Wing defence Mae Emmett had a consistent first half with Lexi Williams working hard at goal keeper. Senior players Neveah Blake at centre and Teresa Rennie wing attack combined well. Kaierau took the game 46-24.
The Kaierau team have several new players, and coach Rachel Lynch is excited to see the connections through court start to build.
“I thought Tuahine Hadfield had a strong game at WA, her feeding into the shooters was spot on.”
Mt View Marist A2 had a very closely contested game against Kaiwhaiki A2 in the Premier 2 grade. Kaiwhaiki coach Parekura Cribb coached via video link and managed a win for the girls by two goals. These tight games create exciting viewing and the support from the crowd creates a great atmosphere in our local stadium.
Marist Mint A1 took on Kaiwhaiki A1, 2023 runners-up. Marist played some impressive, consistent netball in the first half, doing the basics well. A solid second quarter resulted in only a two-goal advantage to Kaiwhaiki at half-time.
Basic errors in the second half by Marist allowed Kaiwhaiki to turn that into goals. Marist coach TeOra Nyman was happy with her team’s performance.
“It’s very early in the season with player connections a work-on for Marist. Overall it was an enjoyable game and we can only build on our strengths during the season,” Nyman said.
The final score was 47-33 to Kaiwhaiki.
“It was a great first-half hustle with our Marist A1 whānau,” Kaiwhaiki A1 coach TeRina Peina said.
A new shooting combination of TeReo Paki and Merenia Ratana-Peina was tested and proved a great success. Catherine Nauga returned to the court for 2024, showing a strong defensive and attacking game.
Kahureremoa Aki, Waimanawa Potaka-Osborne-Whanarere and Cara Blake were strong defensively, picking up some great deflections and giving Melini Meo the opportunity to come through and take some clean ball. With a half-time change of shooting combination, TeWhetu o Te Ata Koro came in at goal attack with some great ball placement into her shooter.
Tech A1 spent the first half of their Premier 2 game against Whanganui High School Junior A1 trying to keep up with the fast pace set by the agile youngsters, allowing minor mistakes to creep into their game.
Once they settled and played their own style of netball, they managed to take the win 31-19. High School coach Bailee Kauika felt her girls put out a solid performance against the taller, experienced Tech team, with some impressive defence from Hinehou King-Te Koari and Halo Bishop lifting the girls’ spirits just when needed.
Francesca Cotter also had a good outing, proving to be menacing at wing defence.
“I was extremely proud of the girls for not giving up when things were not going to plan; now we know what needs to be done for next time,” Kauika said.
A solid win for Kaierau Gemini Pepper A2 beating Kaierau Moore Markhams A3, 54-16 in the other Premier 2 match-up. The defensive combination of Mel Waldegrave and Chloe Sherman worked well, creating a number of turnovers that the team consistently capitalised on.
A solid half-time lead allowed them to try different combinations, building confidence going forward. The A3s faced the challenge strongly and showed resilience and determination throughout the game, highlighted by Kiti Tumanako’s impressive debut.
The team fought hard until the final whistle. Coaches Blanche Cloete and Ashleigh Head said the team would re-group and come back stronger in their next match.
Pirates A1 took the win against Whanganui Collegiate A1 with a 10-goal margin in the other Premier 1 game. Despite the absence of two key players, Collegiate coach Elise Niu said her team delivered a positive performance. She took the opportunity to experiment with different player combinations and positions.
“A standout was the exceptional defence showcased by our goalkeeper Niamh Rabbitte, whose efforts were truly impressive,” she said.
A mention must go to the umpires, umpire coaches and bench officials, who volunteer their time each week to make our vibrant competition successful and enjoyable for all.
