WHS A1 Netball top of class
Phillips Electrical Whanganui High School A1 has the easier path to the final of the Netball Whanganui Premier competitions after maintaining its unbeaten run this season.
The four semifinalists were found after the last night of round robin play on Monday with WHS A1 just getting up 43-39 over Kaierau A1, while Kaierau A2 nudged out Mere Te Aroha with a 44-41 victory.
Competition leaders WHS A1 will now play fourth placed Kaierau A2 in next week semifinal, while Kaierau A1 will tough it out against defending champions Kaiwhaiki A1.
Kaierau A2 coach Mandy Gedye was delighted her girls have made the semifinal in their first foray into A1 competition after winning last season's A2 championship.
"It was close, only three points in it on Monday against Mere Te Aroha, but we achieved our goal of making top four," Gedye said.
"The score was up and down throughout the end of the third quarter when we gained the lead and managed to keep it until the final whistle. We are in the semifinal where anything can happen, although we are up against high school."
WHS A1 coach Lisa Murphy said there was still work to be done before next week's semi despite the unbeaten run that extends to the Manawatu secondary schools Saturday competition.
"We beat St Peter's 47-16 in our first game of Top Four in the Palmy competition and then Kaierau A1 here on Monday to put us into the semifinals," Murphy said.
"We talk about complacency creeping in all the time, so hopefully that won't be an issue.
"We still have stuff to work on and while we may appear to have the easier path to the finals playing Kaierau A2 next week, anything can happen - it's semifinals netball.
"Monday's game was a full team effort and I was pleased with got off the a really good start winning the first quarter 18-6. We kept the pressure on and by the end of the second quarter we were up 29-17 before the errors started to creep in."
WHS A1 took their foot off the throat of Kaierau A1 in the third quarter allowing the multiple champions to make up ground to finish 37-29 behind.
"While we made a few errors we managed to hold the lead until the end winning narrowly 43-39."
Murphy was forced to rest usual starting wing defence Teagan Tapa after she rolled an ankle in last Saturday's game against St Peter's.
"I replaced Teagan with Mikayla Heka and she played an absolute blinder. Teagan should be okay to play next week, though."
Kaierau A1 coach Walter Edmonds was happy with his team's comeback after yet another slow start on Monday.
"It was quite scary to be honest being down 18-6 at the end of the first quarter," Edmonds said.
"This was the first time since I have coached Kaierau A1 that we have been down by more than five goals. It immediately put us into chasing mode and it was pleasing to see how the girls kept chipping away to catch-up. We play Kaiwhaiki in our semifinal next week and that won't be easy."
By Iain Hyndman
Whanganui Chronicle 31/7/19