Gisborne Girls’ High netball team overcome 14-goal deficit to clutch victory

Pictured is the moment Gisborne Girls' High got on level terms for the first time with Horouta Gold as they mounted their monumental comeback. Girls' High goal attack Nevaeh Smith (right)scored to make it 45-all. Photo / Murray Robertson

Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A produced a comeback victory for the ages on Saturday when they overcame a 14-goal halftime deficit to beat Horouta Gold by a single goal.

The students outscored their opponents 16-10 in the third quarter to begin to turn the Gisborne Premier Grade netball game around in the YMCA.

The girls visibly gained in confidence with each goal they scored, and their supporters got right behind them.

They outscored Horouta again in the final quarter 16-7 to snatch an enthralling 49-48 win.

The quarter scores tell the story of the students’ comeback....16-7 to Horouta, 31-17 to Horouta, 41-33 to Horouta then 49-48 to Girls’ High at the fulltime whistle.

Horouta Gold were five goals up before the students scored and had another run of seven unanswered goals to lead comfortably at the first break.

They continued with little runs to build on their advantage by halftime.

There was scoring action aplenty in the game and Horouta Gold's goal attackers made the Girls High defence work hard. Photo / Murray Robertson

Then the tables were turned.

As in their last game, the students’ confidence lifted as their game plan started to work.

They evened the score at 45-all when goal attack Nevaeh Smith scored, then scored the next three goals to lead 48-45.

But Horouta Gold answered back by scoring the next three goals to tie it up 48-apeice with less than a minute to go.

Girls’ High scored from their next centre pass, and the final whistle went before Horouta got their next chance.

Horouta Gold picked up a bonus point for being within five goals.

In the other Premier Grade game on Saturday, Claydens Waikohu 1 stamped their class all over Old Girls Whangara - winning 67-29.

They led all the way - 16-8, 30-18, 49-25 through the breaks.

The secondary and intermediate grades completed their grading games.

ANZ Magic netball player shooter Saviour Tui was a welcome visitor to the courts, where photos were snapped, courtside karaoke was performed, and pairs of shoes were handed out to some lucky recipients.

Other results (* Bonus point – score within 3 goals for senior, secondary, and intermediate grades.)

Premier Reserve: Aorangi Contracting HSOG 34 Waikohu P2 29, Gis Glass Ngatapa 32 YMP Masters 24, Brendan Fry Builders Sportsfit 42 Horouta Rangatira 23.

A Grade: Tawatapu Ora HSOG 30 Manutuke 20, Whalis 27 Waikohu 2 23, Pioneer The Tav 35 Tyre General Ngatapa 13.

A Reserve: Enterprise Motors OBM 24 GGHS Sen B 13, GGHS Junior A 26 Allwood Enterprises HSOG 25*, Tatapouri Sportsfit 2 26 Kapiana A 16.

1st Grade: Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 33 Newman & Newman Ngatapa 17, Turanga Pirates Manawa 35 Turanga Panthers Gold 18, Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa 24

Waikohu Social 21*.

2nd Grade: Turanga Pirates Maia 20 GGHS Tuakana 20, GGHS Tuakana 23 Turanga Panthers Green 15, Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 34 Autotech HSOG 6, OBM OG 32 Pioneer Earthwork Solutions 12.

Upcoming fixtures

The two premier games in the Gisborne YMCA on Wednesday start at 6pm when Horouta Gold play Whāngārā OG 1.

Tūranga FM YMP take on Old Girls Whāngārā at 7.30pm.

YMP had a bonus-point loss in their first game of the season and will be determined to get the win.

OG Whāngārā have found the going tough, and they will need to have the whole team working together if they are to stop YMP.