AN OPENING quarter blitz against St Arnaud has sealed Boort’s return to North Central football finals action for the first time in a decade.
The Pies dominated the first term against an undermanned Saints who have opted to give youngsters with a potential a run in the seniors.
But it was Boort’s younger brigade with growing senior experience who were at the forefront of play during crucial moments of the match at Lord Nelson Park.
The Saints showed more than a handful of passages as they exposed Boort’s level of defensive skills in a dominant second term.
They were able to run the ball better into the forward zone and outscored the Pies, and bridging a little of the huge lead that the visitors had been allowed to amass in a dominant opening term.
St Arnaud was held scoreless in that opening 30minute onslaught when Jhye Baddeley-Kelly started working towards a day’s haul of seven goals for Boort.
But the Pies’ goal guru didn’t have play on his terms. He kicked as many behind as goals and a few not even within the sticks.
Daniel Gifford proved the general of the backline for St Arnaud, turning over play and linking through the midfield on countless occasions.
Torney and Lowe were active across the midfield while constant rotations saw Jake Male kicking two of St Arnaud’s seven goals for the day, five others registering majors.
The Saints were down more than a handful of regular players for the penultimate match of the season.
The younger brigade was again given a chance to earn some stripes and were key cogs in a performance that was full of grit.
However, Boort’s more experienced players and rising youngsters Tom Potter and Lachie Hall were able to steer the Pies towards regaining momentum late in the third term.Boort added six goals to one in the final quarter - and five behinds - to run out victors by 91 points.
The Saints travel to Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park on Saturday for the final match of the home and away.
The Redbacks has mathematically still been in the hunt for a finals before until last Saturday’s loss to reigning premiers Sea Lake Nandaly.
Wedderburn has had the upper hand in the two earlier meetings this season, winning by 72 and 111 points. St Arnaud has only one last opportunity in 2025 to extend the exciting glimpses of what is ahead and push higher teams on the ladder for longer.