Midweek twists and turns for premier teams

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THERE were more twists and turns in the Pak’nSave Gisborne premier netball competition on Wednesday night as Whangara snatched second place from IMS High School Old Girls and Clayden Waikohu’s charge for the playoffs faltered with an upset defeat at the hands of Gisborne Girls’ High School Hydraulink.

IMS HSOG went into last night’s game in second place but lost that vital position after Whangara edged the game 52-51 and Waikohu lost the chance to close the gap on Nga Hau e Wha in fourth when they lost 55-49 against GGHS.

The students started the game with a stutter in the first quarter, a series of defensive fouls conceding position but Waikohu were unable to take full advantage, missing chances at goal and then conceding possession with wayward passing, before GGHS put it together in the back half of the quarter.

GGHS goal-shoot Ashleigh Brown’s excellent positioning to receive the ball close-up to the net allowed GGHS to score seven times without reply, to finish the quarter with a 14-7 lead.

The GGHS mid-court continued to supply Brown well in the second quarter but Waikohu were unable to show the same composure under the net as Girl’s High extended their lead to 29-16.

A change in position for Arahia Ruru from goal-keep to goal-shoot in the second half of the game paid immediate dividends, as Waikohu out-scored their opponents in the third quarter, playing a more direct style of netball and using Ruru’s height to good effect.

Waikohu started the final quarter 10 goals adrift at 41-31 down, and good distribution from wing-attack Atlee Wainohu and smart finishing from Ruru threatened to claw back the deficit. But confident passing from GGHS and assured finishing from Brown and attack partner Jordan Cribb was enough for the Students to take away a six-goal victory.

The result means both teams are tied on 13 points with two games left to play.

GGHS coach Elaine Lamont said she was pleased with both the win and the performance on the night.

“The win was just what the girls needed. It was an all-round good team effort. It’s good build-up for the weekend.”

GGHS play IMS HSOG on Saturday and then head to Rotorua immediately after the game for a school competition.

Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said the team went into the game without goal-shoot Toni Rutene and mid-courter Jessica Ruru, but that was no excuse for a poor performance.

“We had the players that could have done it for us. I can’t quite put my finger on what was wrong in the first quarter. They played as though they had never played together before but Girls’ High played very well.”

HSOG had only lost one game in the round before last night and when they took a 27-26 half-time lead things were looking good for them once again.

Tight defence from goal-defence Alex Sinclair and mid-courters Kelly Swann-Ferris and Kelly Warren kept Whangara at bay in the first two quarters but tireless work from Whangara’s Tracey Babbington–Maynard in the mid-court, combined with hard work at the top of the circle from attackers Vianney Douglas and Nadia Taare saw last year’s runner-up reverse the deficit to take a 39-38 lead and then hold on for a one-goal victory.

The result means Whangara leap-frog HSOG on the table but a bonus point for Whangara means they are just one point behind.