Netball: Nervous times for Outkast, All In Elusive

Hastings High School Old Girls Huias goal shoot Judy Brown is all attention in dropping another shot at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, last night. Photo/Paul Taylor

It's time to pull out the abacus to start rattling the beads up and down the high-strung wires after the penultimate round of championship matches in Super 8 netball last night.

All In Elusive, slowly but surely, ground down Central Sports Vet Services HB 57-43, Hastings High School Old Girls Proactive Huias won the arm wrestle with defending champions Outkast Optimise Physio, 35-32, and Hastings Girls High School Senior A side broke their duck to pull them out of the running as wooden spooners after a don't-argue 54-38 victory over Hastings High School Old Girls Spicers Keas at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale.

Napier Girls' High School Senior A, in upsetting table-topping Otane Thirsty Whale, 53-40, on Wednesday on the way to waltzing on the dance floor of their annual school ball last night, will fancy a top-four perche before the final round on Friday. Otane retain their top perch and Huias sit below them on equal 20 points.

All In Elusive have leapfrogged Outkast to third place although both sides have 16 points each while NGHS are fifth on 13 points.

However, the Napier schoolgirls will be watching the All In Elusive v Huias and Otane v Outkast games with interest on Friday to see if they create history in making the playoffs in their debut season of a revamped Super 8 from six teams last winter of the premier Hawke's Bay Netball club competition.

That's also because NGHS are playing winless Keas and, based on their previous encounter, should claim victory.

All In and Outkast will have the butterflies although the latter will go on the court feeling they should be able to do the unthinkable against Otane if NGHS can.

It seems Central's campaign is over and they will play for pride.

Huias coach Rebecca Martin was thrilled with her team's start, stunning Outkast with a 14-4, 21-11 and 29-22 statements before the nail-biting finish.

"We're just good," Martin quipped when asked what lit their fuse.

She said it seemed the two-week break did her troops good but, conversely, showed they were a little underdone in their lung capacity in the final quarter.

With wing attack Abby Hall unavailable, Martin said Huias had to try different combinations so it took them a while to settle where everyone got kudos as a team.

Agreeing Otane's stumble was a "shock defeat", she said: "They are beatable. We're off to the pub now."

All In Elusive coach Charissa Barham will no doubt savour the victory after leading 15-12 in the first spell, maintaining that margin, 30-27, in the second before making their intentions clear in the third, 45-35.

However, Barham had to take Natalie Brown to hospital after an ankle injury.

HGHS coach Ina Jones, who took over from Amanda Petera four matches ago because of personal reasons, was delighted with their maiden victory.

"We had a nice win and we really needed to play as a team tonight," said Jones of the Liana Mikaele-Tu'u skippered side.

She singled out goal attack Asher Grapes for her 97 per cent shooting and goal defence Mikaele-Tu'u as they inspired HGHS to 15-11, 28-19, 40-30 in the first three quarters.