Wellington schools threaten Auckland powerhouses
WELLINGTON schools are close to breaking through the Auckland dominance of the national scene.
While they were unable to get past the juggernaut of Mt Albert Grammar, or Saint Kentigern College, Wellington’s three teams filled third, fourth and fifth at the national tournament in Ashburton last week.
It comes on the back of four Wellington players being named in the New Zealand secondary schools team earlier in the year, which more than doubled the region’s representation in the squad since 2007.
Wellington East Girls’ College finished third at the tournament after losing to Mt Albert 44-27 in what was essentially a semifinal. Mt Albert went on to win their fourth successive title.
East’s beat Wellington rivals St Mary’s 33-20 in the third and fourth playoff.
East’s coach James Laursen said he was rapt with the third placing, after the team overcame stomach bugs, migraines and having to stay half an hour down the road in Methven when all the Ashburton accommodation was booked out.
While the scoreline in the Mt Albert game didn’t reflect how close the teams were, it was always going to be tough against a team boasting four New Zealand secondary schools players, with defender Holly Fowler and shooter Maia Wilson also signed for professional trans-Tasman netball championship teams.
‘‘It was a hard contest against schools that have big budgets and basically scholarship their players in,’’ Laursen said.
‘‘[Mt Albert] are a beatable side. There is a lot of hype that goes with that team, so if you can try and play their hype down you can do well.
‘‘We were [down] 8-11 in the first quarter, so you just have to keep on going with that. They basically just got a few little runs on us and I don’t think the score reflected the game itself.’’
The 17-goal margin was the closest any team got to Mt Albert, other than Saint Kentigern’s 41-35 loss in the final.
The game went from 11-8 to 20-11 quickly in the second quarter. East fought back, but were never within 10 goals after the score reached 28-18 midway through the third quarter.
‘‘Their connections were strong throughout the court and were well structured and their midcourt were very fit,’’ Laursen said.
‘‘We had about 20 turnovers, so about five per quarter, and you just can’t win games when you turn over ball like that.’’
Four East players were selected in the 14-player tournament team, with goal attack Tenika Leota joining the New Zealand secondary schools trio of Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (centre/wing attack), Marcelle Parkes (goal defence) and Tiana Metuarau (goal shoot).
Leota said she battled through migraines on the first day as the temperature soared to 28 degrees Celsius in Ashburton, making it hot and humid in the EA Networks Centre where the tournament was played.
‘‘On the first day I didn’t react well with the heat. I had a migraine and I had to play through it on the second game and then pretty much after that I was straight into bed and asleep,’’ she said.
Her shooting percentages dropped that day as she could barely see the net, but she made a strong comeback in the rest of the games and used her strong connection with Metuarau – who shot at more than 90 per cent – to great effect.
The team was elated to get one over St Mary’s, after their blew a seven-goal lead at lower North Islands to lose by two, Leota said.
‘‘We were so happy to beat them, we all went in knowing we had to pay it back after lower North Islands final where we lost out composure.’’
Leota said the tournament result was a good way to end for the six year 13s, including herself, who leave the school at the end of the year.
While wing attack Mereana Makea is likely to play softball in the United States, many of the girls will be targeting the New Zealand under-21 team as their next step in their netball careers.
Reuelu-Buchanan has established herself as a strong candidate for the wing attack position in that team.
While St Mary’s lost the third/ fourth playoff game, they could be the strongest challengers to the Auckland throne next year as they will lose just three players, albeit the spine of their team in defender Colleen Faleafaga, centre Milan Lefaoseu and shooter Jermaine Howard-Vallance.
Faleafaga and Howard-Vallance were named in the tournament team, along with year 10 defender Renee Savai’inaea, while fellow year 10 Ainsleyana Puleiata was close to making the team.
The team lost 41-29 to Saint Kentigern in what was also essentially a semifinal, with their coach Pelesa Semu saying they were unable to work their gameplan.
‘‘They came out firing and are a well-drilled team and very experienced, but it just wasn’t our day.
‘‘Because of the calibre of players they have, we wanted to play it short and play it a little bit more in front and attacking the ball at the same time. We just got caught standing and waiting for the ball a couple of times and they just came through for the intercept.’’
The team achieved their goal of a top-four finish and would target an even higher finish next year, led by the likes of Savai’inaea and Puleiata.
‘‘[Renee Savai’inaea] is an amazing athlete. I picked her up last year as a year nine student and she’s just grown and grown and worked really hard and made both tournament teams at nationals and lower North Islands,’’ Semu said.
‘‘It’s fantastic for her, she set out at the beginning of the week that she wanted to get there and she ticked that box.’’
Having three Wellington teams in the top five, plus Manawatu’s Manukura finishing sixth, showed the strength of netball in the region, Semu said.
‘‘There is some great talent coming through and Netball New Zealand have realised that as well.’’
Wellington Girls’ rocketed back into the national picture with their fifth placing, in what was their first national tournament since 2010.
They are the last Wellington school to win a national netball championship after they triumphed in 1999.