Kathleen Henderson tourney an early test

UP FOR GRABS: Success in the Kathleen Henderson Memorial netball tournament at Victoria Domain tomorrow is up for grabs. With only two of last year’s grade winners entered, the competition looks wide open. In action from last year’s tournament, Kendra Tuhi (left), of Whatatutu, and Kelsi Haenga, of High School Old Girls, contest possession. File picture by Paul Rickard

NETBALL

THE Kathleen Henderson Memorial tournament at Victoria Domain tomorrow is the annual pre-season netball hit-out.

Nineteen teams will vie for the honours, compared with 28 in the 2018 tournament.

“Numbers are lower than usual this year with a couple of teams affected due to members’ participation in the Relay for Life,” Gisborne Netball Centre manager Allisa Hall said.

“Also, the Trident High School teams from Whakatane were not able to come through this year.”

The women’s games will comprise four six-minute quarters.

“We had been excited to have our first official men’s game in a Gisborne netball competition,” Hall said.

Two men’s teams were entered, but the team from the East Coast had to withdraw and efforts were being made to find another team.

If the match goes ahead the teams will play on Court 2 at 11.30am tomorrow, over four 10-minute quarters.

Hall expects some competitive games in the five-hour tournament.

“I think we are going to see lots of close games,” she said.

“Only two teams who were prize-winners last year have entered, so that opens it up for new winners, which is exciting.”

Teams will earn four points for a win, two for a draw and one point for a loss by two goals or less.

The tournament started in l942 and is named in honour of Kathleen Henderson, who died at the age of 17, having been a Poverty Bay netball representative.

The tournament draw is —

9am: A Grade 1, Ritana v YMP Whanau; A Grade 2, Waikohu 1 v Tairawhiti Prems; C Grade 5, YMP 2 v Horouta Hiriwa; C Grade 6, Tairawhiti Maori U15s v OBM Blue.

9.30am: B Grade 1, Nina’s Kitchen HSOG v Horouta Taimana; B Grade 2, Tatapouri Sportsfit v Taiki.

10am: A Grade 1, Horouta Gold v Tairawhiti Prems; A Grade 2, Waikohu 1 v YMP Whanau; C Grade 5, Uawa Hinematioro v Horouta Hiriwa; C Grade 6, YMP 2 v OBM Blue.

10.30am: B Grade 1, Tatapouri Sportsfit v Horouta Taimana; B Grade 2, Nina’s Kitchen HSOG v Hikurangi; D Grade 5, Tairawhiti Maori U13s v Uawa Mixed; D Grade 6, Waikohu 2 v Kotahi Aroha.

11am: A Grade 1, Ritana v Tairawhiti Prems; A Grade 2, Waikohu 1 v Horouta Gold; C Grade 5, Uawa Hinematioro v OBM Blue; C Grade 6, YMP 2 v Tairawhiti Maori U15s.

11.30am: B Grade 1, Nina’s Kitchen HSOG v Taiki; Men’s, Maunga v United; B Grade 5, Hikurangi v Horouta.

12 midday: A Grade 1, Tairawhiti Prems v YMP Whanau; A Grade 2, Ritana v Horouta Gold; C Grade 9, OBM Blue v Horouta Hiriwa; C Grade 10, Uawa Hinematioro v Tairawhiti Maori U15s.

12.30pm: B Grade 1, Tatapouri Sportsfit v Hikurangi; B Grade 2, Horouta Taimana v Taiki; D Grade 5, Tairawhiti Maori U13s v Waikohu 2; D Grade 6, Kotahi Aroha v Uawa Mixed.

1pm: A Grade 1, Ritana v Waikohu 1; A Grade 2, Horouta Gold v YMP Whanau; C Grade 5, Uawa Hinematioro v YMP 2; C Grade 6, Tairawhiti Maori U15s v Horouta Hiriwa.

1.30pm: B Grade 1, Hikurangi v Taiki; B Grade 2, Tatapouri Sportsfit v Nina’s Kitchen HSOG; D Grade 5, Tairawhiti Maori U13s v Kotahi Aroha; D Grade 6, Waikohu 2 v Uawa Mixed.

Prize-giving will be as soon as possible after completion of the games.