WHS & Kaierau continue dominance
THE TOP four from the end of last season are beginning to sort themselves out with the points table in the Premier 1 Wanganui Netball Championship almost a mirror image of last year after three rounds.
Phillips Electrical Wanganui High School and Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau remain unbeaten and are on the maximum 9 points, while Mint Cafe Marist are third with 6 points after winning two of the three matches played.
Wanganui Athletic Sports have sneaked into fourth place after winning their first game of the season on Monday night with two bonus points over the three matches making all the difference.
An extremely slick looking Kaierau continued their domination of the competition with a 65-25 thrashing of 7th placed New World Taihape. Kaierau won every quarter (18-8, 33-16, 48-19, 65-25) to leave Taihape reeling.
Coach Marama Cameron said consistent, skilful netball and speed through the court were major factors in Kaierau's unbeaten run.
"From a coaching perspective, consistency and the fast-paced style we can play is very satisfying. But defence is also crucial and Melissa Crothers was magnificent. She played three-quarters at GD and a quarter at GK where she had 10 rebounds and seven intercepts," Cameron said.
WA Sports registered its first win of the competition 44-36 against Cullinane after drawing even at the first quarter break. WA Sports then led the remainder of the match (10-10, 29-17, 44-36, 59-53) to end three weeks of frustration.
"Well, we managed a win this week," WA Sports coach Trish Anstis said with a satisfied grin.
"After the last couple of weeks losing by small margins, we started better this week settling into work quicker, not so many turnovers. Cullinane kept with us, the score at the end of the first quarter 10-10.
"In the second quarter we came out strong with the whole team working hard to pressure Cullinane into errors. This possession was treasured with the scoreline edging out to 29-17 at halftime. Cullinane are a nice team who never give up, so they stuck to their task and kept coming at us."
Even though Cullinane won the second half, Anstis was particularly pleased with how her girls dug deep, stayed composed and finished off.
"It was a full team effort from all nine players who took to the court. Stevie Rowan had her best game of the season, she's growing with each game. It's Stevie's first season back after about eight years away from netball," Anstis said.
Marist built progressively to lead every quarter against Kaiwhaiki and finish comfortably (11-9, 18-12, 30-22, 40-26), but it was the WHS v Mere Te Aroha that was the match-up of the night with only one point separating them.
It was a cautious start from both sides with the youthful WHS nudging ahead 8-6 at the first quarter break. GD Kahurangi Sturmey was damaging on defence until meeting her demise three minutes into the second quarter with an ankle injury.
The experienced Mere Te Aroha side took full advantage of the change and shot out to lead 14-9, but the school girls chipped away with a few three goal runs to level at 20-all by half-time. Everything was still tied up at 34-all going into the final quarter.
Fourteen-year-old, Year 10 student Montel Vaiao Aki was the best of the shooters netting 33 from 43 to finish on 77 per cent. This is only her third game at Premier One level and she was up against one of the best in the business in former WHS student Kelera Kuruyabaki at GK and will be a force to be reckoned with as the competition progresses.
WHS coach Lisa Murphy said she was proud of her young side's ability to remain composed and not buy into MTA's pace.
"We played some nice safe netball, especially after Kahu [Sturmey] went off injured, I moved Kristin Thompson to GD and brought in Anastasia Tamaniyaga to GK and they played very well for young players up against an experienced lot. Kristin is only Year 10 and while Anastasia is Year 13 it is her first time playing at this level.
"It was a very physical game, but my girls held up well, especially Montel [Aki], She is young, but tall and handled the physical nature of the game."
MTA had seven more attempts at goal (46 from 71) than WHS (47 from 64). MTA coach Deshannon Matthews said it came down to who wanted the win most on the night.
"I take my hat off to those young High School girls. They wanted it more than we did on the night," Matthews said.
"When you're playing at this level mindset is crucial and it all depends how you are feeling on the night. It was a close game with only one point in it, but we will go back to the drawing board. While it may still be early days every match counts."
Premier 1 takes a break during Queen's Birthday weekend and returns on June 13.
(Wanganui Chronicle 2/6/16)