Netball
Eketahuna again provided the main talking point of the latest matches in Netball Wairarapa's grading round for premier one and premier reserve teams, played at the Colombo Road courts in Masterton on Saturday.
In a match between two teams yet to taste defeat, Eketahuna scored a thrilling 43-42 win over Celtic and are now one of only two sides with an unbeaten record, premier one defending champions Harcourts being the other. Harcourts, for their part, were expected to meet spirited opposition from Pioneer Blue but ran out comfortable winners 57-25.
Before the grading round Eketahuna were probably seen as likely candidates for the premier reserve competition in 2013 but they are now certain to be one of the eight teams who will be given premier one status when that announcement is made next weekend.
Baywide Gladstone must have aided their chances of avoiding the chop from premier one when they accounted for St Matthew's Collegiate 51-47 and Carterton New World Legends might have done likewise with their 63-29 win over Hot Shots.
Wairarapa College A continued their improvement with a 43-27 victory over Carterton New World Vipers, Makoura College A looked sharp in beating Pioneer Red 55-24 and Carterton New World Red staved off a plucky Trevs Sports 36-29.
Other grading rounds results were:-
Premier two and three: St Matthew's B 13, Carterton New World White 13; Solway A 19, St Matthew's Junior A 18; East Coast 26, Opaki Old Girls 20; Pioneer White 16, Makoura Junior A 13; Chanel A 25, Mainfreight Hotties 14; Martinborough 29, Trevs Pick n Mix 29; Featherston 23, Wairarapa College Intermediate A 20; Greytown Red 28, Wairarapa College B 24.
Premier four-senior A: Kuranui A 22, Wairarapa College Junior A 12; Wairarapa College Blue 20, St Matthew's Junior B 12; Makoura B 25, Wairarapa College Intermediate B 10; DPS Old Girls 32, Wairarapa College Red 11; Greytown Black 29, Nga Iwi 29; Wairarapa College Masters 23, Solway B 16; Kuranui White 26, Chanel Junior A 14; Masterton Flames 30, Carterton New World Social 9.
Senior reserve: Kuranui Maroon 25, Wairarapa College Junior B 23; Solway Junior A 17, St Matthew's Junior Gold 15; St Matthew's C 21, Kuranui Blue 8; Chanel Junior B 20, Makoura Junior B 19; Wairarapa College Junior Red 10, Wairarapa College Junior Blue 10; Wairarapa College Intermediate Blue 21, St Matthew's Junior Green 13
Primay and intermediate results were:-
9am round: St Matthew's A 15, MIS A 12; Nga Kakano 28, Solway Intermediate 16; Carterton Whero 33, Greytown A 3; Carterton Ma 21, Chanel Intermediate Blue 5; Hadlow Pulse 24, St Matthew's B 6; MIS B 16, MIS Magic 4; MIS Mystics 14, Opaki Aces 4; Carterton Kahurangi 7, Lakeview C 5; Featherston Flyers 15, Kahutara 1 6; Lakeview B 15, Greytown B 2.
10am round: Tinui 16, MIS Pulse 8; St Matthew's C 25, Solway Diamonds 1; DPS Pulse 10, St Pats Diamonds 3; MIS Tactix 18, Hadlow Steel 12; MIS Steel 15, MPS Sting 14; Lakeview Flames 4, Wainuioru Wildcats 3; Lakeview Pulse 20, Opaki Stars 0; Rangiatea 4, DPS Magic 3; Carterton Kowhai 28, St Pats Hearts 5; Martinborough Ferns 5, Gladstone Gladiators 2; Kahutara 2 6, Hadlow Ferns 0.
11am round: Greytown D 4, Gladstone Gems 0; Lakeview Magic 16, St Pats Clubs 4; MPS Ferns 8, DPS Tactix 4; St Pats Spades 12, Opaki Jets 3.
Future ferns: Greytown 3, Carterton Kakariki 3; St Pats Shamrocks 7, Lakeview 4; Solway Sapphires 6, DPS Steel 3.