By ADEM SARICAOGLU
ON THE eve of its first full season as a third tier Essendon District Football League club, Hillside set itself a mandate to get back up into Division One immediately.
The only way to do that was to do so with the Division Two premiership cup in hand, and on Saturday at Windy Hill, that’s exactly what the Sharks did.
Hillside had only lost a single game leading into Saturday’s historic decider and was rightly the warm favourite going in.
However it was indeed that one club – Moonee Valley – who were standing in their way.
It was a typically fierce grand final at an overcast and blustery Windy Hill, with the underdog Valley taking it up to the Sharks in the first half.
Hillside went into the main break 11 points up and was continually pushed by the Valley throughout the third quarter.
However the Sharks steadied, with sharpshooter Fabio Di Lizia and key midfielder Jarrod Catania combining for five of Hillside’s six goals in the third quarter to stretch the buffer out to 27 by the final change.
At that point most of the faithful in the old Windy Hill stands felt the Valley had some fight left in it.
But instead, much like their sea-dwelling real life counterparts, the ferocious Sharks delivered a killer blow worthy of Division One football, slamming home seven more goals in the final term to finish 63-point winners.
Still soaking in that winning feeling on the Windy Hill turf in the aftermath, Hillside coach Steve Kolyniuk spoke of his group’s strong character throughout their ultra-consistent 2013 campaign.
“We knew (Moonee Valley) were going to be a very tough challenge and the guys just stuck at it all season,” Kolyniuk said.“The character’s very good with this group, so (I’m) very pleased to be coaching them.”
Kolyniuk, now Hillside’s inaugural senior premiership coach, admitted to being a touch nervy when the Valley made its move in the middle portion of the game.
“They hit the front but look, we’ve been challenged all season,” Kolyniuk said.
“I was getting a little bit nervous there when they hit the front, but I just thought we’ll stick to what we’ve been doing.”
Michael Turner was given the league’s official best-on-ground honours, but it was the scoreboard impact of Di Lizia (eight goals), Catania (five) and Paul Edwards (four) that best denoted Hillside’s first senior flag.
Around the ground Aisakie O’hAilpin’s impact in the ruck proved vital while Sam Sarkis also delivered on the day.
The Sharks’ return to Division One will re-unite them with arch local rival, Taylors Lakes, in 2014.
