School teams head to head

AT A STRETCH: Gisborne Girls’ High School goal attack Tania Houkamau and Whangara Old Girls wing defence Annaleigh Stills contest possession in premier-grade netball. Tomorrow, Girls’ High play Lytton and Whangara play Waikohu. Picture by Paul Rickard

ALL three premier-grade netball games in the YMCA tomorrow should produce close, exciting play and winning could come down to which teams make the fewest mistakes.

Lytton Senior A and Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A start the premier programme at 9am and Lytton would be favoured, given they have defeated Girls’ High twice this season.

“Lytton have been playing some very good netball lately,” commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“They have earned bonus points for their close losses in their past two games. Girls’ High will need to bring their top game.”

Lytton have let potential wins slip away with rushed plays at the death in recent outings.

Coach Ronnie Martin will want to see them play with control right through to the business end of the game.

“The team have improved quite a lot through the season and finishing games off strongly is an area where the girls can still improve,” Martin said.

“Whenever teenagers play each other it can be a different game.”

A shortage of players meant Girls’ High had to default their game against YMP (1) last weekend.

“We have a team for tomorrow and the girls have trained well together,” Girls’ High coach Dianah Foley said.

“We still have a couple away but most of them are back, so that’s good.

“Lytton looked really good against Horouta the other night and I hope for a competitive game.”

At 10.45am, top-of-the-table Whangara Old Girls play Claydens Waikohu.

“We can expect a close game there,” Beale said.

“The last time those two teams met, at the end of May, Whangara won by a goal,” Beale said.

“Both teams have the players to upset the opposition, so it will come down to the team who score off their own ball and make the fewest mistakes.”

Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said her girls were looking forward to it.

“We are expecting a nice tough game and we have a few things we want to work on after our match against YMP.

“We will be going out for the win, but we also intend to ensure we play our own game.”

Whangara coach Martin said her team were focusing on their performance in the upcoming top four.

“So this match is about preparation for those games.”

Farmlands Ngatapa and Taste One High School Old Girls take the YMCA court at 12.30pm.

These teams had played two close games this season, Beale said.

Ngatapa won both, by a goal in one, and by four goals in the other.

She expected another close game tomorrow, especially as both sides were vying for fifth position on the table.

Ngatapa co-coach Kate Faulks said after their big loss to YMP on Wednesday night that they aimed to finish fifth in the competition.

Tomorrow will be a good test of that resolve.

HSOG produced good flow in their last game, against Girls’ High.

Coach Naomi Whitewood will want to see continued improvement in the connections between defence and attack.

Ngatapa had an unhappy night with their shooting on Wednesday and that will be where HSOG have an edge.