Ngatapa, YMP 2 in premier mix up for the Challenge

OBM OG goal attack Shinaed Ratahi receives the ball in front of Horouta Hiriwa goal defence Courtney Tietjens in a First Reserve grade game as Gisborne senior netball’s Round 1 came to an end at the Victoria Domain courts on Saturday. Horouta won 30-17 which was good enough to earn them the chance to be promoted to First Grade in the Challenge round of games. Picture by Paul Rickard

by Sherrill Beale

Ngatapa will join YMP (2) in the Challenge round to help determine the last two places in Gisborne netball’s Premier Grade.

They will be joined by the bottom two teams from the first round of Premier Grade play — Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A and Horouta Koura.

It was another busy day in Pak’nSave Gisborne netball at Victoria Domain on Saturday.

Senior games were competitive and some of them resulted in seeding changes.

In the Premier Reserve Grade, Farmlands Ngatapa were in third place going into Saturday’s game against second-placed Horouta Taimana.

Horouta led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter, but a storming second quarter from Ngatapa had them 16-11 ahead at halftime. Horouta hit back in the third quarter, closing it to 20-17, but Ngatapa finished strongly to run out 28-20 winners.

YMP (2) had already secured a place in the Challenge round, and their 35-21 victory over High School Old Girls was true to form.

Waikohu P2 and FarmCare HSOG had an evenly contested game in the A Grade. After the third quarter ended 18-all, Waikohu pulled away to win 26-21 and retain their top spot in the grade.

The Tav Sportsfit had to work hard against lower-seeded Claydens Waikohu (2) to win by three goals and stay in second place.

The A Reserve Grade has been a close grade, and this was reflected in the top two teams, Whalis and Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior B, being locked at 28-all at fulltime. Whalis started strongly and led for the first three quarters, but the students fought their way back in the fourth.

In the First Grade, the top two teams were pushed hard by the bottom two. Top team Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit OG beat second-bottom team OBM White 20-18, a margin small enough for OBM to gain a bonus point. Second-placed Tyre General Ngatapa beat bottom team GGHS Tuakana 26-22, Girls’ High falling just a goal short of the score needed for a bonus point.

Seedings in the First Reserve Grade changed after Saturday’s games. Thistle Storm moved into top spot and Horouta Hiriwa and OBM OG finished on the same points. This meant goal differential was used to determine second place . . . Horouta had a differential of 49, compared with OBM’s seven, so Horouta got the Challenge spot.

The Second Grade was so close that goal countback was used to determine second and third places, and fourth to sixth. Whatatutu were first and Waikohu (4) pipped XLR8 on goal differential for second place. YMP Manawanui were fourth, thanks to their goal differential being better than their rivals’ on the same number of points.

Premier/Premier Reserve Challenge games take place at the YMCA tomorrow night. Girls’ High Senior A play YMP (2) at 6pm and Horouta Koura play Farmlands Ngatapa at 7.30pm.

Results of games between grades are hard to predict. The change from 40-minute to hour-long games will test fitness.

The other two Prem/Prem Reserve Challenge games will be played at the courts on Saturday. All other senior grade Challenge games will also be played there on Saturday.

Following the conclusion of the Challenge games, Gisborne Netball Centre decides the final composition of all grades.

Results (* bonus point — score within three goals)

Premier Reserve: OG Whangara 26 YMP Masters 20, YMP (2) 35 HSOG 21, Farmlands Ngatapa 28 Horouta Taimana 20.

Points: YMP (2) 20; Farmlands Ngatapa 13; Horouta Taimana 10; High School Old Girls 8; Old Girls Whangara 7; YMP Masters 5.

YMP (2) and Farmlands Ngatapa will play GGHS Snr A and Horouta Koura in Challenge games.

A Grade: The Tav Sportsfit 36 Claydens Waikohu (2)33*, Waikohu P2 26 FarmCare HSOG 21.

Points: Waikohu P2 16; The Tav Sportsfit 13; FarmCare HSOG 8; Claydens Waikohu (2) 5; Enterprise Cars OBM 0.

Waikohu P2 and The Tav Sportsfit will play OG Whangara and YMP Masters in Challenge games.

A Reserve: Steve Craill Builders Ngatapa 35 GGHS Jnr A 30, YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 31 Campion Snr A 19, Whalis 28 GGHS Snr B 28.

Points: GGHS Sen B 16; Whalis 15; YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 14; Steve Craill Builders Ngatapa 13; GGHS Jnr A 5; Campion Snr A 0.

GGHS Snr B and Whalis will play Claydens Waikohu (2) and Enterprise Cars OBM Blue in the Challenge games.

First Grade: Tyre General Ngatapa 26 GGHS Tuakana 22, Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 36 Allwood Enterprises HSOG 22, Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit OG 20 OBM White 18*.

Points: Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit OG 20; Tyre General Ngatapa 17; Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 12; Allwood Enterprises HSOG 6; OBM White 5; GGHS Tuakana 4.

Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit OG and Tyre General Ngatapa will play GGHS Jnr A and Campion Snr A in Challenge games.

First Reserve: Horouta Hiriwa 30 OBM OG 17, Thistle Storm 34 Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 14, Uawa Nui 27 Sportsfit (2) 13.

Points: Thistle Storm 17; Horouta Hiriwa (goal difference 49), OBM OG (GD 7) 16; Uawa Nui 10; Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 4; Tatapouri Sportsfit (2) 0.

Thistle Storm and Horouta Hiriwa will play OBM White and GGHS Tuakana in Challenge games.

Second Grade: Claydens Waikohu (4) 40 YMP Manawanui 15, XLR8 21 Horouta Kohatu 7, Whatatutu 33 Gis Glass Ngatapa 18.

Points: Whatatutu 17; Claydens Waikohu (4) (GD 64), XLR8 (GD 49) 16; YMP Manawanui (GD -41), Horouta Kohatu (GD -58), Gis Glass Ngatapa (GD -68) 4.

Whatatutu and Claydens Waikohu (4) will play Tatapouri Sportsfit Social and Sportsfit (2) in Challenge games.