Horouta, Waikohu to face acid test

No time to relax: Waikohu goal defence Stormy Merritt is likely to be busy when her side play YMP in premier netball at the YMCA tomorrow.Picture by Liam Clayton

NETBALL

THE second batch of premier games in the Pak’nSave netball championship at the YMCA tomorrow morning will provide a good gauge on how well Horouta Gold and Claydens Waikohu have got their game together.

Both sides finished grading with strong results and looked far more settled than they had earlier in the first round.

YMP Sunshine Brewery and Claydens Waikohu (1) open premier grade play tomorrow at 9am.

“It was YMP by 11 when these teams met in Round 1, but Waikohu have seemed more settled lately,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“They played some good netball in the challenge games.

“However, Claydens Waikohu will need to have the whole team playing together for the whole hour if they want to stop YMP’s run.

“YMP have been playing well.”

Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said her girls were happy with their last performance, where they comprehensively beat IMS High School Old Girls Masters.

“The girls are looking forward to it tomorrow and are pretty confident. There will be a few positional changes that we have been trying out.”

Te Rito will want to see the same flow of ball they achieved last time out, when Waikohu controlled the mid-courtTe Rito will want to see the same flow of ball they achieved last time out, when Waikohu controlled the mid-court.

YMP coach Ingrid Brown expects to have nearly her full line-up available for tomorrow’s game.

At 11am Taste One HSOG take on Horouta Gold.

HSOG come into the game after a strong performance against Lytton Senior A on Wednesday, but coach Tanya Owen wants her side to be consistent.

The students got back into the contest in the third quarter.

“It was a big win to HSOG when these two teams met a month ago,” Beale said.

“Horouta Gold stepped up to take wins in the challenge round, but they will need to step up further and bring their top game if they want to win tomorrow.”

HSOG coach Tanya Owen said the aim was to ensure everyone in their squad got some game time again.

“We did that the other night and we want to get everbody out there again to achieve their unit goals they set for themselves.”

Horouta coach Claire Campbell said she wanted her team to do better than they did the last time they played HSOG.

“They’ve got a really lovely team and I think they will be tough to beat.

“But then again, it all depends who turns up on the day. I am looking forward to my girls ‘turning up’.”

The other senior grades start their second round tomorrow.

The intermediate and secondary school teams have two grading games and the Mother Earth Future Ferns also play.

Altogether tomorrow, 87 games will be played.