It was not all bad news for Harcourts despite their 62-26 defeat by Wellington East in their regional superleague netball match played at Porirua on Saturday.
After trailing by a whopping 33-9 at halftime Harcourts improved their effort markedly through the third and fourth quarters, actually "winning" the latter by one
goal.
Coach Kelly Sargent said too many poor passing options cost Harcourts dearly early in the game with the athletic Wellington East side picking up a number of intercepts.
And with Harcourts also struggling to turn what scoring opportunities they did get into goals Wellington East were quick to open up a big lead.
"The passing was ordinary and our decision making wasn't good enough," Sargent said of the first half effort. "We were making it too easy for them to get turnovers."
Sargent was pleased, however, with the manner in which Harcourts lifted their game in the last two quarters, helped by positional changes which saw Sargent herself move from the shooting end to the defensive end and youngster Waimarama Phillips come on at goal attack.
Phillips had pleasing success with her shooting and Sargent and Te Ata Phillips combined well in defensive situations. Other Harcourts players to shine were Katie Wyeth, who was typically industrious in midcourt, and Paige Drummond, a St Matthews College player having only her second appearance at superleague level.
Action in the Wairarapa premier one series continued on Thursday and Friday night at the Genesis Recreation Centre with the main talking point being the 49-44 win secured by Kuranui College over Gladstone All Blacks. Here too the Phillips sisters, Waimarama and Te Ata, were in grand form.
St Matthew's College scored an impressive 57-29 win over Carterton Sports Arena, Fagan Motors Hot Shots beat Pioneer Blue 52-45 and Celtic cemented their place at the top of the points table with a 58-44 win over Wairarapa College A.
LOWER GRADE RESULTS:-
Premier two:
Wairarapa College B1 25, Trevs 1 24; Gladstone Powershop 38, Makoura Prem 36.
Premier three top four:
Eketahuna 29, Carterton White 18; Trevs 2 24, St Matthews B 20.
Premier three bottom four:
Wairarapa College B2 18, Wairarapa College Intermediate A 16; Hiona 35, Carterton Mama Mias 29.
Premier four top four:
Pioneer Red 20, Nga Wiwi 18; St Matthews Junior A 28, Greytown Red 24.
Premier four bottom four:
Wairarapa College B3 18, Chanel Sensats 15; Kuranui Blue 16, Kuranui Junior A 15.
Senior A top four:
Wairarapa College Junior A 24, Featherston 21; Chanel A 25, Solway I 24.
Senior A bottom four:
St Matthews Sapphires 30, Kuranui Junior B 7; St Matthews Intermediate A 18, Makoura Red 12.
Senior reserve top four:
Carterton Blue 18, Chanel Junior A 14; Mangan Graphic Hot Shots 16, Masterton Flames 13.
Senior reserve bottom four:
Wairarapa College Intermediate B 26, St Matthews Junior B 12; Wairarapa College Senior Reserve 1 21, Makoura White 21.
Senior B top four:
Wairarapa College Senior Reserve 3 13, Wairarapa College Senior Reserve 2 5; St Matthews Diamonds 21, Greytown Black 11.
Senior B bottom four:
Wairarapa College Junior B 19, St Matthews Junior C 0.
Senior C:
Chanel Senior B 18, St Matthews Intermediate B 13; Solway 2 22, Wairarapa College Ihugz 12; Chanel Junior B 12, Wairarapa College Jewelz 9.
PRIMARY GRADE RESULTS:-
Grade one:
MIS Year 8A 17, MIS Year 7A 4; Opaki Jets 13, St Matthews Primary A 12.
Grade two:
MIS Year 7B 13, St Matthews Bronze 13; MIS Matariki 11, Chanel Gold 9; Hadlow Ferns 12, MIS Year 8B 12; Greytown Gold Ferns 21, MIS Galaxy 2.
Grade three:
Alfredton 23, Chanel Silver 11; MIS Sapphires 17, Solway Intermediate 11; Lakeview Tactics 15, Te Kura 10; Featherston Flyers 25, Carterton Gold 8.
Grade four:
St Matthews Silver 17, Lakeview Rebels 11; Solway Magic 6, Hadlow Pixies 6; MIS Gems 9, St Matthews Bronze 5; MIS Comets 17, Opaki Aces 9.
Grade five:
MPS Sting 13, Lakeview Sting 10; DPS Pulse 7, Carterton Silver 6; St Paints 17, Carterton Bronze 1.
Grade six:
Wainuioru Wildcats 17, Lakeview Magic 0; Tuhirangi 7, DPS Tactics 5.
Grade seven:
Opaki Stars 6, Hadlow Rockers 5; Fernridge 11, Featherston Ferns 9; Greytown C 16, Carterton Yellow 4.
Future ferns:
DPS Magic 22, Wainuioru Junior Wildcats 2; DPS Mystics 12, St Pats Stars 0; St Pats Shimmers 7, Lakeview Ferns 5.