Harcourts take netball crown

BY GARY CAFFELL.
Harcourts player-coach Kelly Sargent wasn't waxing lyrical about her team's 53-27 win over St Matthews Collegiate in the grand final of Netball Wairarapa's premier one grade, played at the Genesis Recreation Centre in Masterton on Saturday night.
While delighted Harcourts had gone through their 16-match season without defeat Sargent said there was too much scrappy play in the competition decider for it to be labelled as one of her team's best performances.
"It got a bit messy and physical at times and we probably didn't have the control in our game we would have liked," she said. "They (St Matthews) were in our faces and never gave up trying???it was comfortable enough in the end but I wouldn't say it was easy."
St Matthews, which had beaten Gladstone All Blacks 40-32 in Friday night's semi-final, traield Harcourts by just two points at the end of the first quarter but that situation didn't faze Sargent as Harcourts have been notorious for their slow starts all season.
And by halftime the lead had been stretched to a comfortable margin and Harcourts were able to give all nine players in their squad match time.
"We're fortunate to have plenty of depth in our team so when we make changes the level of performance isn't really affected," Sargent said. "It was pleasing to get everybody on court as all the players have done a good job over the whole season."'
Sargent was loathe to signal out any individuals for special mention but said Harcourts had benefitted from the accurate shooting of the three players used in that role, Hope Phillips, Casey Pederson and Geraldine Carroll. "It was a plus to be able to move the combinations around in the shooting circle and still make a high percentage of the shots we had",she said.
The full Harcourts squad was: Kelly Sargent, Sarah Brooking, Lisa Butler, Emma Foote, Katie Wyeth, Casey Pederson, Hope Phillips, Geraldine Carroll., Tania Davidson,Jasmine Hoani.
Adding to the jubilation for Harcourts on Saturday's finals night was that they also took out the premier two title. That final saw them beat Magie B's 25-18.
Sargent expects the bulk of the players from the two sides to be available next season and said serious thought was being given to entering a Harcourts team in the regional superleague series providing that two teams from Wairarapa were allowed to participate there.In that case the other team would be drawn from players from all the other clubs in the region.
"Nothing is certain at this stage but the superleague would be a good challenge and we are keen to see if can play there,' she said.
Results from the weekend:-
Premier one: St Matthews 40, Gladstone All Blacks 32; Carterton Red 47, Kuranui A 32; Carterton Red 36, Greytown 23; Harcourts 53, St Matthews 27.
Premier two: Magie B's 24, Trev's 20; Wairarapa College B 32, Carterton White 21; Wairarapa College 19, Eketahuna No.1 18; Harcourts 1 25, Magie B's 18.
Premier three: Wairarapa College Brunettes 32, Chanel A 19; Carterton Bliue 37, Wairarapa College senior reserve No.1 12.
Premier four: St Matthews Year 10A 32, Wairarapa College senior reserve No.2 24; Celtic Marist 19, Lansdowne Saints 11.
Senior A: Wairarapa College senior reserve No.3 25, Featherston No.2 12; Wairarapa College Emeraldz 28, Carterton Maroon 21.
Senior reserve: WTPU 28, Wairarapa College Intermediate B 19; Masterton Intermediate Year 8A 20, MPF Champs 15.
Senior B: Wharekura 27, Wairarapa College Icons 16;Wairarapa College Muzzys 26, Makoura Intermediate 19.
Senior C: Wairarapa College junior A 43, St Matthews Year 9A 7; Solway junior A 16, Kuranui junior A 14; Makoura junior A 24, St Matthews Green 16.
Senior D: Wairarapa College Jaymax 27, Wairarapa College Jewelz 5; Wairarapa College Jacketz 12, Chanel C 9; St Matthews Senior No.2 20, Wairarapa College Villians 12.
Senior E: St Matthews Gold 19, Wairarapa College Jaylowz 5; Wairarapa College Angels 15, Chanel Intermediate B 9; Wairarapa College Ihugz 30, MPF Blixem 20.