Students ace Whangara exam

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

YMP remain unbeaten in premier-grade netball but it was Gisborne Girls' High who stole the show in last night's tripleheader in the YMCA.

The Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls' High Senior A side defeated Whangara Old Girls 37-28 as all six teams turned in competitive performances as the end of Round 1 approaches.

Claydens Waikohu beat JT Contracting Horouta Gold 38-33 and YMP outgunned F45 High School Old Girls 38-23.

Girls' High got off to a flying start and led all the way — 8-3 after the first quarter, 17-8 at halftime and 27-17 into the final stanza.

The students played well by working together and pressuring Whangara into uncharacteristic errors.

Their understanding and awareness of each other is developing well. They moved the ball at speed through the middle of the court and finished off with goals.

Te Arai Waihape had a good game at centre for the students. She was a steady link between both ends, making herself available and feeding good, consistent ball to the shooters.

Judaea Keelan-Phillips started the game at goal defence, where she collected several tips and intercepts, then moved to the other end at goal attack.

She and shooter Kassie Owen (goal shooter) worked the goal circle well and gave their midcourt many feeding options.

Goal keep Joaquina Kaa hunted the ball and made Whangara shooters work for every pass.

Whangara had a better second half and cut back the error rate but Girls' High were determined to take the win.

Waikohu were never behind against Horouta but had to work hard, particularly in the latter two quarters.

Waikohu hit the court running and within a few minutes were leading 7-1. They were up by eight by the end of the quarter and looked set for a convincing win.

Horouta Gold had other ideas. They tightened up their play, treasured the ball more and worked their way back into the game — winning the last two quarters.

Waikohu shooters Arihia Tuhua and Princess Tomoana, centre, Jessica Ruru, and wing attack Ashleigh Smith have a great understanding. Between them they created space and their inter-passing was clean and swift.

Horouta Gold's attack of shooters Jahneia Kemp and Ashlee Maka and mid-courters Lexie Rutene and Ngahuria Akania were similarly impressive in the second half of a close contest.

YMP were simply too good for defending champions HSOG.

They produced a strong display throughout the court and pulled further ahead over each quarter.

Shooters Paku-Jane Skudder and Jayda Banks continued to move well in the circle, which gave their feeders many options.

At the other end, defenders Keasi Fonohema-Williams and Bronya McMenamin worked in unison to pressure HSOG's attack into passing the ball around the circle or back to the transverse line.

HSOG midcourters Peyton Riri, Ashley Te Patu and Ana Naden worked tirelessly.

There are two premier games on Saturday at Victoria Domain.Waikohu play Girls' High at 9.30pm and YMP face Horouta Gold at 11.30pm.