THE up-and-coming stars of Central Murray netball shined brightly in Shepparton last weekend, led by the league’s undefeated 17 & Under side.
Taking on teams made up of representative netballers from across central and northern Victoria, Central Murray’s 17 & Under girls were champions at the Shepparton Netball Association’s tournament.
Having won all eight of their early-stage matchups, they defeated Murray in the semi-final 17-11.
The grand final was against opening-game opponents Sunraysia, which head coach Melanie Wait said would be another test.
“We knew that when we came out and played them in the final, they would be that little bit tougher, and they certainly were,” she said.
“But the girls worked so hard, and just knew exactly what to do. We were playing a bit of possession netball, they didn’t panic.
“These girls come from different clubs, which can be a bit tricky to manage, but we’ve put in work focusing on working for each other and putting the team first.
“I think that really makes a difference when everyone is playing their role to the best of their abilities.
“I’m really proud, and I feel really privileged to be able to coach good people, and I think that’s really helped our success.”
Olivia Fowler was chosen as the grand final MVP by the game’s umpires.
Wait said she would have found it very hard to pick someone.
“The whole team performed extremely well,” she said.
“Olivia is a real leader. She’s really great at including everyone, and she’s pretty much our captain.
“She leads really well and is a fantastic role model. She is very vocal on the court and always gives 100 per cent and can hold her own really well.”
Wait said the two younger teams also had good days at the tournament, both teams falling narrowly short in their semi-finals.
“For a lot of the under-13s it was their first time at interleague,” she said.
“It was good to even just introduce them to the intensity of a day like that, sometimes being able to play all day can be a bit tricky.
“With the strength that we have, and the high-level players that are here, it’s really good for them to get to play at this level.
“It’s not like they can always get that level of competition at club level, especially if they’re not playing senior netball.”
May will be another big month of representative netball for the Central Murray teams, as they compete in Echuca on May 19.
The teams will then play for a spot in the State Championships in Mildura on May 26 as part of the association championships.
RESULTS
17 & Under
Game 1: Sunraysia – Won 19-9
Game 2: Albury Gold – Won 14-13
Game 3: Kyabram District – Won 21-2
Game 4: PDFNL Reserve – Won 15-4
Game 5: Wodonga Maroon – Won 25-5
Game 6: Golden Rivers – Won 26-4
Game 7: Castlemaine – Won 16-8
Game 8: Murray – Won 19-10
Semi-final: Murray – Won 17-11
Grand final: Sunraysia – Won 16-9
MVP as voted by the umpires: Olivia Fowler
15 & Under
Game 1: Albury Gold – Lost 9-6
Game 2: Shepparton – Won 11-4
Game 3: Wodonga Maroon – Lost 16-6
Game 4: Sunraysia – Won 12-9
Game 5: Murray – Lost 11-10
Game 6: EDNA Navy – Won 21-9
Game 7: Mansfield – Won 23-3
Game 8: Wodonga White – Won 11-7
Semi-final: Murray – Lost 11-9
13 & Under
Game 1: Murray – Lost 13-7
Game 2: Mansfield – Won 18-7
Game 3: Kyabram District – Won 17-2
Game 4: Echuca – Won 14-7
Game 5: Albury – Draw 7-7
Game 6: Sunraysia – Won 13-8
Game 7: Wodonga White – Won 14-5
Game 8: Wodonga Maroon – Won 19-10
Game 9: Shepparton – Won 11-10
Semi-final: Shepparton – Lost 10-9
