HOPPERS Crossing virtually secured a top four berth after taking care of St Albans by three goals at home on Saturday.
The Warriors sit two games clear of fifth-placed Sunshine with three games left before the finals and will battle it out with the Port Melbourne Colts for third place in coming weeks.
In tricky conditions the Warriors established an eight-point lead at quarter time.
The Saints won more of the footy in the second term and were rewarded for it on the scoreboard, managing to level the scores by halftime.
However their momentum didn’t last long as the Warriors stepped up a gear in the third quarter.
Hoppers Crossing piled on six goals to the Saints’ one after the main break and by three-quarter time looked comfortable with a 33-point buffer.
The Saints came again in the final term and tried to claw their way back, but could only manage to get within three goals of the Warriors at the final siren.
Hoppers Crossing shared the load on Saturday with Jarryd Ramsay, Aaron Williams and Kade Carey all nailing three goals, while Thomas Jehle and Terry Knight both got two.
Daniel McKerracher tried hard for the Saints with four goals for the day as did Damian Fitzpatrick and Timothy Jenkins, who got three and two respectively.
THE Western Jets were on the verge of a massive TAC Cup upset on Saturday but faded in the final term to lose by 38 points against North Ballarat at Eureka Stadium.
The Jets trailed the ladder leaders by just eight points at the final change after keeping up with the Rebels during the first three quarters, but they didn’t register a score in the final term to eventually let a golden opportunity slip by.
The Jets led by three points at quarter-time after a high-scoring first term that saw both sides score four goals.
Both sides then traded blows once more throughout the second term, however North Ballarat’s wastefulness in front of goal cost them a decent halftime lead, instead going into the main break just two points up.
That lead was extended to eight after another even third quarter, but the classy Rebels kicked away in the final term to secure an important win that keeps them above the Gippsland Power at the top of the ladder.
Skipper Ashlin Brown, Charlie Nastasi and Spencer White all scored two goals for the Jets while Nastasi, Daniel Burton and Daniel O’Leary were named the Jets’ three best players on the ground.
The Jets are ninth on the ladder with three rounds remaining.
WERRIBEE has gone into the Big V Basketball finals series on the best note possible following a 39-point thrashing of Whittlesea.
The Devils shot out of the blocks from the opening minutes of the game, scoring 25 points in the first quarter to secure a 16-point lead at the break.
There was no slowing down either, with Werribee adding another 28 points in the second term and 25 in the third to seal the win 91-52.
Jordan Hughes was his usual dominant self around the ring, scoring 26 points while Josh Oswald (16) and Muka Silver (11) were also solid contributors.
For Whittlesea, Darrell Waters was the leading scorer with 18 points but with only one other player making it to double figures, the Pacers were always in trouble.
Saturday’s victory secures Werribee top spot on the Division One ladder with an 18-4 win loss record for the season.
It may not be the last time the two sides meet this season with the Pacers securing fourth spot on the ladder.
WET roads, rain and a chilly southerly took its toll on riders contesting Round 21 of the Footscray Cycling Club’s Winter Road Season, held in the shadows of the You Yangs, near Little River.
The tough conditions didn’t seem to bother Dom Dudkiewicz, who made it back to back A grade wins with another superb ride.
While there were a few probing attacks early in the race, the bunch always managed to bring back any breaks.
In the last 500 metres, Costin made a do-or-die run for the line, with Dudkiewicz and a returning-to-form Matt Heath rolling Costin at the finish; Dudkiewicz first, Heath second and Costin third.
Gerard Wild, 24, had a dream start to his first ever race with a win in the B grade race. After five laps of tough racing that saw riders alternately soaked and then snap frozen, Albury resident Wild handled the conditions well.
