NORTH Gambier and East Gambier have faced off in the past three Western Border netball A Grade preliminary finals and this year it was again the Bulldogs who advanced.
North prevailed in 2015 in that epic double-overtime final, East secured a grand final berth last year with a one-goal victory and so the stage was set for another nailbiter at McLaughlin Park on Saturday.
The minor round results suggested it would be tight for some of the contest, but the Tigers would eventually gain the ascendancy and secure the win.
That notion was challenged even before the first whistle sounded with experienced mid courter Amanda O’Shaughnessy ruled out with illness, placing Sarah Edwards in her third game of the day running the centre.
The final margin of four goals in favour of East was the largest of the day, with North enjoying that at one stage during the opening quarter as well.
It is hard to deny the influence of Tenille Gray, who played her best game for the season and netted 35-from-36.
Gray worked hard up the court to be an outlet for her defensive team mates and made strong position in the circle, more than matching it with newly crowned joint best and fairest Lisa Fyfe.
It was also a victory built on defensive pressure with Bo Creek and Brenna McKay denying any easy ball into the Tigers shooting circle and Tarsh McCallum and Tyne Bosko doing the hard yards outside.
It all added up to a hard day at the office for the Tigers, who never seemed to find their “mojo”.
It was North by two at the first change, after East made a late charge to get back in touch.
The second quarter was all about Creek, McKay and Gray.
Caroline Davey was held to only four attempts for the quarter and at the other end, 13-from-13 from Gray saw East go into the main break one-goal clear.
The third quarter was an arm wrestle with both sides creating opportunities to set up small buffers, but neither side could string those two or three goals together.
Mel Renko, Fyfe and Maddie Whaites did create some turnover ball as Creek and McKay also continued to force North into error, but by three-quarter-time, scores were locked away and the stage was set.
For the first half of the final term another overtime final loomed large, but East flicked a switch and created a few turnovers to set up a two goal buffer, which was then extended to four and North was unable to bridge the gap.
Edwards left the court during the last quarter after a heavy fall, with Renko taking the centre bib and Phoebe Douglas joining the fray on the defensive wing.
But all of a sudden the turnover opportunities dried up for North as East played patient possession netball, while at the other end, the need to score quickly saw Creek and McKay able to force the ball over the baseline or take an intercept themselves.
So for the second year in a row the young Bulldogs will look to dethrone the Saints and Saturday will show how much they have learnt from their heavy 2016 loss.
Final score: East 49 d North 45
