Netball: WGHS ride emotional wave to victory

WGHS were focused and played with love for the game at the most recent club outing.

Emotions ran high in the latest round of club netball action.

All teams paid tribute to the Campbell family with a moment's silence before each game commenced. Whangarei Girls' High School also dedicated their game to fellow sister students with the tragic loss of their mother and grandmother.

Bearing this in mind, WGHS were focused and played with aroha.

Great phases of play allowed WGHS to play with high skill levels and fluency through court.

Mia Gordon, playing a full game at centre, applied defensive pressure over every ball enabling her team to pickup turnover ball with shooter Saphire Connelly-Parry converting with phenomenal accuracy.

Changes made at halftime did not deter the flow for WGHS.

Goal keep Jessie Taylor claimed a number of rebounds and intercepts from the Huanui shooters.

Huanui goal attack Emerina Marsh-Kiro worked tirelessly on attack and defensively got some turnover possession which she also converted but it wasn't enough to stop WGHS picking up a 64-29 victory.

Meanwhile, Manawanui White and Body Trainer Fideliter 1 played cautiously for the first quarter with very little turnover ball and both teams contesting every ball through court.

Manawanui made some changes at the break with the sister act combination of Sherryn LeFever and Cherith Schraag in the shooting circle.

With shots going astray from Manawanui, Fideliter's defensive pair of Kacey Potae and Alisha Takimoana picked off the rebounds and the team getting the ball to the shooting end of Althena Birch and Arona Tipene.

Manawanui trialled some new combinations, allowing all members to take part.

Some great matchups and tightly contested ball from both teams with strong phases of play throughout the second half.

Manawanui's Tyler Nankivell had a strong game at wing defence, making her partner work hard for optimal feeding position on the circle edge.

The defence combination of Kapua Harris-Otene and Caitlin Reidstra gained some lovely turnover ball outside the circle area giving Manawanui an opportunity to creep back into the game and scoring level for a time, but Fideliter were able to keep themselves ahead.

A full team effort by Fideliter for possession and conversion of goals for the win 38-35.

In the last game, Whangaruru started steadily and built their intensity each quarter against Fideliter 2.

The attacking midcourt combination of Jaimee Tito and Sian Telfer played solidly with accurate feeds to the shooter Morgan Taurua.

Taurua, at GS for majority of the game, shot consistently to give Whangaruru a hold of the game with a variety of plays and strong ball skills under the goal.

Samantha Davis-Cooper had a great game defensively, applying pressure over the ball gaining turnover ball and a strong presence through the mid court.

Fideliter 2, however, were unable to get any flow going.

They continued to play with persistence and control for the duration of the game. With the game out of reach, the coach took the opportunity to play all team members as Whangaruru won 65-38.