East show potential

NETBALL

WELLINGTON EAST belied their youth and emphasised their potential when claiming a top three spot at the national secondary schools championships.

The 10-member East squad contained seven year 11 players, all of whom can expect to have two more years in the team.

Captain LeeJean Friesen-Kahui, a year 12 pupil, also returns and shooter Emma O’Neill is the only member of the starting lineup who will not be back next year.

East qualified for the national tournament for the first time in 2011, finishing 9th and were 13th last year.

They faced a tough pool last week, which included eventual fourth placegetter Baradene College and the leading South Island qualifier St Margaret’s College but finished the tournament with five wins, a draw and a loss.

They beat Baradene twice, in the opening game and in the playoff for third, salvaged a draw with St Margaret’s, after never being in front in the game, and the one loss came against St Mary’s.

‘‘They will be competitive for at least the next two years,’’ East coach Liz Page said. ‘‘We have got some good juniors coming through too and it’s going to be tough to make the team over the next couple of years.’’

Page was delighted O’Neill, as well as centre Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and wing attack Mereana Makea, made the tournament team.

O’Neill finished her school career on a high, with the second-best shooting percentage in the tournament.

‘‘Emma has tended to be underrated and it’s the first tournament team she’s been selected for,’’ Page said. ‘‘She’s not the flashiest player but she can pull the ball down and finish the job.

‘‘She was shooting at 90 per cent last week and when someone is doing that, they are pretty handy players to have on court.

‘‘It was her last school tournament and it was important for her to play well, both for herself and the team. She worked hard and played consistently well.

‘‘Mila and Mereana have done extremely well to make the tournament team at year 11,’’ Page added. ‘‘It’s not common, particularly in midfield, where they usually need quite a bit of maturity in their game.

‘‘But they both showed a lot of flair and maturity.’’

Makea, who also excels at softball, is a young year 11 and played for the Wellington under-15 side this year.

‘‘She’s a smart player and very aware of space,’’ Page said. ‘‘She’s very strong under the high ball, with a good hang time.

‘‘She and Mila have formed a strong partnership [in midcourt]. They have both played at goal attack and have a good sense of where the shooters want the ball.

‘‘Mila definitely took a step forward last week and has progressed quite quickly this season.’’

Goal attack Tenika Leota was another who had made rapid progress. ‘‘Tenika’s stats were very good and she pulled us through the last game,’’ Page said.

Page believed that playing in the premier one adult competition in Wellington had helped toughen her players. ‘‘Playing against women pushes you physically and mentally and helps with that toughness.’’