School teams provide highlight

THREE PLAYERS, ONE BALL: Horouta Gold wing defence Ngahuria Akania (left) contests possession with High School Old Girls wing attack Courtney Stubbins (right) as HSOG goal defence Kelly Wood waits in premier-grade netball at Victoria Domain on Saturday. HSOG won the match 40-20. Picture by Paul Rickard

High school teams provided the highlight of premier-grade netball in Gisborne on Saturday.

Gisborne Girls' High School beat Ritana Senior A from Lytton High 25-23 in a clash that lived up to expectations.

Lytton led 6-4 at the end of the first quarter and 12-11 at halftime, but Girls' High came back and led 18-16 at the end of the third quarter and held on to win by two goals.

“It was a close game that could have gone either way,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“Both teams gave a good display of skills, and all players worked together on attack and defence.

“Both teams' circle defenders worked well together, resulting in the ball going up and down the court often, before a goal would be scored.”

Ritana picked up a bonus point for finishing just three goals behind.

Beale said the top-seeded teams still led the grade, with wins to both Taste One High School Old Girls and Whangara Old Girls.

YMP Sunshine Brewing had the bye.

HSOG beat Horouta Gold 40-20.

“HSOG played strongly from the first whistle and moved the ball confidently, at speed, through the court,” Beale said.

“Their coach, Tanya Owen, made several changes, but they were seamless, and the movement of players and the flow of the ball continued effortlessly.

“Horouta struggled with the ‘sea of blue' in the first half and were down by 21 goals at halftime.

“However, they played their own style in the second half with better results. In this half they outscored HSOG by one goal to make amends for the poor start.”

In the other premier match, Whangara Old Girls defeated Claydens Waikohu (1) 36-31.

Whangara led throughout — 12-5, 19-15 and 27-23 at the quarters.

“It was an even contest for the whole game,” Beale said.

“In both teams the understanding between players is developing well and there were some good passages of the ball flowing through court.”

Beale said the scores in the other senior grades were not as close as they were last week, but some good skills were on display.

Tatapouri Sportsfit 36 Horouta Taimana 27; Claydens Waikohu Masters 52 Old Girls Whangara 12; YMP Masters 31 Gis Fluid and Machinery HSOG 25; Claydens Waikohu Masters 42 Horouta Taimana 24.

Farmlands Ngatapa 34 YMP TimberPro 22; FarmCare HSOG 31 Campion Snr A 10; YMP TimberPro 38 Campion Snr A 18; Gis Denture Clinic HSOG 36 Claydens Waikohu (2) 19.

Tyre General Ngatapa 18 Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa 16; OBM Blue 34 Thistle Storm 20; The Stingerz 34 GGHS Snr B 17; GGHS Jnr A 41 Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 17.

Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 27 GGHS TSA 11; Ritana Toa def The Cuddys by default; Gis Glass Ngatapa 27 Thistle Phoenix 17; Uawa Kahukuraiti 41 Kotahi Aroha 20; Uawa Kahukuraiti 53 Thistle Phoenix 21.