YMP teamwork shines in premier-grade netball game

UNDER PRESSURE: Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A player Kassie Owen is put under heavy pressure from YMP’s Keasi Williams Fonohema as Bronya McMenamin covers nearby space in a premier grade netball game at Victoria Domain on Saturday. YMP surged to a 35-19 win in the only prem clash of the day. Both teams are back in action in a Wednesday tripleheader at the YMCA. Pictures by Paul Rickard

YMP (1) signalled their intentions from the first whistle of their premier-grade netball game against Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A at Victoria Domain on Saturday.

They won this Pak’nSave competition game 35-19 and led at the end of every quarter — 10-4 for the first, 18-9 for the second and 27-15 for the third.

The teamwork of the YMP players was excellent and they made the students work for every pass.

Paku-Jane Skudder played well and directed her attackers to the best position for the ball to be put in the goal circle. She held her space, collected the high lob and finished with goals.

Midcourter Lyric Wesche, formerly of Tapuae, has slotted quickly into this team and is forming a good understanding with the shooters.

She drove to the top of the goal circle to be available to collect quick passes from shooters Jayda Banks and Skudder, and created opportunities to work the ball in using triangles.

Defenders Bronya McMenamin and Keasi Williams-Fonohema are developing a good understanding and managed to shut down a lot of ball going into the goal circle. They were also out hunting the ball and collected many tips and intercepts.

When they got the chance, Girls’ High gave glimpses of their ability to move the ball well, but it was tough work for them. Their goal circle defenders, Joaquina Kaa and Judaea Keelan-Phillips, worked together and at times managed to stop the flow of ball to the YMP shooters.

School teams were welcomed back to the courts for their first games of 2022. It was a busy day, with 81 games being played from Year 5 and 6, intermediate, secondary and senior grades.