Lytton good test for Waikohu,Girls’ High keen to continue team development

EYES ON THE BALL: Waikohu wing attack Atlee Wainohu receives a pass in a game against Gisborne Girls’ High School. Wainohu and her teammates can expect a good workout against Lytton tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

CLAYDENS Waikohu get a final chance tomorrow to fine-tune their play ahead of the premier-grade netball playoffs next week and their opponents will give them the workout they need.

The Waikohu-Lytton Senior A clash at 11am will be the last game in the round-robin before the top-four and bottom-four playoffs next week.

In the other game tomorrow, Farmlands Ngatapa take on Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A.

Lytton have come on in leaps and bounds in the past month with a win and three bonus-point losses since early July.

They lifted the intensity of their play considerably in those games and the accuracy of their feeding into ace shooter Manaia Hutana has paid off.

They will be well primed to give Waikohu a good game tomorrow.

“We are looking forward to it and by no means will we take them cheaply,” Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said.

“The Lytton girls have improved so much and we expect a really tough game, which is just what we need going into the top-four.

“It will also be a chance to try out a few more combinations as part of our preparations for next week.”

Lytton played with a lot more control against Girls’ High last Saturday, something that pleased coach Ronnie Martin.

She had wanted to see them finish stronger after narrow three- and four-goal losses to Horouta, Ngatapa and defending champion Whangara Old Girls.

She wants to see them continue down that growth path tomorrow but how much control Waikohu let them play with remains to be seen.

As much as the game will benefit Waikohu, it should also help the students hone their skills ahead of the bottom-four playoffs.

They would not be without a chance of a sixth- or even fifth-place finish, such has been their improvement.

In the other game tomorrow morning, at 9am, Ngatapa should be too strong for Girls’ High.

However, as has been said several times by coaches this season, “the school teams can be so unpredictable”.

While Girls’ High have not developed to the same degree as Lytton, there have been more positive signs recently.

They gave their arch-rivals a good contest last Saturday, and deserve credit, given their issues with injuries and player availability.

Ngatapa come off a hard-fought contest against High School Old Girls last Saturday and will be determined to finish the round-robin strongly.

“We want to pick up where we left off against High School Old Girls,” Ngatapa co-coach Rochelle Somerton said.

“Our timing through the court and shooting will be our main areas of focus.

“Girls’ High have picked up and we will not take them lightly.”

The students’ coach, Dianah Foley, was rapt with their work rate and competitive performance against Lytton. She will want the same attitude tomorrow.