Netball challenge round starts with convincing results

pressure: Gisborne Girls' High School's Kassie Owen (right) under pressure from Keasi Williams Fonohema (centre) and Bronya McMenamin of YMP. Girls' High won their challenge round game last night. Picture by Paul Rickard

HOROUTA Gold and Gisborne Girls' High School were big winners in the first of the challenge round netball games last night.

Gillies Electrical GGHS Senior A defeated JT Contractors Horouta Taimana 60-43 in the first of two Pak'nSave competition games at the YMCA.

The students were ahead through all breaks — 20-10, 29-20 and 46-33.

Girls' High dominated the first quarter but Horouta Taimana had a strong start to the second period of the 60-minute game and got to within four goals before the students found their groove and regained a decisive lead.

In the third quarter, the students showed lovely skills throughout the court, with solid defence from Joaquina Kaa and Judaea Keelan and nice ball flowing through to Kassie Owen and Jamie Rika in the shooting end.

They continued this through the final quarter with strong through-court defence and finished with a comfortable 17-goal win.

In the other game, Horouta Gold defeated YMP Masters 61-22.

The quarter scores illustrated how dominant Horouta Gold were — 19-3, 31-12, 46-19.

Horouta dominated from the start, scoring the first nine goals before the Masters got on the board.

YMP had a more competitive second quarter, losing that 15-minute period by only three goals, 12-9. But Horouta continued building through the game and again held YMP to just three goals in the final quarter.

On Saturday, the second lot of challenge round games will be played. Girls'

High face YMP Masters at Victoria Domain at 10.45am. Horouta Gold meet clubmates Horouta Taimana at 12.45pm.

Following Saturday's games, the final composition of all senior grades will be decided for competition proper.