NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT and LIAM DURKIN

 

Gippsland League

GIPPSLAND League netball got back into things after the league bye at the weekend.

Maffra hosted an undefeated Moe, and were well beaten 82 to 33.

The Eagles were perhaps saved greater defeat by the fact the Lions were without goal attack Georgia Moody, her sister and wing attack Alex, and goal keeper Emma Sculley.

Ramayer Gourley shot 60 goals under the post, while Olivia Barnett also played well for the winners.

The Lions used the mismatch as an opportunity to trial some players in different positions, and also get court time into the reserves.

Meg Morris, Rachael Blackshaw, Alyssa Anderson and Maddy Rhode all came up from B Grade, while Charlize Bird was thrown into goal attack.

Bird slotted a couple of goals, eliciting huge cheers from the sidelines.

Matilda Pengergast, Chloe Felsbourg and Zali Wheatley battled hard for Maffra.

Over in Drouin, the Hawks defeated Traralgon, 49-42, to move to third on the ladder.

Drouin were down by three goals at halftime before they knuckled down and held their opposition to just 16 in the second.

It was an even spread on the score sheet, with Karina Proctor top-scoring with 22 goals, Stacie Gardiner with 16, and Brooke de Riter with 11 for the victors.

Grace Van Tilburg had 20 goals, along with Sophie Lecchino and Cassidy Smith with 13 and nine respectively for Traralgon.

Warragul trampled Morwell, 41-72 on the Tigers’ home court.

Emma Ryde dropped 67 goals for all but five of Warragul’s score, and was virtually unstoppable, even for a player the calibre of Morwell defender Courtney Garth.

Chloe Radford, Isabella Bettridge and Anna Solomon were best for the Tigers, although such a result could well spell the end of an era for the 2022 premier.

Leongatha bested Sale, 58-36, as the Parrots make the slow climb back into the top five.

Sale hung in after being down by eight goals at halftime before the Parrots put their foot down and notched 22 goals to eight to finish it off.

The one-two punch of Mikaeli Hilliar and Kate Browne (33 goals and 25 goals each) tipped in every single score for the Parrots, while Kate Van der Voort had 30 goals for Sale.

In Bairnsdale, the Redlegs downed Wonthaggi in a five-goal win edging past the Power narrowly in the final quarter.

The match had just a one-goal difference until three quarter time time, before Bairnsdale outscored Wonthaggi 15-11 to close it out.

Anna Mooney had 29 goals, supported by Sally Deller with 20, while Wonthaggi’s Chelsea Bowman top-scored with 27.

 

Mid Gippsland

MID GIPPSLAND action saw Boolarra slip by Stony Creek, 35-33 in Round 7, giving them their fourth win of the year to sit just outside a finals position.

Jaclyn Price starred for the Demons with 22 goals, while Melissa Blackshaw and Tayleisha Johnstone downed 19 goals and 14 goals respectively for the Lions.

Newborough defeated Tarwin 50-36 to even up their season with a win-loss of 3-3.

Demi Caldow finished with 28 goals alongside Caitlin Demczuk’s 22 to get the job done for the Bulldogs.

Yinnar finished Mirboo North off 58-37, to slot in at second on the ladder and keep the Tigers outside the top six.

Skye McDonald notched 35 goals and is now 13 goals clear of the league-leading goal shooting, while teammate Claire Thorburn recorded 23 goals.

MDU record another victory, their sixth unanswered to start the year, defeating Toora, 48-36.

Alahna Arnason had 27 goals supported by Lillyca White’s 21 for the winners.

Fish Creek demolished Thorpdale 79-15, as the Kangaroos continue to set the competition on fire.

Jessica Edgar had a monster 48 goals, along with 23 goals from Lara Stefani for Fish Creek.

Morwell East and Foster had the bye.

 

North Gippsland

ROUND 7 of North Gippsland netball saw Heyfield move to a win-loss record of 6-0 after a 13-goal win over Traralgon Tyers United on the road.

Woodside got a hold of Glengarry 72-47 at home, which moves the Wildcats to fourth on the ladder, and drops the Magpies out of the top five.

Yallourn Yallourn North defeated Yarram, 48-40 in Yarram, for their second win of the season. The Demons are still yet to get a win on the board.

Churchill travelled and bested Cowwarr 46-35, moving the Cougars to 4-1 and into third position.

Sale City thrashed Gormandale 75-29 at Stephenson Park to remain undefeated and top of the league.