OFA 2024: Top-two finish guaranteed for red-hot Lake Grace-Pingrup, Gnowangerup’s lucky escape in Jerramungup

Lake Grace-Pingrup stitched up a top-two finish with a commanding 99-point win in round 13, to set up a second semifinal showdown with Gnowangerup.

Both the Bulldogs and Lake Grace-Pingrup were winners of their league fixtures on Saturday in the Ongerup Football Association, confirming next month’s second semifinal.

Lake Grace-Pingrup produced a nine goal opening half to set the tone in their 99-point belting of Boxwood Hill in Pingrup.

With Jackson Callope on fire in the front half, Lake Grace-Pingrup led by 46 points at half-time and that margin grew to 75 by three-quarter-time.

The home side kicked five goals to one in the final stanza, securing an emphatic victory 20.13 (133) to 4.10 (34).

Callope was superb in attack to finish with six goals and he was well supported by Truman Lynch (three goals), Wade Bambling (two), Jack Carruthers (two) and Samuel Lewis (two).

Lake Grace-Pingrup’s seventh win of the season pushes them three games clear of Boxwood on the ladder with two rounds left in the regular season.

With the top two now locked, the Bulldogs and Lake Grace-Pingrup will meet in the second semifinal on August 17 with a grand final spot on the line.

Michael Swarbrick was the only multiple goalkicker for Boxwood, who will still finish in the top four.

The Bulldogs had a lucky escape against bottom side Jerramungup, winning by 17 points despite a nervy final term at Jerramungup.

The Eagles trailed by 16 points at the last change and kicked 2.4 in the final term but the Bulldogs held firm as they won a 10th game of the season.

The Bulldogs trailed by one point at half-time but three goals from Mac Crichton to go with strong performances from Seamus Hitsert, Brandon Wise, Ben Bungey and Lewis Davis got them over the line.

The Eagles were best served by Alex Baum, Kym Brown, Aaron Winters and John Harris, while Caleb Keley kicked two majors in the 5.13 (43) to 8.12 (60) defeat.