cameron Smith and Angus McKindlay ran a brilliant time of 44.07 to break Bendigo’s open and under-20 record.
The mark of 44.11 was jointly held by South Bendigo’s Luke Paterson, David Firth, David Purdon and Lee Wiseman from January, 2000; and by clubmates Glenn Stephens, Nigel Self, Zach Nelson and Josh Pickthall from January, 2015.
The Two Blues also broke another long-held record in the first of the 4 x 100m relay heats.
Hawks’ veterans Chris Kadri, David Chisholm, Terry Hicks and Antony Langdon set a Bendigo 50-plus record of 54.27.
The previous mark of 56.40 was set by the Bendigo Harriers’ team of Neil Macdonald, John Justice, Paul Martin and Garnet Rodda at the 2000 Victoria Country championships in Bendigo.
South Bendigo’s super veterans of Jackie Guillou, Debby Kirne, Trudy Haines and Carol Coad teamed brilliantly to complete the relay in 70.99 seconds and set a Bendigo 50-plus record.
Despite the hot and windy conditions the meet drew more than 120 athletes.
Stars for the Bendigo Harriers included Jake and Monique Gavriliadis at shot put; Brett Gilligan at javelin and triple jump; Jorja Hill at javelin; Geoff Shaw at pole vault, and the Evans clan in many events.
Some of Eaglehawk’s best were Kye Mason and Andrea Archibald in the 100m; Scarlett Southern, 400m; Cameron Smith, triple jump; and Angus McKindlay and Siobhan Thompson at javelin.
In-form athletes for South Bendigo included Oliver Muggleton, 400m; Emma Berg and Jasper Seymour, shot put; Greg Hilson, 1500m; Keely Trew, javelin; and Aaron Norton, 2000m steeplechase.
Albury’s Xavier Pitt clocked 16.30 in the 110m hurdles, soared 2.65m at pole vault, and had a great duel in javelin with older brother Alex as they hit marks of 49.42m and 46.50m.
Athletics Bendigo will host two of its track classics on January 8 under lights at the Retreat Road complex in Flora Hill.
Athletes will chase victory in the G.M. and G.L. Hilson-sponsored Sally Conroy Memorial 200m, and the A.L. Parker Electrical-backed Richard Kitt Memorial 1500m.
The meet starts at 7pm and includes the Intersport Bicknell’s-backed 200m and 800m for Little Athletes.
There will be plenty of action at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne’s Albert Park precinct on January as the Victorian Combined Events Championships, and AV throwers meet, and High Velocity meet are all contested.
The AVSL season resumes on January 15.
Round seven in Bendigo will be under lights.