Mangonui U15s prove point in Keri

SPRINGIN INTO ACTION: Mangonui Year 8 GA Tayler Bamber in full flight at the Kerikeri rep tornament last month with teammate Aleesha Ujdur WD watching on.

Mangonui's Year 8 and under-15 sides represented their centre with distinction at the Barfoot & Thompson Representative Tournament in Kerikeri at the end of June.

The Mangonui U15s' first game in the Sunday, June 28, event saw them lose narrowly to the older and more experienced Bay of Islands U17s in the U15/17 division (combined due to a lack of under 17 teams).

Following a good warm-up, Mangonui started strongly winning the first three quarters in a close and exciting game where both teams had a point to prove and gave it their all, but Bay of Islands scored the matchwinner in the dying seconds to take the a very narrow win 21 - 20.

Mangonui U15s' second and third games saw victories over Hibiscus Coast U15s and Bay of Islands U15s, 26-11 and 25-15 respectively, while the final game against Whangarei U15 proved another nail-biter, a close and exciting game with lots of skill displayed from both sides to finish a 21-all draw.

Coaches Denise Pure and manager Lee Gamble were both proud and pleased with the team's workrate and performance throughout the tournament (particularly against the older opposition in the first match), and gave a big thank you to umpire Renee Walters Price and the parents who travelled and supported the team: "The players seemed to lift their game having their parents there to support and encourage them."

The Mangonui Year 8 girls had a strong start to their tournament, winning the first two games against Northern Wairoa and Bay Of Islands with strong defence and lethal shooting. Eventual Year 8 division winners Whangarei proved too strong in the next match, winning by a considerable margin, as did Kerikeri in the following match, as well as the Hibiscus Coast in the side's final clash on the day which turned in a goal-for-goal encounter.

Mangonui Year 8 coach Tunisia Robson was proud of all her girls for the improvement they had shown, and the manner in which they worked together in different combinations, and said she was looking forward to meeting some of their opponents again at the Whangarei tournament in August.

On behalf of the team's management, Robson also thanked Annie Pivac for umpiring all the side's games, along with the Mangonui Netball Centre association for all their support.

Denise Pure said it was a beautiful day and both Mangonui teams thoroughly enjoyed their games and the competition.

"The teams always look forward to playing at Kerikeri which has the best venue and courts facilities in the Far North."

- A report from organisers of the Kerkeri Netball Centre's inaugural rep tournament - which featured sides from Hibiscus Coast, Whangarei, Bay Of islands, Mangonui and Kerikeri - featured in last Thursday's edition.