Otane GD Briar Chalmers (left, rear), Huia GS Judy Brown, Otane GK Valentine Kahukura and Huia GA Hannah O'Keefe in a scramble for possession at the PG Arena in Napier. Photo/Paul Taylor
Otane GD Briar Chalmers (left, rear), Huia GS Judy Brown, Otane GK Valentine Kahukura and Huia GA Hannah O'Keefe in a scramble for possession at the PG Arena in Napier. Photo/Paul Taylor
Goal shoots and attacks tend to hang around in circles where it's a prerequisite to be durable, perceptive and uncompromising at all times.
Switch off and there's a propensity for all hell to break loose on the netball court, never mind how well the other chambers of the machinery are firing because that is the stock exchange where the numbers matter and talk becomes cheap when the final buzzer goes.
If round two of the Karamu Holden Super 8 competition is anything to go by then it's fair to surmise when the foragers are humming so are the teams.
Outkast Optimise Physio and All In Tremains Elusive are the only undefeated sides left in the eight-team shield competition after matches at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, on Friday night. They are on eight points but the former has a better goal differential of +23 compared to the latter's +5.
Closer scrutiny reveals there's a good reason why All In goal shoot Pania Rowe is leading the statistics on 93 per cent (75 goals) with Outkast counterpart Rakei Sa'ena in second place (72) on 84 per cent and Hastings High School Old Girls' Proactive Huia goal shoot Judy Brown third on 80 per cent (63).
When the squeaking had subsided on the polished floor of the PG Arena, Huia pipped Otane Thirsty Whale 38-37 in a humdinger, Outkast overwhelmed Havelock North House of Travel Kauri 52-33, All In snuck past defending champions Napier Girls' High School (NGHS) 55-53 while Central Sports Vet Services crushed Hastings Girls' High School (HGHS) 56-31 although the schoolgirls' coach, Denise Aiolupotea, had a starting team with an average age of 15 due to a spate of injuries to three seniors, including captain/NZ development camp member Liana Mikaele Tu'u.
Sa'ena, who amassed 46 goals from 48 attempts for Outkast, said while her individual statistics was flattering the collective one of 71 per cent in the game could be a lot better.
"I have to do other things to get the ball but I like to think my first role is to make sure the ball goes into the hoop," she said, indebted to goal attack Raiha Falcon-Maxwell to take the stress out of shooting, while coach/centre Jeda Bartlett orchestrated the chain gang to link pass after pass to feed the circle.
Outkast captain/centre Jeda Bartlett eclipses Havelock North Kauri counterpart Vanessa Laking in the Super 8 netball match. Photo/Paul Taylor
Injured Sa'ena had to play the entire game while Falcon-Maxwell had stepped up in the absence of starting GA Katie Moodie, who also was injured during training on Wednesday night.
With opposition defenders leaning on them, Sa'ena said it was imperative to have a modicum of cohesiveness with the GA, although they had yet to reach a stage where they had acquired an element of sixth sense.
"In some form you have to have that instinct but, in saying that, on the receiving end, you have to be aware of passes coming," said the Eastern Institute of Technology accounting student who also works part-time as a Māori school administrator.
Sa'ena said it was simply a case of expecting the unexpected but Outkast needed to work on fitness on attack, although she lauded goal defence Amanda Palmer and goal keep Julie Varcoe for the intercepts.
"Because of our [team] low shooting percentage, I'm not sure how well we would have done had they not got all that ball," she said, adding Kate Jefferd came off the bench to ensure the defence was tight.
Huia had settled quicker than win-less Otane to claim the first quarter 12-6, prompting coach Tammy Kupa to shuffle Sara Corbett to centre, Nicole Field to wing attack and Chris Leppien to GS.
Leppien delivered five from five as Otane snuck ahead although a shell-shocked Huia regrouped for a 19-19 halftime score.
Huia coach Rebecca Martin made minor tweaks when play resumed in a second half, where hustles led to missed passes from both sides.
Nevertheless, Huia maintained that edge although midway through the final quarter Otane levelled 33-33.
Captain Brown's goal in the dying seconds ensured Huia weren't going to register two stalemates on the trot. Leppien (77.5 per cent) had a chance to level from a penalty from the edge of the circle but shot wide.
Huia GA Laike Baker backed Brown with 78.6 per cent shooting.
Little separated All In from NGHS as mid courter Parris Petera bolstered the schoolgirls, who trailed 26-27 in the opening spell.
Intercepts were crucial and most proved to be costly with eight of them resulting in goals scored against the centre pass in the third quarter alone although it took an All In blitz to open a 40-36 deficit at the end of that spell.
Rowe's quality surfaced but GA Janaya Lewis shot at 91 per cent (20/22) with nice support from GS Caitlin Smith at 75.6 per cent (31/41) as NGHS took the last quarter 17-15 but not the game.
Central took the opportunity to massage different combinations against HGHS in anticipation of playing All In this Friday.
Outkast wing attack Felicity Potae (left) keeps Havelock North Kauri wing defence Caroline Rowe honest in the Super 8 netball at the PG Arena in Napier. Photo/Paul Taylor
