Honours shared in clash of the Gisborne Premier netball titans

YMP's Sydney Rore was a standout for her Premier Grade team in Wednesday night's thrilling 51-all draw against Waikohu. The top three places in the top-four playoffs are confirmed but the fourth spot is still to be decided heading into the last two games of round 2. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne’s Premier Grade top four playoffs could not have got a better advertisement than a sensational top-of-the-table tussle in the YMCA on Wednesday night.

The mercury rose to the top end of the gauge as Turanga FM YMP and Claydens Waikohu drew 51-all to complete their two-round campaigns.

In the other Gisborne Pak’nSave Premier midweek clash in the Y, Horouta Gold stayed in the top-four reckoning with a 55-43 win over Old Girls Whāngārā.

The victory lifted them above Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A into fourth, although the students can regain that and seal a place in next week’s top four playoffs when they play Whāngārā Old Girls in their last round 2 game on Saturday.

YMP lead the standings on 40 points, defending champions Waikohu are on 38, Taste One High School Old Girls 36, Horouta Gold 22, Girls’ High 20, and Whāngārā Old Girls and clubmates Old Girls Whāngārā are each on 5.

HSOG play OG Whāngārā on Saturday and are expected to win comfortably, which would put them on the same points as YMP, although YMP have a far superior goal differential.

The YMP-Waikohu Wednesday duel was a great game and a draw was a fair reflection as both produced quality netball over the full hour.

A topsy-turvy scoreline saw Waikohu up 16-10 after 15 minutes, YMP ahead 27-25 at halftime and Waikohu leading 39-38 at three-quarter time.

In the first quarter, Waikohu players pressured the ball carrier through the midcourt to restrict YMP’s usual speedy flow.

YMP came out firing in the second quarter, pulled the margin back and went into halftime ahead by two.

They used the high lob in to shooter Paku-Jane Skudder to great effect, especially from Sidney Rore, who delivered some excellent ball.

Impressive intercepts from players on both sides drew cheers from the supporters.

YMP’s Ash Osborne and Waikohu’s Humaria Higgins and Arahia Tuhua took several crucial intercepts throughout.

The last quarter was intense as every player stepped it up a notch. Every pass was contested and no quarter was given.

Horouta Gold, facing a do-or-die situation, led OG Whāngārā through each break – 13-9, 25-18 and 40-28.

They showed good timing to meet the ball at speed – especially Alayna Banks and Jasmine Sparks – and then deliver long, hard passes through the court to their shooters.

They built on their advantage over three quarters. Honours were shared 15-all in the last period.

Horouta shooter O’Shae Rangihaeata covered a lot of ground. She collected many centre passes, worked well with her other shooter and feeders in and around the goal circle, and was tireless in pressuring the ball carrier at that end.

Defenders Lu Taitapanui and Petra Sparks combined effectively to stop a lot of ball entering the area.

OG Whāngārā had some good passages of play where they varied their movement and passes, but Horouta Gold were always in control.

Round 2 comes to an end on Saturday with HSOG playing OG Whāngārā at 9am and Girls’ High taking on Whāngārā OG at 10.30am.

HSOG have been playing quality netball in their Premier comeback season, while OG Whāngārā have been a little up-and-down and will need all their players to be up for this one.

Girls’ High beat Whāngārā OG by six goals when they last met in May. Another close game is on the cards.

Premier Reserve teams are contesting semifinals in the Y on Saturday – Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit v Waikohu P2 at midday, Gis Glass Ngatapa v Aorangi Contracting Ltd HSOG at 1pm, and YMP Masters v Horouta Rangitira at 2pm.

Most of the other senior grades also have their semifinals across the road at Victoria Domain, while the secondary and intermediate grades will be playing their finals, followed by a prizegiving at 12.30pm in front of the pavilion.

Years 5 and 6 teams are also in action.

Games start at 8.30am and finish at 3.15pm.