Ritana will need top effort against HSOG

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

Ritana Senior A from Lytton High School face a daunting test when they take on the in-form High School Old Girls in premier grade netball tomorrow.

The only premier clash at the YMCA this weekend, it starts at 10am.

“Ritana have shown improvement in their recent games,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

Last weekend they went to the halftime break level with Whangara Old Girls, 18-all, and in the end lost by four goals.

“However, Ritana will need all of their skills for this game because Taste One HSOG have been playing well as a team on attack and defence,” Beale said.

“They (HSOG) like to move the ball at speed, so the students will need everyone working together to stop their flow.

“I believe spectators will be entertained by what should be a competitive game.”

Ritana coach Claire Campbell said she expected another good match from her girls.

“HSOG have got some really good, experienced and mature netballers in their team.

“My girls, being younger, will learn a lot from them.

“They will learn from opponents like HSOG as much as they do in training and they are really looking forward to it.

“The girls are just excited to play netball. They love the game.”

HSOG coach Tanya Owen said her team wanted to avoid getting caught up in the hype of how everyone else was performing.

“We just want to play our game,” she said.

“Ritana are pretty unknown to us because they are basically a new team, so we will not be taking them lightly.

“We will aim to start well against them tomorrow morning.”

All other grades will be back on the courts tomorrow — seniors, secondary, intermediate and primary.

Beale said the courts would be busy from 8.45am to 3pm.