When the going gets tough the tough get going.
That old adage certainly held true for defending champions Harcourts when they staved off a fired-up Makoura College 54-52 in the final of Netball Wairarapa's premier one competition, played at the Colombo Road courts in Masterton on Saturday.
Harcourts started hot favourites after an unbeaten run in preliminary round games, but they had to work overtime to win an enthralling contest watched by a good-sized crowd in equally good voice.
The opening stanzas were all Makoura College. They hit the ground running and with slick passing and accurate shooting - especially by Te Kapua Haira - they raced out to a 7-4 advantage.
Harcourts, for their part, early on lacked the cohesion which has become such a trademark of their game. The hustle and bustle of the Makoura College defensive effort, spearheaded by Madison Tufuga, clearly upset their rhythm and they struggled to get the ball to their shooters.
As the first quarter progressed, however, Harcourts started to find the precision expected of them. With Lyn Mika and Katie Wyeth "stealing" enough ball to keep the scoreboard ticking over, they had levelled things at 13-13 when the initial break in play was taken.
The second quarter began ominously for Makoura College with Harcourts working out to a 16-14 lead but the students struck back quickly, going from 16-16 to 20-16 ahead - thanks again to the ability of Te Kapua Haira to create space for himself in the shooting circle and convert his scoring opportunities into goals.
As in the previous quarter though, Harcourts lifted the ante when it mattered most. With Mika continuing to pick up valuable interceptions on defence and shooters Geraldine Carroll and Astee Karaitiana quick to capitalise, they not only made up the leeway but went out to a 26-24 advantage.
Now it was Makoura College under pressure and they too responded to the challenge, drawing level at 26-26 and grabbing a 27-26 lead just as the whistle sounded for halftime.
The third quarter started with Makoura College forcing Harcourts into mistakes through strong defence from the likes of Tufuga and Kata Matapuku. Coupled with the accuracy of shooters Te Kapua Haira and Bailey Pederson, that had them in front 31-27.
Yet again, however, Harcourts found something extra when under the pump and led by the dynamic Katie Wyeth, they fought back to 34-34 - only for Makoura College to answer with two quick goals to lead 36-34.
With the scores so close, the fourth and final quarter was always going to be a humdinger. Makoura College, to their credit, showed no signs of nervousness as they continued to take the game to Harcourts while the latter, helped by a positional change which saw Emma Foote moved to goal defence, played their best netball of the match.
A couple of vital intercepts made by Katie Wyeth going into the last five minutes of play helped give the Harcourts' effort extra momentum and when time was up they had their noses in front 54-52.
Regular defender Sarah Watson was missing from the Harcourts line-up because of an ankle injury and she admitted watching from the sidelines was a nail-biting experience.
"All credit to Makoura, they played out of their skins," Watson said.
"They shut down our normal game plan and we started to hold on to the ball too long and lose confidence in each other. But we hung in there and somehow got up ... it was a great final."
Makoura College coach Dayle Clarkson was "absolutely rapt" with her side's performance.
"Honestly I couldn't have asked for anything more, it was poles apart from any of their other games this season.
"They rose to the occasion magnificently, I'm just so very proud of them."
Clarkson also paid tribute to the stickability of Harcourts, saying they were a team who had the experience and skill to keep battling away even when things seemed to be going against them.
"They are a tough team, no doubt about that."
Results of other finals played on Saturday were:
Premier reserve: Carterton New World Red 38, Hellz Hot Shots 37.
Premier two: St Matthew's Junior A 33, Hiona 20.
Premier three: Carterton New World Misfits 28, Pioneer Red 13.
Premier four: Wairarapa College Red 21, Wairarapa College B2 17.
Senior A: Masterton Flames 32, Greytown Gold 31.
Senior reserve: St Matthew's Junior Red 15, Wairarapa College Intermediate B 14.