NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

Gippsland League

ROUND 8 of Gippsland League netball was displayed a fascinating collections of games that both reaffirmed the sides aiming their sights deeper and beyond the home and away season, as well as gave hope to those teams sitting idly just outside of that elite bracket.

Morwell secured their third win on the year, beating Sale on their home court in an entertaining 40-38 duel that now puts the Tigers just one game back of fifth, just behind Wonthaggi and Bairnsdale.

The Tigers held on, off of the back of an exceptional first half that has them up by 11 goals before the Magpies rallied in the last stretch and kept the visitors to just 11 goals total in the last half. Yet it still wasn’t enough.

Tiffany Boatman led the Tigers’ charge with 28 goals with assistance from Isabella Bettridge who scored 13, whilst Sale had Kate Van der Voort score 28 goals and Tash Bedggood with 10.

Moe remain undefeated after a 64-54 showdown against Warragul on the Gulls’ Western Park Court.

The reigning A Grade premiers led by just one goal at the end of the third quarter before keeping Warragul to their lowest quarter score of the day at nine goals, compared to the Lions’ finish of 18 goals.

The two-headed monster of Ramayer Gourley and Georgia Moody converted on all of the Lions’ score with 36 and 28 goals respectively.

All while Emma Ryde continues her dominance over the competition with 50 of the Gulls’ 53-goal score line, to sit comfortably atop of the league goal scorers list at 371 goals, whilst Gourley sits second with 336 goals despite the extra game played.

Moe obviously sit clear top of the ladder, while Warragul ties with Drouin for second with a 6-2 record.

Traralgon demolished the bottom-placed Eagles, 79-26, which puts the Maroons fourth on the ladder.

The Maroons had an even scoring load in the blowout that included 38 goals from Grace Van Tillburg, 23 from Sophie Lecchino and 18 from best-on-court performer, Cassidy Smith.

Bairnsdale, away from home, edged by Leongatha in a two-goal win, 46-44, as the Redlegs make the climb back into the top five.

The Parrots led at every turn, and were up as much as five goals at three quarter time before Bairnsdale outscored Leongatha 17-10 in the final term to secure the win.

Anna Mooney led the Redlegs with 24 goals to accompany Sally Deller’s 21, while Mikaeli Hilliar dropped 26 goals for the Parrots alongside Kate Browne with 17.

Drouin downed Wonthaggi, 51-44, as the fourth of five winners of the round to win away and to keep the Hawks on steady pace amongst the top three of the competition.

The winners kept a short distance from the Power never managing to keep them off their back completely despite outscoring them at every break besides a drawn third quarter.

Charlize Traumanis had 28 goals for Drouin along with 20 from Stacie Gardiner, while Chelsea Bowman notched 17 goals for Wonthaggi.

 

Mid Gippsland

IN Mid Gippsland netball, Boolarra took down Toora, 51-46, to put themselves back in the finals bracket via percentage at 4-3 on the year.

Despite trailing by five goals at three quarter time, the resilient Demons group outscored the Magpies 19-10 in the winning quarter that included 5 unanswered goals from Lara Noblett early on in the term to give Boolarra the lead.

Noblett scored 27 total goals to lead the Demons to victory alongside 12 goals each from Jaclyn Price and Rahni Wissmer, whereas Toora’s Brittany Roffey had 25 goals.

Meeniyan Dumbalk United (MDU) remain undefeated with seven wins on the trot after narrowly avoiding Newborough, 46-42.

The Demons’ Alahna Arnason led with 24 goals whilst league-leading goal scorer, Lillyca White, finished with 22 goals to now put her to 160 goals on the season.

The Bulldogs’ Demi Caldow starred with 25 goals in Attack and Caitlin Demczuk finished with 17 goals.

MDU are now two games clear of first spot over Yinnar in second, while Newborough drop out of the top six now sitting at 3-4.

Foster beat Stony Creek, 46-27, to move to fifth on the ladder and drops the Lions to the lowest of the sides that have won a game (above Tarwin and Thorpdale).

The Tigers’ Ella Rendell had 29 goals along with 17 goals from Brylee Angwin, whilst Melissa Blackshaw had 17 goals for Stony Creek.

Fish Creek checked Tarwin, 60-29, to place third on the ladder heading into the league bye as the Sharks reaming winless.

Jessica Edgar top-scored for the Kangaroos with 39 goals and Tarwin’s Kate McCracken had 18 goals.

Yinnar smacked Thorpdale, 75-28, to put themselves to 5-1 on the year while the Blues have lost their first eight games.

Mirboo North and Morwell East had the bye.

 

North Gippsland

NORTH Gippsland in Round 8 displayed some exceptional games just as they prepare for their league-wide bye.

In the battle of first verse second, Sale City remain undefeated at 7-0 vanquishing Heyfield, 45-42, behind impressive play from Isla McCarthy.

Churchill defeated Woodside, 58-50, putting the Cougars to 6-1 on the year and into third position on the ladder while the Wildcats remain in fourth slot tied at 4-3 with TTU.

Rosedale snuck by Glengarry, 48-46, on the Magpies’ home court to equal them both at three wins and just outside of the top five.

Gormandale and Yallourn Yallourn North drew 47-apiece just as the Jets were trying to relinquish themselves from the bottom four on the ladder, and as the Tigers’ pushed for the second win of the year.

Cowwarr comfortably beat Yarram, 59-30, to give the Saints’ their second win on the year and continues the Demons cold streak of seven straight losses to start the season.

Traralgon Tyers United had the bye.