High School Old Girls-Lytton clash could go either way

HIGH STEPS: Lytton’s Georgia Teneti (right) shadows Waikohu’s Arahia Ruru. Their teams are in action tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

PREMIER playoffs excitement will continue at the YMCA tomorrow as Claydens Waikohu fight it out with Horouta Gold in top-four Pak’nSave netball.

In bottom-four competition, Lytton Senior A do battle with Taste One High School Old Girls.

Both matches will certainly keep the playoffs buzz going after the turnaround win to Whangara against YMP and the boilover victory to Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A over Farmlands Ngatapa midweek.

The other place in the premier-grade final goes on the line between Waikohu and Horouta, and recent form suggests Waikohu would be favourites.

Waikohu lost to Horouta by eight goals a month ago but then Cheryl Te Rito’s girls got their mojo back to draw with YMP and then beat Whangara Old Girls by a dozen.

“Waikohu have had two wins from three against Horouta this season, but this will be close to decide that second final spot,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

Waikohu were the standout team in the competition for a long period this season. They were unbeaten for many weeks until a form slump, but they have bounced back strongly.

“We are thinking it will be a good hard game tomorrow,” Te Rito said.

“The girls are ready to put their right foot forward and deliver a strong performance, but Horouta are unpredictable.

“They have always been our nemesis, a team we can never afford to take lightly.”

Te Rito said her side were as ready for the game as they could be.

“It’s up to them now,” she said.

“Whoever wants it the most will win.”

Horouta come into the match off a patchy performance against Taste One High Schoool Old Girls, in which they scraped home by one goal.

To their credit, they hung tough to win that match but mainstay Challise Rutene said afterwards they did not show the momentum they wanted heading into the playoffs.

No doubt there has been some tough talking in the Horouta camp and they can be expected to come out firing, with Rutene to lead the charge as usual.

Their close result against Whangara in late July, in which they rallied and played well in the final period, says they can run Waikohu close.

The match gets under way at 11am.

HSOG and Lytton get first use of the court at 9am in the second bottom-four playoff.

“Both of these teams have shown improvement in this last round, so now add the pressure that the winners tommorrow make the final of the bottom four,” Beale said.

“I expect that game to be close, too.”

Lytton drew with HSOG way back in grading to set themselves up for the premiers and, while HSOG have won both their round-robin encounters, the second match last month was pretty close, on a day the students were without ace shooter Manaia Hutana.

It could be argued that of all the premier grade teams, Lytton have shown the most complete development. They cannot be discounted tomorrow.

If Girls’ High could get up to beat Farmlands Ngatapa, then Lytton are certainly capable of a win against HSOG.

Ngatapa edged HSOG two weeks ago and Lytton have had the wood on Girls’ High all season.

So the permutations for tomorrow’s match-up are fascinating.

It will be a game that could go either way.

The juniors play their last game of the season on the Victoria Domain courts tomorrow.

Primary and intermediate prize-giving will be held in the pavilion about 12.30pm.

Secondary prize-giving will be held in the pavilion around 2.20pm.

The seniors play their bottom-four finals and top-four semifinals tomorrow.