St Matthews hammer Harcourts by 26 goals

St Matthew's Collegiate coach Jo McKenzie always had high hopes her team could upset previously unbeaten Harcourts in the grand final of Netball Wairarapa's premier one competition at the Genesis Recreation Centre on Saturday night but their 49-23 winning margin surprised even her.
Having watched her side lose by one goal and three goals respectively in their previous two clashes with Harcourts, McKenzie was anticipating another cliff-hanger of a game with little separating the two teams at the final whistle.
"I always thought we could win but by 26 goals & no way in the world did I ever think that would happen," McKenzie said.
In fact, McKenzie admits to be a "little worried" on Friday night about the effect a hectic programme the previous five days at the Lower North Island secondary schoolgirls tournament at Taita would have on her side 24 hours later
St Matthew's finished a very creditable eighth in the A section of that tourney and by its end the strain was starting to show on her squad.
"By Friday night they were a pretty exhausted bunch and I did wonder then if they could get back up for the final," she said.
McKenzie's concerns were soon allayed, however, as right from the opening whistle St Matthew's called the tune. Within minutes they had raced out to an 8-2 lead and at the end of the first quarter they were ahead 14-5.
Conscious of the need to ensure tiredness did not become a factor as the game progressed, McKenzie made changes to her playing personnel as each new quarter commenced and St Matthew's continued to dominate the action right through the court.
"I know there is a risk factor when you keep making changes but all the girls had plenty of game time at Taita and I knew we could do it without hurting the overall effort," McKenzie said. "And it was something we hadn't tried against Harcourts before so it kept them guessing too."
A big plus for St Matthew's was the accuracy of their shooters with Sophie Ross, Rosie Broughton and Leanna Tiapa all having a conversion rate of over 83 per cent.
And also important was the discipline they showed in a game controlled by two leading Wellington umpires.
"We pretty well knew from tournament what the umpires from down there would expect and we planned along those lines," McKenzie said.
Three of the winning St Matthew's line-up, Ashley McDougall, Harriet Somerville and Sophie Ross, were part of the last team from that school to win the premier one title in 2004 with all three having played over 120 games in the St Matthew's colours.
For them Saturday night's win was extra special as they are among six of the team who will be leaving St Matthew's at the end of this year.
The full St Matthew's squad was: Sophie Ross, Rosie Broughton, Leanna Tiapa, Amelia Smith, Sally Mitchell, Paige Drummond, Harriet Somerville, Jorja Bramley, Jesse Smith, Ashley McDougall.
For Harcourts the grand final result is the only blot on a season which has seen them continue their dominant form of previous years. They had one of those games where no matter how hard they tried they just couldn't get any consistency into their performance.
Other finals resulted:-
Premier one reserve: Wairarapa College 43, Salute Greytown 39.
Premier two: St Matthew's senior B 26, Wairarapa College Intermediate A 25.
Premier three: Carterton Masters 27, Celtic 21.
Premier four: East Coast 24, Carterton Social 23.
Senior A: Wairarapa College Junior A 23, Wairarapa College Intermediate B 22
Senior reserve: Featherston 14, Masterton Flames 13.
Senior B: Solway Junior A 21, Kuranui Junior A 17.
Senior C: Wairarapa College Senior Reserve 3 11, St Matthews Junior C 10.
Senior D: Wairarapa College Icons 26, Wairarapa College Ihugz 18.