Whāngārā to have two tilts at Gisborne Premier title

The upcourt path of Whāngārā Old Girls midcourter Summer Marama-Kingi is blocked by YMP's Ata Mangu in a Round 1 Premier Grade netball game on the Victoria Domain Courts. Both sides are once again title contenders in 2024 and have been joined in the grade by history-making newcomers OG Whāngārā - the first time the Whāngārā club have had two teams at this level. Photo / Paul Rickard

For the first time in its history, the Whāngārā club will have two teams competing in the Premier Grade of Gisborne senior netball.

Old Girls Whāngārā have joined defending champions Whāngārā Old Girls (1) in the top grade after a win and a loss in the Challenge Round that concluded on Saturday.

Character Roofing YMP - YMP’s No.2 team - retained their premier division spot after two Challenge victories, as did Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A after a win and a loss.

The Gisborne Netball Centre grading committee met Saturday afternoon to review results from the Challenge Round matches and determine the grade formats for the remaining competition rounds of the season.

Some great, hard-fought games were played, and the committee considered many options before confirming its decision.

It decided on seven teams for the Premier Grade, the same as in 2023.

East Coast Roofing OG Whāngārā earned a promotion from Premier Reserve.

Steve Craill Ngātapa, the other team involved in Premier/Premier Reserve Challenge games, will remain in Premier Reserve.

The committee wanted to retain six teams in the Prem Reserve to ensure the most development opportunities for teams at the top levels, so TR Builds Horouta Taimana retained their position in the grade after a three-goal win over Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit.

Sportsfit earned promotion to Prem Reserve while the sixth position was filled by promoted First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B because of the clear top two ranking from Round 1 games.

For the remaining 23 teams in the competition, the priority was to ensure every grade had the best possible competition for the season.

The remainder of the grades have been restructured.

A Reserve grade has been removed, with teams placed accordingly for the new A Grade and First Grade.

The Premier/Premier Reserve Challenge matches on Saturday were won by YMP (2) and GGHS Snr A.

YMP (2) beat OG Whāngārā 49-45. They were in control at 15-8 and 26-18 ahead after the first two quarters but OG Whāngārā fought back strongly to trail by only three goals (33-30) into the last quarter.

GGHS Snr A pipped Steve Craill Builder Ngātapa 51-50 in a thriller. The students led 12-6 and 23-22, and the score was tied 35-all at the break.

As it was on Wednesday night, these games were hotly contested.

All teams had good passages of play and the wins could have gone either way as depicted in the quarter scores.

The Premier Reserve/A Grade Challenge honours went to TR Builds Taimana 31-28 over Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit.

The A Grade/A Reserve Challenge game was won by Pioneer over YMP Hine Whakato 25-21.

Other results - A Reserve/1st Grade: OBM Blue 35 Campion Sen A 17.

First Grade/1st Reserve: Claydens Waikohu Social B 25 Ūawa Ngarangikahiwa 15.

First Reserve/2nd Grade: TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa 35 Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 21.

The composition of grades for the 2024 season is

Premie: Claydens Waikohu (1), Turanga FM YMP, TR Builds Horouta Koura, WhāngārāOld Girls (1), Character Roofing YMP, East Coast Roofing OG Whāngārā, GGHS Snr A.

Prem Reserve: Steve Craill Builder Ngātapa, Aorangi Contracting HSOG, Claydens Waikohu P2, TR Builds Horouta Taimana, Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit,

First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B.

A Grade: Claydens Waikohu (2), Whalis, Pioneer, YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato, GGHS Jnr A, Gisborne Glass Ngatapa.

First Grade: Tyre General Ngātapa, OBM Blue, Campion Snr A, Smash Palace Sportsfit, Whāngārā Paikea, Claydens Waikohu Social A, Claydens Waikohu Social B.

First Reserve: Ūawa Ngarangikahiwa, Pirates, Allwood Enterprises HSOG, Tatapouri Sportsfit GCs, TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa.

Second Grade: Tatapouri Sportsfit Social, OBM OG, YMP Manawanui, Newman & Newman Ngatapa, GGHS Tuakana.