EAST Gambier was no match for the Western Border netball reigning premiers Millicent which proved it is once again favourite to win the title come September.
The Bulldogs would have planned to start well and while the first five minutes was a strong contest with East forcing Millicent into errors and staying close on the scoreboard.
The scoreline at quarter time saw the Bulldogs 11 goals in arrears and they never really recovered.
Hayley Dunn was the main destroyer as she hunted the interception everywhere in the goal third, blocked a number of East passes and generally wreaked havoc with her defensive smarts and pressure.
Were it not for the accurate finishing from Tenille Gray in the opening stanza, the scoreboard could have looked worse.
The Bulldogs were starved of opportunity, despite the hard running from Tarsh McCallum and Gray’s strength on the take and accurate shooting.
East did swing a surprise move on the reigning premiers, starting Morgan Amy at wing attack to make use of her strength in the air, as well as giving teenager Tyne Bosko the start on Audine Bryant.
In the second quarter the new look line-up appeared to settle.
Defensively Bo Creek and Brenna McKay were able to again create turnovers, while Gray became even more of a focal point, finding the back space with ease and converting well.
Her drives into the circle were well timed and allowed McCallum and Amy to find easier access to the star goal attack and by the main break the deficit had only extended by one and the Bulldogs were in the clash, had settled and were ready to make inroads in the third.
But that challenge never came, as Millicent’s attack line really started to use their speed and the speed of ball to carve their way through the Bulldogs defence, with Keah Lynch especially damaging with her pace.
Bryant also started to exert her influence and her long range delivery to Denton under the post started to become an all too regular feature.
At the other end, Dunn again conjured turnovers as she refused to allow any easy ball into the goal third and Madi Turner also picked up a couple of critical touches as the lead blew out to 25, with Denton’s accurate finishing, as always, a feature.
The last quarter followed a similar script and the final margin of 33 would have disappointed the Bulldogs, who should be fine tuning ahead of what looms as a challenging clash with South before a final minor round contest with West, who they will also face the following weekend in the cut throat semi final.
Creek never stopped trying despite the impossible task of containing Denton, while McCallum ran hard both ways, as she always does.
Denton and Lynch were in imperious form as a shooting duo for the Saints, while Dunn is at her best leading into the finals and Bryant and Lisa Duldig continue to dominate the mid court.
Final score: Millicent 78 d East Gambier 45
PROVING its 2017 Western Border netball form, North Gambier claimed a resounding 40-goal victory over Casterton Sandford at Island Park.
Young Tiger Ellie Gould returned to the court at the weekend after a week of resting a troublesome ankle and she did so in style.
The North goal attack put in a best-on-court performance in North’s comprehensive 40-goal win over the Cats.
As the Tigers fine-tune for the finals, there was little not to like about North’s game.
Gould used her timing on the front cut to perfection and boldly attacked the post at every opportunity, while Caroline Davey put in another stunning performance, continuing her strong positioning and accurate finishing.
North’s mid court delivered the ball with precision, while at the other end, the defensive pressure was intense with Mel Renko continuing to not only shut down opponents, but also to play a key role in transition through the centre third.
The Cats were tenacious as always with Scarlett Jarrad, arguably the most consistent Cat in 2017, again working overtime to influence the contest with and without ball in hand, while Madalene
Cleary continued to present and made the most of her limited scoring opportunities.
Plagued by injury and player unavailability, Casterton Sandford will be looking for the finish line in 2017.
The Tigers face reigning premiers Millicent and then South in the lead up to a finals series where they loom as the team most likely to challenge the Saints.
Final score: North Gambier 71 d Casterton Sandford 31
WEST Gambier’s Western Border netball finals preparation hit a snag at the weekend with an unexpected loss to South Gambier.
Missing Carlee Davey, the Roos started Hannah Witherow on the attacking wing.
On the other hand, the Demons began with what has become its starting line-up over the past month.
It was the home side that got the better of the opening term, building an early four goal lead built on some good defensive pressure from Zoe Duncan, Alyce Mourbey and Alannah Campbell.
Imogen Walker also loomed large with her work on the drive, while Tilah Buckingham found good space in the circle.
Both sides generated a similar amount of scoring opportunities, but the superior accuracy of the young South shooting combination ensured the lead remained four at the first change.
West reconfigured its mid court at the first change with experienced campaigner Carly Trevilyan moving into the middle, Witherow to the defensive wing – where she has played in her other A Grade appearances this year – and Olivia McEvoy took the wing attack bib.
Trevilyan provided good drive, while Tahlia Earl and Lisa McGregor started to find better ball in good shooting position.
The improved output from the West forward line was matched by Nicole Butler and Amy Cram tightening the scores a little at the opposite end to create some turnover ball.
It saw the fourth-ranked Roos draw level by the main break and were it not for good conversion from Buckingham and Walker, from more limited opportunities, the second quarter damage could have been worse.
The third quarter was a real arm wrestle with both teams struggling to find any real fluency in offence.
McGregor showed good composure to convert six-from-seven for the quarter, but West just could not shake off the determined Demons and scores were still locked away at the final change.
South came out of the blocks firing and reeled off the first seven goals of the quarter and in the end that proved pivotal.
Both teams attracted a high level of whistle in the frenetic final quarter and the error rate was also high.
Walker was again prominent after being forced from the court with a leg injury in the third, giving Australian softball representative Georgia Hood her first run in A Grade, earning plenty of ball and in the end South was able to generate more scoring opportunities and finished with a four-goal victory.
Walker and Buckingham showed good composure against the defensive nous of Cram and Butler, while Campbell and Mourbey created a lot of turnover ball, especially with their ability to compete in the air.
For the Roos, Earl presented hard all day with some good work on the hold and strong timing on the move, while McEvoy delivered the ball with precision.
West will now look to iron out the wrinkles in the lead up to its clash with Casterton Sandford before a final round clash with East Gambier, which will also be a rehearsal for the first semi final the following weekend.
South takes on East and would hope to take its good form into the contest and maybe rattle another finals contender on the eve of the major round.
Final score: South Gambier 41 d West Gambier 37
