Demanding schedule too tough for WHS - March 2015

Wanganui High School had a good start to their netball season, with the wider squad of 12 finishing third at the Super School Invitational tournament at Arena Manawatu on Sunday.

The 14-team field consisted of teams in the top 20 schools at the Lower North Island Secondary School tournament last year, including Wanganui Collegiate.

WHS had a friendly with Sacred Heart College just before the event, winning 24-22, then downed Kapiti College (32-26) and Aotea College (43-27) in pool play.

Coach Lisa Murphy said their last pool match and the semifinals were scheduled for consecutive hours, so they had only a 10-minute turnaround to prepare for Napier Girls High School. The jaded team were beaten 39-25.

WHS then went into the playoff for 3rd/4th and emerged with a 37-28 win over home team Palmerston North Girls High School. Murphy was pleased, considering the team had only one trial game and two training sessions beforehand.

She will have the difficult task of trimming the squad to 10 for the regular season.

Collegiate had key players away due to summer-sport involvement and did not advance out of their pool.