Gisborne senior netball’s first round ends in tight tussles

Whangara Old Girls player Summer Marama-Kingi gets a hand to the ball before Waikohu's Humaria Higgins in a Premier Grade netball game at the Victoria Domain courts on Saturday. Waikohu beat the defending champions 32-25.

Waikohu finished Round 1 of the Premier Grade netball competition on Saturday unbeaten, but Challenge games loom for bottom-placed sides YMP (2) and Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A tomorrow night.

The seniors finished their first round with some close scores to decide top and bottom of the grades in readiness for the Challenge games, which involve the bottom-two premier sides and the top and bottom teams from the rest of the grades.

Turanga FM YMP (1) beat TR Builds Horouta Koura 32-26, leading all the way 7-2 after the first quarter, 13-10 at halftime and 24-19 at the three-quarter break.

The game started with intense pressure on the ball carrier from both teams and there were plenty of tips and turnovers.

YMP made the better start when it came to putting the ball through the net to be up by five at the first break.

Horouta Koura steadied in the second quarter and treasured their ball to reduce the deficit to three.

Shooter Mia Reeves played well. She drove strongly to the ball and worked well with O’Shae Rangihaeata to give their feeders options.

YMP’s links played their part in the second half when all of their players combined nicely, creating turnovers and moving the ball at speed through the court.

Ata Mangu, at centre, showed her awareness by collecting intercepts and quickly delivering long, hard passes into the shooting area.

It was a good game enjoyed by a large number of spectators.

In the second game, Character Roofing YMP (2) pipped GGHS Snr A 29-28.

The students led after the opening three quarters - 7-6, 16-12 and 21-20 - but not when it counted the most.

It was an evenly contested game that could have gone either way.

Both teams had good passages of play, where players drove strongly on to the pass and moved the ball quickly.

Both sides made changes but couldn’t pull away from their opposition’s intense pressure. All players had to work hard on attack and defence.

In the third premier encounter, Claydens Waikohu Prem (1) prevailed over defending champions Whangara Old Girls (1) 32-25.

Waikohu led throughout, 10-6, 15-11, 23-20.

Both teams’ defences contributed to the third tight tussle of the day.

Waikohu’s Aarika Ruru, Karen Matiaha, Humaria Higgins and Arihia Tuhua, and Whangara’s Saffron Eparaima, Torepe Taumaunu and Joaquina Kaa played big roles.

They worked as a unit, putting pressure on ball going into their opposition’s goal third and creating many turnovers.

This resulted in numerous tips and intercepts, and the ball often going up and down the court before a goal was scored.

Both sides’ attackers had to work hard to deliver the ball in to their shooters.

Waikohu ended Round 1 top on 20 points, followed by YMP (1) on 16, Horouta Koura 12, Whangara Old Girls 9, YMP (2) 5 and GGHS Snr A 2.

YMP (2) and GGHS Snr A face challenge-round games against the top two Premier Reserve sides in the YMCA tomorrow night.

YMP play Steve Craill Ngatapa at 6pm and the students face East Coast Roofing OG Whangara at 7.30pm.

The teams have been playing 40-minute games but will switch to hour-long games, which will test fitness.

They play their other Challenge games on Saturday at the Victoria Domain courts, along with the other senior grades.

Other senior results from Saturday (bonus point for scoring within three goals) - Premier Reserve: Claydens Waikohu P2 24 TR Builds Horouta Taimana 20, Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa 27 Aorangi Contracting HSOG 24.

Points at the end of Round 1: Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa 16, East Coast Roofing OG Whangara 12, Aorangi Contracting HSOG 9, Claydens Waikohu 2 4, TR Builds Horouta Taimana 0.

Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa and East Coast Roofing OG Whangara will play Character Roofing YMP and GGHS Snr A in the Challenge games.

A Grade: First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B 25 Pioneer 18, Claydens Waikohu (2) 26 Brendan Fry Builders Sportsfit 1 24, Pioneer 34 Whalis 31.

Points: Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit 13, First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B 12, Claydens Waikohu (2) 8, Whalis 5, Pioneer 4.

Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit play TR Builds Horouta Taimana in the Challenge games.

A Reserve: GGHS Jnr A 20 Gis Glass Ngatapa 19, YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 25 Tyre General Ngatapa 11, Tyre General Ngatapa 36 Campion A 20.

Points: YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 16, GGHS Jnr A 10, Gis Glass Ngatapa 9, The Tyre General Ngatapa 6, Campion A 0.

YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato play Pioneer in the Challenge games.

1st Grade: Smash Palace Sportsfit (2) 35 Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 28, Whangara Paikea 27 Claydens Waikohu Social A 24.

Points: OBM Blue 13, Smash Palace Sportsfit 8, Whangara Paikea 9, Claydens Waikohu Social A 9, Uawa Ngarangikahiwa 5.

OBM Blue play Campion A in the Challenge games.

1st Reserve: Turanga Pirates Manawa 23 TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa 19, Claydens Waikohu Social B 27 Tatapouri Sportsfit GCs 18.

Points: Claydens Waikohu Social B 16, Turanga Pirates Manawanui 9, Allwood Enterprises HSOG 8, Tatapouri Sportsfit GCs 4, TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa 4.

Claydens Waikohu Social B play Uawa Ngarangikahiwa in the Challenge games.

2nd Grade: OBM OG 41 GGHS Tuakana 25, Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 24 YMP Manawanui 22.

Points: Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 16, OBM OG 12, YMP Manawanui 9, Newman and Newman Ngatapa 5, GGHS Tuakana 0.

Tatapouri Sportsfit Social play TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa in the Challenge games.