Mixed start for school netball sides

Whanganui High School goal defence Kahu Sturmey gets the ball away at the lower North Island secondary schools netball tournament at Laird Park yesterday.

There were mixed results for local sides at the lower North Island secondary schools tournament which got underway at Laird Park yesterday.

The annual secondary schools tournament week is on with Whanganui playing host to the netball.

The five-day tournament features 32 teams in two grades and includes eight local sides.

Cullinane College, Wanganui Collegiate and Whanganui High School are competing in the A grade.

Both WHS and Cullinane have one win from two games each on day one.

WHS beat Heretaunga College 37-18 before falling to Samuel Marsden 24-30.

Meanwhile, Cullinane bounced back from a 21-54 loss to St Mary's Wellington to beat Inglewood High School 34-32.

Wanganui Collegiate beat Feilding High School 27-11 in their early game and had one more to play in the day's final round.

In the B grade, Nga Tawa, Rangitikei College, Wanganui City College, Wanganui Girls College and a Whanganui High School invitational team are the local teams competing.

Nga Tawa had the best day winning both their games; 27-21 against Lytton High School and 46-6 against Awatapu College.

Wanganui City College the only other local side to get a win in the B grade edging out Stratford High School 31-25.

The tournament runs until Friday.