Favourites must be on guard

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Whangara Old Girls and High School Old Girls would be favourites to win their Pak’nSave premier-grade netball games at the YMCA tonight but neither side can afford to take their opposition for granted.

Whangara play Horouta Gold at 6pm in a match Whangara should win.

Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A gave Whangara a wake-up call last time out (Whangara won by three goals). That should have lit a fire under Whangara for tonight.

“Horouta Gold and Whangara always have interesting games,” netball centre manager Allisa Hall said.

“Horouta could be the team to tip up Whangara.

“From the form shown so far this season, you would have to lean towards Whangara, but they cannot underestimate Horouta.”

Horouta will look to bounce back from their loss to Claydens Waikohu last week.

Horouta have been up and down this season. Tonight they will need to be “up” for the full hour to win.

Whangara won the last match-up between the teams 56-43.

At 7.30pm tonight, Taste One High School Old Girls get to test themselves out against Girls’ High, who will be fresh and buoyed up by their shock win against YMP last week.

It was the students’ standout performance of the season, and it was based on a full team effort.

If they can get good ball into their shooters tonight, another upset could be on the cards.

The midcourt battle will be decisive, and last week Girls’ High were good in midcourt.

“Taste One High School Old Girls have been among the strong contenders through the season,” Hall said.

“But Girls’ High have shown us recently they are definitely a young team on the rise. They cannot be taken lightly.

“I feel the experience in the HSOG side should carry them through, but I am picking it will be a close game.”