Horsham District Football Netball League’s top three A Grade sides each posted double-digit wins in a lopsided round of results at the weekend.

No match on Saturday was decided by fewer than 11 goals, with defending premier Laharum downing Kaniva-Leeor United 45-26, 2024 runner-up Rupanyup beating Edenhope-Apsley 42-29 and third-placed Kalkee surpassing Swifts 51-35.

The Panthers’ win over the Saints kept them, along with the Demons, undefeated so far this season.

While Edenhope-Apsley was seen by many onlookers as a challenger to the premiership aspirations of teams like Laharum and Rupanyup this season, Saturday’s result showed the Saints still have a gap to bridge.

Playing at Edenhope, the Panthers came out hot, with goal shooter Zanaiya Bergen exploiting a height mismatch against Saint defender Olivia Spence to score the game’s first two goals within a minute.

It set a tone for the game as Rupanyup players Lucy Bussenschutt and Maddi Morgan, who rotated through goal attack, focused more on feeding Bergen than scoring themselves.

Bussenschutt started in defence on Saint coach Lavinia Fox, but moved into goals alongside Bergen in the second half.

In the midcourt sisters Georgia and Ally Hiscock and co-captain Meg Cashin were dominant, zipping the ball from defence to attack quickly and efficiently.

It was a similar story at Cameron Oval, where home side Laharum rolled to a comfortable win despite a third-quarter challenge from the visiting Cougars.

Laharum led by seven goals at quarter time and 10 by the half, but Kaniva-Leeor United made inroads after the long break, with a strong effort from goal keeper Sophie Bennett forcing turnovers that goalies Sharon Munn and Ruby Gordon helped turn into scores.

The visitors trimmed the margin to seven goals but were unable to close any further, with Demons coach Rebecca McIntyre holding up strongly in defence.

The final quarter saw Laharum goalies Courtney Taylor and Maddie Iredell take over, scoring 15 times between them, while the team’s defenders stifled Kaniva-Leeor United at the other end.

Kalkee was tested early in its match against the visiting Swifts, trailing by a goal at quarter time, but exploded for 19 goals in the second term as Lotus and Jarrah Martin got the better of Baggie defenders Erin Freeland and Jade Ralph.

The Baggies staunched the bleeding in the third quarter, with co-captain Michaela Carey on target in goals and Feeland putting together stops at the other end, but the damage was already done.

Elsewhere, Noradjuha-Quantong overcame a challenging Taylors Lake at Quantong, outscoring the visitors by seven goals in the second quarter to set up a 46-35 victory.

Leading the way were co-captain Brooke Pay in defence and zippy midcourter Holly Nuske, while Chloe and Kayla Kelm were a solid tandem for the Lakers.

Harrow-Balmoral posted its first win of the season, downing Pimpinio 53-41 to leave the Tigers as the sole winless team after five rounds.

The Roos trailed by a goal at quarter time but, thanks to the efforts of Bec Francis in the midcourt and Megan Little in defence, began to turn the match around.

The game was still in the balance at the final change, with scores locked at 35, but a huge last quarter from towering goal shooter Brittany Burns – who scored 10 of her game-high 25 goals in the final frame – saw the Roos pull away to win comfortably.

This weekend will see Rupanyup host Taylors Lake, while Swifts are at home to Harrow-Balmoral, Laharum travels to play Noradjuha-Quantong, Kaniva-Leeor United welcome Kalkee and Natimuk United return from a bye to host Edenhope-Apsley.

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