Fierce semis loom for seniors

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

SEMIFINALS time in senior netball can be expected to usher in fierce competition at Victoria Domain tomorrow as teams fight for a place in their finals.

Last Saturday many of the seedings were decided. In tomorrow's games, Team 1 will play Team 4 and Team 2 will play Team 3.

The winners continue to the final the following Saturday, while the losers end their season in third-equal place.

In Premier Reserve, top-seeded JT Contractors Horouta Taimana, on 33 points, play YMP Masters, who finished the round on 19 points, at 11am tomorrow.

Both of those teams were at the top of the grade at the end of Round 1 and challenged the premier grade.

When they played each other two weeks ago, YMP Masters won 35-31.

Both clubs' premier grade teams lost on Wednesday night, and with the winners of tomorrow's game going to the final and the losers ending their season, a close contest can be expected.

The other semifinal — between Farmlands Ngatapa and East Coast Haulage High School Old Girls — will start at 10am tomorrow. Their placings were decided on goal differential.

When they met last Saturday, HSOG won 35-25, and another competitive game is expected.

In A Grade, FarmCare HSOG play The Tav Sportsfit at 1pm.

HSOG won well the last time these teams met, but anything can happen in semifinals.

The other semifinal — between Enterprise Cars OBM Blue and Claydens Waikohu (3) at 11am — could be close.

OBM Blue won 27-22 when they played each other last Saturday. Now it's “win or your season is over”.

In A Reserve, Steve Craill Builders Ngatapa — the top-ranked team (by one point) — will play Gisborne Girls' High School Senior B at midday.

Ngatapa won well last time they met but, again, this is semifinals time.

Whalis finished the grade one point behind Ngatapa and they meet Pharmacy 53 Campion/NUAM at 10am.

Last time these teams met they drew 35-all, so it could be close again.

Placings at the top of the First Grade table were decided on goal differential. Ferkins Farming HSOG meet Tyre General Ngatapa at 12 midday, HSOG having won their last clash.

At 10am, second-placed Zeafruit Ngatapa meet clubmates Gisborne Glass Ngatapa, who finished the round only two points behind the top two teams. Gisborne Glass Ngatapa won their last meeting.

Both games will be close, and Ngatapa will have one team, maybe two, in the final.

JT Contractors Horouta Hiriwa have had a good season in First Reserve.

They lost one game in the last two rounds to finish top of the grade, 11 points ahead of the second-placed team. They meet Tatapouri Sportsfit Social at 9am.

In the second semifinal, Tatapouri Sportsfit (2) will play Wahine Hauora HSOG at 12 midday.

In the Second Grade, Waikohu (4) finished in top position, thanks to a strong showing in the past two rounds, when they did not drop a game.

They meet Thistle Phoenix at 11am.

Second-placed XLR8 meet DMED at 1pm.

' Something different is in store at Victoria Domain this weekend.

An exhibition match of “walking netball” will be held at 1pm tomorrow.

This is netball at walking pace with low impact.

Lots of fun and plenty of laughter should be the result.