Wimmera netball feast on offer
Wimmera Netball Association A Grade finals are poised to lift another level this weekend with huge games scheduled in Ararat and Dimboola.
The courts at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval on Saturday will provide the setting for a clash of the titans between minor premiers Warrack Eagles and Horsham.
The following day, fans will watch the drama unfold in a first semi-final under the gums at Dimboola featuring last year’s grand-final protagonists Horsham Saints and MinyipMurtoa.
The games represent a mouth-watering feast of high-level sporting entertainment.
Premiership favourites Warrack Eagles come off the sidelines to play a Horsham side fresh from scoring a consolidating qualifying-final win against Minyip-murtoa.
It’s one-all between the Eagles and Demons so far this year, the Eagles beating Horsham 47-37 early in the season but Horsham winning 55-53 when the teams last met in round 13.
Last week, Horsham was too good on its home court in a qualifying final against Minyip-murtoa, leading at every change and finishing a 17-goal victor.
The Demons broke out to a sevengoal lead by quarter time and maintained a similar margin for the rest of the contest.
Emma Buwalda shot 42 of Horsham’s 54 goals, while Kirby Knight and Georgia Mclennan shared the honours for the Burras.
Horsham will now need to feed off the momentum while Warrack Eagles will be quick off the mark and keen to take the most direct route to a grand final.
Whoever loses in Ararat will have to front up against the winner of a first semi-final at Dimboola.
Plenty of expectation surrounds another grand-final rematch between the Saints and Burras and if the first week of the finals is anything to go by, then watch out for the Saints.
Horsham Saints have been building steadily through the second half of the season and after squeezing into the finals appear ominous.
The Saints overwhelmed Ararat in an elimination final at Nhill on Sunday, refusing to take the foot off the pedal until the final whistle.
Young star Maggie Caris slotted 57 of the Saints’ 73 goals at 83 percent accuracy and Lavinia Fox shot the rest.
The result represented a massive turnaround for the winners, who lost to Ararat by 17 goals at the start of the season.
The Saints and Minyip-murtoa have continued a fierce rivalry generated by last year’s thriller grand final, with each securing points in games between the two this year.
Early in the season it was the Saints who clinched a 51-42 win and then in the final home-and-away round it was the Burras who came home with a wet sail to win 69-51.
Koschitzke milestone
Warrack Eagles netball talent Emma Koschitzke will play her 200th A Grade match during Wimmera Netball Association finals this weekend.
Koschitzke will reach the milestone when she represents the Eagles in a second semi-final against Horsham in Ararat on Saturday. Results: Qualifying final, Horsham d Minyip-murtoa 54-37; elimination final, Horsham Saints d Ararat 73-47.