Gippsland take out interleague clash

The Gippsland League open netball team capped off a great day for the league on the netball courts.

Heavily beaten by Yarra Ranges when the leagues last met two years ago, Gippsland reversed the result with a strong 69-42 win.

However, the players said the win was a lot tougher than the margin at the finish indicated.

Yarra Ranges was missing a couple of key players who were to play in the Victorian Netball League on Saturday night but Gippsland was also down on top strength with several players unavailable.

The starting line-up was made of three players each from Traralgon and Drouin and one from Morwell.

Two young Drouin stars were selected as interchange.

One of them, Kym Diston, was brought onto the court for the second half in defence and showed she was well up to the standard. She took some great interceptions that help Gippsland draw away after a tight first half.

The other junior, April Bethune, had earlier won the medal as Gippsland best player in the 17 and Under team’s win.

Centre Stacey O’Brien of Traralgon, one of Gippsland’s most decorated players in an outstanding career, was the medallist in the open game for her four quarters of skill and speed.

The Gippsland open team was Stacie Gardiner (coach), Christie Edwards, Jessie Hedley, Kym Diston, April Bethune (Drouin), Stacey O’Brien, Daisy Hill, Ramayer Gourley, Allison Petrou (Traralgon) and Courtney Garth (Morwell).

In the 17 and Under game, Gippsland also drew away for a solid win after the contest was very competitive in the early stages.

The team comprised Chelsea Livingstone, Traxareq Hanratty, Lily Van Berkel (Traralgon), Leyla Berry, Emmerson Connolley, Emma Allman (Maffra), Charlize Bird (Moe), April Bethune (Drouin) and Renee Barry (Bairnsdale). Thorpdale Yallourn Boolarra Hill End Yarragon Yallourn Mirboo Nth Thorpdale Yarragon Hill End Yallourn Boolarra Thorpdale Mirboo Nth Yarragon Mirboo Nth Boolarra Trafalgar Yarragon Thorpdale Yallourn Boolarra Yarragon Hill End Thorpdale 80.95 71.97 61.00 53.67 43.01 106.88 10 68.00 6 76.32 4 63.68 4 38.06 0 90.43 84.24 56.28 49.14 28.62 4 4 4 4 4 8 8 8 0 0 95.07 12 61.58 10 69.23 8 38.63 2 0.00 0 94.80 12 39.51 12 67.98 4 30.54 0 0.00 0

Above: Trafalgar centre Beth Thompson helps her D grade team continue its winning streak in Mid Gippsland netball. The Trafalgar team is top of the ladder.

The winning Gippsland open netball side with their cup after downing Yarra Valley. Back row, from left, April Bethune, Daisy Hill, Courtney Garth, Allison Petrou, Ramayer Gourley, Kym Diston. Front: Christie Edwards, Stacey O’Brien, Stacie Gardiner,...

Above: Gippsland open team coach Stacie Gardiner of Drouin looks for an opportunity to pass the ball into the goal ring in Saturday’s match against Yarra Ranges. Gardiner led the team to a strong win, reversing the result from the 2015 meeting.

Drouin’s Christie Edwards lays off a quick pass to centre Stacey O’Brien as Gippsland took control of the open netball clash with Yarra Ranges.