“What a great game,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.
“Taste One HSOG were in control throughout.”
They won 53-45 and the quarter scores tell the story — 14-10, 29-22 and 44-33, all to HSOG.
The club last won the premier title eight years ago.
Winning captain Kelly Swann-Ferris said her team produced an “amazing” performance.
“Before the match we talked about our desire to ‘take Jan (the trophy) back to the clubrooms’, and we did it.
“All the girls did their jobs hugely. We adopted the same game plan we had against YMP in our semifinal, and they executed it to perfection.”
Beale said both teams made a nervous start to the grand final.
“The ball went up and down the court for the first two and a half minutes until HSOG finally put the ball through the goal to open the scoring. Then they never relinquished the lead.”
Beale said both teams were speedy, passing the ball into space, and were tight on defence.
“However, HSOG were more controlled and patient in working the ball around until they could deliver it in to their shooters, whereas Whangara seemed in a hurry and made a few errors where the ball was turned over.
“HSOG worked together on attack and defence. There were always players available for those patient back-up passes and always hands over and around the ball carriers creating turnovers through the court.”
She said HSOG goal shoot Marcia Beale had a good game, positioning herself effectively to collect high lobs and then rebounding well if she slipped up with her shooting.
“Lisa Basford at goal attack moved well in the goal circle and used the outside feeders intelligently to work the ball closer to the goal,” Beale said.
HSOG midcourters Kelly Wood and Katie Kirkpatrick worked tirelessly, she said.
Kirkpatrick seemed to be everywhere on the court.
“Defenders Sarah Cox, Kelly Swann-Ferris and Arna Majstrovic pressured every pass going into the goal circle, created many tips and intercepts, and made Whangara shooters Sandy Porter and Nadia Taare work exceptionally hard.”
Whangara coach Ronnie Martin made changes but Beale said HSOG were focused and determined to win.
Martin said her team should have settled into the game a lot quicker than they did.
“They got a lead on us.
“The girls tried their hardest to pull it back, and were at times a bit overzealous, which led to errors, and that cost us.
“Well done High School Old Girls. They played a good game.”
HSOG coach Tanya Owen was ecstatic after the match.
“I cannot explain the emotions right now; I am lost for words,” she said.
“We are all so thrilled to win this. We played for ourselves, our families, our club, but most of all we played for our club legend Shelley Duncan, Jan’s daughter.
“The girls started strongly and never took their foot off the pedal.”
Owen said she believed in her team.
“I knew the girls were going to take it out, and it’s been two years in the making. I feel the girls 100 percent deserved that victory.”
