Girls’ High will test Whangara

Reaching out: Lytton centre Maia Rickard tries to intercept a pass to Waikohu wing attack Hannah Ormond. Lytton have a tough game against High School Old Girls tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

WHANGARA Old Girls would be well advised to take their top game with them to the YMCA in the morning because a rapidly improving Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A team will be lying in wait.

The Whangara outfit have won both their games against the students this season.

“However, Girls’ High have shown real improvement in the past few weeks and they are working well as a team,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“If they can bring that intensity for the whole hour tomorrow, they will make higher-seeded Whangara work for every goal.”

Whangara coach Ronnie Martin said Wednesday night’s loss to YMP was a disappointment and she wants to see an improvement tomorrow.

“YMP shot their goals well that night and we did not. Paku-Jane Skudder was in great form.

“We need to improve at the shooting end tomorrow morning and play with more fire than we did the other night.”

Martin was also concerned about the amount of ball her side threw away against YMP.

“I want improvement in that area, too.”

Girls’ High coach Irene Takao wants to see her girls maintain the good work they have produced so far.

“It has been a gradual journey for them, and I’m sure they will play their hearts out again.”

Takao said she felt her team were in a position now mentally to stand up and compete against more experienced and reputable teams.

“I feel the girls now have an equal chance of challenging these stronger teams.”

The match starts at 9am.

At 11am, Taste One High School Old Girls play Lytton Senior A, and it promises to be a tough one for the students.

“HSOG have been playing very good netball and have lost only to top-seeded YMP so far,” Beale said.

“The Lytton girls will need to bring their top game for the full hour if they want this one.”

Lytton coach Martin hopes to see her team play better this time round against HSOG.

“Some of them have been playing at a Gisborne representative level this week, and I’m hoping that will have lifted them.

“They need to focus on getting as much good ball as they can into our shooters, and defensively the girls need to cut down High School Old Girls’ shooting opportunities.”

Tanya Owen, coach of HSOG, said her girls were not feeling overly confident.

“We feel like we need to tick off a few more boxes as we come into the crunch time of the season, particularly when it comes to consistency,” she said.

“The mental pressure starts to build now and we need to take that into account.

“I expect the students will give us a good game. They did that against Whangara last time they played them. They are a good nuggety little team.”