Premier team lines up its goals for the year
Southland’s top college netball team is ramping up for another crack at the South Island secondary schools’ title.
Coach Natalie Avellino and her talented Southland Girls’ High School senior A team had a resounding win over Bluff in a premier grade game in Invercargill on Saturday. Avellino said she was ‘‘quite happy’’ with Girls’ High’s 61-36 victory.
Their only loss in the 12-team competition was to St Mary’s A.
‘‘We didn’t play well in that game but we have improved since then,’’ Avellino said.
Timaru will host the South Island secondary schools’ netball tournament on August 31 to September 3. The top five in A section qualify for the New Zealand secondary schools’ tournament in Ashburton on October 6-9.
Last year, Girls’ High played in both tournaments finishing third (South Island) and ninth (New Zealand).
Girls’ High played in the College Netball League during the autumn and reached the semifinals before they were beaten by St Kentigern College, of Auckland, 39-23. St Kentigern College lost the final to Mt Albert Grammar 43-32.
‘‘The North Island [girls] were so much bigger, a bit physical and stronger than our girls . . . we still played OK,’’ Avellino said.
Avellino is experimenting with different combinations to fill the void left by Laura Overton, Louise Calder and Bailey Smith who completed their education at Girls’ High last year.
‘‘We lost three key players . . . it’s hard to replace that experience.’’
However, the young players in the team were shaping up and contributing well, Avellino said.
Sarah Marshall and Laura Moffatt are due back from injury this month. Marshall’s injured knee required a six-week recovery, while Moffatt has a foot problem.
Meanwhile, Girls’ High are in the Thursday night Southland-wide league competition which begins this week.