Champs go back to back

NUMBER ONE AGAIN: YMP Sunshine Brewery in party mood after winning the Gisborne Pak’nSave Premier Grade netball final at the YMCA on Saturday. The defending champions defeated Taste One High School Old Girls 47-45. Back row (from left) are coach Ingrid Brown, Sunshine Brewery director Martin Jakicevich, Paku-Jane Skudder (with Areeza Skudder), Bronya McMenamin, Lauryn Matenga-Houia, Ata Mangu, Lynette Kutia, Toni Halley, Maude Brown and Irene Takao. Front: Sydney Rore, Kellann Kemp, Hine Hubbard, Renee Wikaire, Raiha Campbell, Ngarita Ehau-Taumaunu and Kyrah Dewes. At front is Nancy Casey. It was a memorable day for the McMenamin family. Just hours after Bronya’s win, sister Charmaine had a strong game at blindside flanker for the Black Ferns in their 31-11 defeat of Australia in the curtain-raiser to the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup match against the Wallabies in Sydney. Picture by Paul Rickard

NETBALL

THE YMCA erupted on Saturday afternoon as YMP hoisted the Jan Duncan Memorial Cup for Gisborne premier netball supremacy for the second year in a row.

“We’ve done it,” an ecstatic YMP skipper Paku-Jane Skudder said while Ingrid Brown described it as “more than awesome”.

YMP Sunshine Brewery led all the way in an enthralling contest, holding off a late charge from Taste One High School Old Girls to win 47-45.

HSOG trailed by seven goals with four minutes on the clock but clawed their way back and with just over a minute to go secured a crucial turnover to make it 47-45.

But they failed to capitalise on their centre pass, the chance to close it to one goal was lost and YMP held firm in defence for the remaining time.

“There are no words to describe how winning this title back to back feels,” said a Skudder. “We’re happy and grateful for the support we have received from everyone . . . we’ve done it!”

'We did the mahi'Coach Ingrid Brown said the win felt “more than awesome, absolutely . . . we did the mahi (work) and it paid off. The girls stood up to the challenge and brought the silverware home again.”

YMP led 12-8 after the first quarter, 23-20 at halftime and 38-31 at threequarter time.

“It was close game for the full hour, with all players applying pressure to try to create turnovers,” said commentator Sherrill Beale.

Both teams made nervous starts. The ball was moved up and down the court from a variety of mistakes — missed catches, balls out of court, held ball, mistimed passes, missed shots.

YMP were the more consistent, capitalising on turnovers to lead 10-5 halfway through the first quarter. Both teams had runs of goals but YMP never relinquished the lead. HSOG got within two goals several times but a determined team effort from YMP prevented them from getting closer.

Goal shoot Skudder had a strong game.

“She worked the circle intelligently, directed her passes well and collected some very good high ball, which she finished off,” said Beale.

At the other end of the court, goal keep Raiha Campbell tightly marked the HSOG shooters and collected tips and intercepts, often at crucial times.

Beale felt these two players were the difference.

“All players had close, even battles with their opposition, but those two created chances at crucial times — Paku taking a high ball and finishing off with a goal; Raiha creating a turnover with an intercept.”

HSOG’s Sarah Cox, at goal defence then goal keep, worked tirelessly in a physical clash which saw players left sprawling on the floor on many occasions.

HSOG captain Saffron Eparaima said it was “a really good, tough physical game.”

'We nearly go there, but well done YMP'“We nearly got there but well done YMP. I’m very proud of our girls. We couldn’t have asked for anything more in terms of the effort they put in.

“It’s been a very, good season for us. We stuck to our processes and nearly got the cup.”

HSOG coach Tanya Owen was likewise proud.

“It’s a new team and most of them have never played in a final before. For them to go and push the champions to the wire . . . they deserve serious credit.”

The season is not quite over for the champions.

“We head to the Kurangaituku interclub tournament in Rotorua in two weeks,” Brown said. “The girls are looking forward to it.”

YMP’s second team completed a double for the club by winning the A Reserve final, beating Farmlands Ngatapa 40-32.