NETBALL: Falcon family soaring

SHANE HURNDELL
You've got to hand it to the Falcon clan and their Physique 2000 side in the Hawke's Bay Netball League.
Player-coach Julie Falcon, manager Raewyn Falcon and their Mum and technical adviser, Eliza Falcon, are without six of their first stringers from last season but are still unbeaten after two rounds in the Pak'nSave Hastings/Hawke's Bay Today-sponsored league.
Their team, even with Julie away, proved too slick for a gutsy Tamatea Red outfit and won 58-26 at Napier's Sacred Heart College last night. Regular midcourter Angela Stubbs, playing at goal defence, captured player-of-the-match honours with a huge workrate and Aotearoa Secondary Schools midcourter Candis Cardie and shooter Raiha Huata, three of last year's regulars, also impressed.
Three of their newcomers, Havelock North High School wing defence Alyce Fulford, former Taradale High School shooter Hazel Culshaw-Kaisa and another youngster Katarina Rowe also made valuable contributions.
Eliza Falcon agreed there is potential in their new-look outfit but pointed out they may struggle against the more fancied sides in the top six segment of the league which begins in a fortnight.
"We haven't had the time together some of the more fancied teams have had ... but then we've been in this situation before," warned the veteran of more than 20 years coaching at this level.
Defenders Natalie Paea and Deidre Hakopa were the pick of the Tamatea players who trailed 13-6 after the first quarter, 29-12 at halftime and 44-19 after the third quarter.
Two of last year's Physique 2000 defenders, Catrina Locke and Raewyn Wilson, were outstanding for PlusRehab MAC Blue as they maintained their unbeaten run with a 66-44 win against Shed 2 Ex High Blue in the Sacred Heart College curtainraiser.
Goal shoot Sandra Cornelius was the player-of-the-match for Ex High. Young goal keep Raiha McDonald can be proud of her contribution considering she earnt her starting berth when Michelle Landers withdrew with a foot injury suffered at training on Tuesday night.
Bay Heart Steelers recorded their first win of the season beating the winless HHSOG Huias 49-35 at the Hastings Sports Centre. Goal keep Hayley Stewart impressed with her workrate for the winners while young goal shoot Karlee Allanson again impressed for Huias.
In the curtainraiser to this clash former National Bank Cup shooter Charissa Wilson oozed class for unbeaten defending champions Otane Force as they beat Havelock North Kauri 58-28. Megan Henderson and Nikki Drinkrow were both tireless on defence for Havelock.
Ruahine Motors Central beat Eskview Blue 61-40 in the early match at Waipukurau's AW Parsons Stadium. An outstanding start saw the hosts lead 23-6 after the first quarter.
Goal attack Linda Exeter was again prominent for Eskview. In the late game, Karlee Waru captured player-of-the-match honours for the unbeaten Taradale Fury side which beat Dannevirke Sports 65-30. Midcourter Sarah Heald shone for the Dannevirke side.
Division one results: Otane Force 58 Havelock North Kauri 28, Bay Heart Steelers 49 HHSOG Huias 35, MAC Blue 66 Ex High Blue 44, Physique 2000 58 Tamatea Red 26, Central 61 Eskview Blue 40, Taradale Fury 65 Dannevirke Sports 30.
Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools League from yesterday: Taradale High School 40 Flaxmere College 9, Central Hawke's Bay College 48 William Colenso College 12, Iona College 29 Sacred Heart College 9, Hastings Girls High School 40 Karamu High School 25, Napier Girls High School 28 Dannevirke High School 12, Woodford House 24 Hukarere College 24, St Joseph's Maori Girls College 51 Tamatea High School 14.