Whangarei teams impress with victory and finals spot

MOVING IT: Whangarei year 7 wing attack Hazel Stolz looks to offload during the Howick Pakuranga tournament. PHOTO/JUDY MacDONALD

The future of Whangarei netballers looks to be shining as one representative team won their section and another made the final at the Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre's representative tournament.

While all teams had some wins, the Whangarei Netball Centre's Year 7 team won all their games to win their section outright, with the under-15s making the section final where they lost 24-19 to Waitakere 1.

The Year 8s were runners-up in their section, missing out on playing the final, with two wins and a draw.

The structure of the event last Sunday saw the under-15s and the Year 7s split into three sections, with the Year 9s in two, and the Year 8s in four sections.

Year 7s and 9s played in a round robin within their section and a winner was determined from this, while the Year 8s and under-15s played a round robin and then the winners of the section played the winner of the other section.

Overall the day-long competition was challenging but successful, making another 5.45am start - for the third time in six weeks - well worthwhile.

Four umpires also travelled with the Whangarei teams.

Results

WNC Y7: vs Waiuku Y7, 10-5 win; vs Pukekohe Y7, 15-14 win; vs Howick Pakuranga Y7/2, 18-14 win; vs Auckland Y7/3, 18-16 win.

WNC Y8: vs Rodney Y8, 16-12 win; vs Auckland Y8/3, 10-10 draw; vs Waiuku Y8, 12-10 win.

WNC Y9: vs Waitakere Y9/2, 10-19 loss; vs Mangere Otahuhu Y9, 14-24 loss; vs Waiuku U9, 31-10 win; vs Te Raki Y9, 25-7 win.

WNC U15: vs Waiuku, 28-7 win; vs Rodney U15, 27-4 win; vs Waitakere U15/2, 20-14 win; vs Mangere Otahuhu, 24-16 win. Final: WNC U15 vs Waitakere U15/1, 19-24 loss.