Midweek Gisborne Premier netball wins to Whāngārā, Waikohu

Waikohu shooter Princess Tomoana combined strongly with Marcia Beale in her team's 66-45 Premier Grade win over Horouta Koura in the YMCA this week. Photo / Paul Rickard

Whāngārā Old Girls put a first-quarter scare behind them to post a solid 48-39 victory over Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A in midweek Premier Grade netball in the YMCA.

Second-placed Claydens Waikohu (1) warmed up for next week’s playoffs with a 66-45 defeat of TR Builds Horouta Koura in Wednesday’s second game.

Girls’ High came out with intent against the defending champions. They played with confidence and it showed in the score as they went to the first quarter break up 11-9.

Whāngārā came out a different side in the second quarter. They tightened up their defence through the court by close-marking their opponents and it worked.

It forced errors from the students and Whāngārā capitalised.

It was a competitive game, but Whāngārā took the lead towards the end of the quarter and were determined to stay there.

Both sets of defences - Whāngārā's Joaquina Kaa, Ashley Osborne and Torepe Taumaunu and Girls’ High’s Jazmin Gardner, Jayla Reardon and Rhiley Wirihana - worked together well across the goal circle.

Whāngārā shooter Sandee Porter was a steadying influence in their attacking end. She gave her feeders plenty of options by moving quickly in and around the goal circle and keeping the defenders guessing where she would position herself to take the ball.

She was supported well by Jasmine Sparks, who used her speed to drive to the ball or to the top of the goal circle where she delivered some excellent passes into her shooters. Sparks also hunted the ball to create turnovers.

Waikohu showed their title credentials as they led all the way against Horouta - 16-11 at the first break, 34-23 at halftime and 50-33 into the last quarter.

From the outset, both sides moved the ball at pace for their attackers to pop out and collect.

Waikohu started the second quarter with a small lead but increased it by working together through the court and smothering the Horouta ball carrier, whose only option was the high ball. This opened the door for intercepts and there were impressive examples of these - especially from Arahia Tuhua and Alex Sinclair.

Waikohu shooters Marcia Beale and Princess Tomoana combined impressively, using an array of skills in the goal circle – altering their speed and positioning, moving, holding, driving the base line.

Attackers Shari Puna and Aarika Ruru drove strongly to the top of the goal circle and delivered quality ball to their shooters.

Horouta Koura made changes but struggled to stop Waikohu’s momentum as the game progressed.

The last Round 3 round-robin games are in the Y tomorrow.

East Coast Roofing Old Girls Whāngārā take on Girls’ High at 9am.

Honours have been shared in their two previous meetings and both sides have stepped their play up a notch as they near the end of the season.

They are close in points near the bottom of the table, so another competitive game is on the cards.

Top-of-the-table Turanga FM YMP (1) play Whāngārā Old Girls at 11am.

YMP have set the standard and go into the game having comfortably beaten Whāngārā twice this season.

If Whāngārā don’t bring their top game, it will be three victories for YMP over the team who beat them in last year’s double extra-time grand final thriller.

Over at the Victoria Domain courts, the other senior grades will play their semifinals between 9am and 1pm.