Narrow losses frustrate Hawks
Drouin had some frustrating close losses against Leongatha on Saturday. A grade: Drouin 41 lost to Leongatha 45. After a slow start, with some silly errors in attack, the Hawks were able to peg back the lead.
This resulted in a real battle during the last quarter.
Kristen Groenewaldt did well in her first A grade game and Kym Diston is getting better and better every week.
Stacie Gardiner and Kylie Proctor found some rhythm in the second half and shot well, meaning it was goal-for-goal for most of the last half.
Unfortunately, some expensive errors in the last five minutes of the game and consistent scoring from the Parrots meant they came away with the win. Award: Kym Diston. B grade: Drouin 32 lost to Leongatha 64. It was a hard task for the undermanned Hawks against the top three side of Leongatha.
Anyone who watched would say the Hawks played with heart and worked hard for all four quarters. However, Leongatha was just too strong.
Ali Leishout played a controlled and smart game in entre with her defensive efforts second to none. Her timing in attack was spot on and she fed shooters beautifully.
There are three more rounds for the Hawks and all games are very winnable. It will be good to finish out the season with some wins and show how much this young team has improved. Award: Ali Leishout. C grade: Drouin 28 lost to Leongatha 31. If you had a dollar for every game the C grade girls lost by three goals or less…well, you’d have quite a few dollars.
It is frustrating to lose games by such a small margin, but it shows how good this team is and how much they have improved over the season.
Sarah Sharpe worked relentlessly in goal keeper for the first half to minimise the scoring opportunities Leongatha had.
In wing attack, Kathryn Buckland fought hard to get the best position on the ring. Along with Kate Butler, they had a tough job.
The Leongatha defenders made it difficult for the Hawks to get the ball into a scoring position, but Kate and Kathryn didn’t give up all day and fought hard.
Emily Bethune sunk some stunning long bomb shots.
Instead of getting a dollar, the girls now just want to win. Award: Kate Butler. Under 17: Drouin 32 lost to Leongatha 45. The Hawks had another good game despite the scoreboard.
The defensive end worked tirelessly to create many turnovers.
Kiarna Craig and Harriet Louden combined well through the mid-court, creating a lot of pressure and drive.
Ella “Easty” East drove the ball well into the attack, linking nicely with Sabine Leishout.
The girls listened to the coaches’ advice and working hard together to put those words into practice.
Awards: Kristen Groenewaldt and Sabine Leishout. Under 15: Drouin 7 lost to Leongatha 58. After a slow start, the Hawks had an outstanding second half of netball.
The girls were able to convert turnovers created by defenders Allanah Jagoe and Milli Tompkins several times.
Bringing the ball out of defence was Elizabeth McKenzie who drove beautifully alongside Morgan Cook and Sharni Boote. Morgan and Sharni both played wonderfully, with outstanding passing and composure.
Shooter Tess Mapleson played a great game and continued to lift and encourage her teammates - a great leader in the under 15 team.
Overall a great second half, displaying many improvements in each player. Awards: Sharni Boote and Morgan Cook. Under 13s: Drouin 19 lost to Leongatha 40. This was a fantastic game for the Hawks despite a slow start.
After only scoring three goals in the first quarter, the Hawks turned it around and managed to end the game with a score of 19; one of their highest scores this season.
The defensive pressure all over the court was sensational and resulted in plenty of turnovers. They capitalised from many of these by moving the ball quickly down the court, having the confidence in themselves and their teammates to let the ball go.
There were some fantastic passages of play, which allowed the Hawks to score quickly. In addition, there were multiple times throughout the game where they scored multiple goals in a row, which is a massive achievement. Overall, a fantastic game from all players. Awards: Amy Boothe, Kaden Gregg and Alex McKenzie.