NETBALL - Coach who couldn't lose proud of both sides

Experience paid dividends when Eve Barton's Marist sides battled for the top spots in Whangarei's premier grade netball at Kamo High School.
Marist 1 were up against last year's premiers Marist Combined on Friday night in the first of the pool crossover matches, in search of a championship ranking.
It was always going to be a successful night for Barton, coach of both teams, no matter what the match's outcome.
However, each team gave Barton reason to be proud of them and the 51-38 win to Marist Combined was no reflection of how tight the on-court tussle actually was, she said.
"Marist Combined had a good start but Marist 1 came back - they actually put 10 more shots up but just couldn't convert them," the coach said.
This was partially due to outstanding defence from Combined goal keep Katie Snyman.
"She put plenty of pressure on Marist 1's shooters - when one end was shooting at 50 per cent and the other at 86 per cent [Combined] it was inevitable it would go their way - at the end of the day you need to put the goals away," she said.
The shooting prowess of Nicky Taylor and Sophie Tua was too good for Marist 1.
"They are without a doubt the best shooters in this competition - they've played three seasons together and they understand each other," Barton said.
Centre Jayne Southee was once more the standout for Marist 1 while Davina Cooper worked tirelessly at goal defence and goal keep.
Combined, however, had better vision which secured victory and the top ranking in the premier grade championship, with Marist 1 in second.
It was a tough ask for Whangarei Girls' High School to play Whangarei Old Boys with several of their starting line-up put of action.
Amelia Smith and Sian Telfer were in Auckland with the Northern invitational team contesting the transtasman secondary schools competition, while others were injured or committed elsewhere.
Although coach Hayley Taylor said the schoolgirls, especially those who stepped up from the reserve grade to play premier netball, gained a lot from the game but they were outplayed by the better side.
The 53-27 loss left WGHS ranked fourth and Old Boys third.
At Kensington, Fideliter 1 played Manawanui vying for fifth and sixth position on the ladder, while Fideliter Development were up against Takahiwai, sitting on the bottom rungs.
It was a close battle between Fideliter 1 and Manawanui but Fideliter triumphed 45-38, while Fideliter Development 1 just snuck past Takahiwai to win 44-39 and settled into the preferred seventh rung on the ladder, prior to the promotion-relegation round this weekend.
Fideliter Development and Takahiwai, in eighth position, will play both Kamo High School and Marist Social who finished first and second respectively in the premier reserve championship after playoff matches on Saturday.
Kamo High School need to beat Takahiwai to move up into premier grade while Marist Social will need to defeat both Takahiwai and Fideliter Development to gain a promotion.
Kamo High School play Takahiwai, and Marist Social face Fideliter Development at Whangarei Netball Centre on Saturday at 12.30pm, followed by Kamo against Fideliter Development, and Takahiwai versus Marist Social at 3.15pm.