Bye-bye Glengarry, Woodside, you have another chance; Sale City’s campaign continues; and well done Rosedale, you get a rest this week.
The football-netball gods must be pulling some strings because after what felt like an eternity of never-ending rain and 10-degree days, Gippsland was blessed with cloudless, sunny days at the weekend, with temperatures hitting the 20s. It was the perfect weather to enjoy a cold frothy or softy, a pie or bucket of chips while watching the North Gippsland Football Netball League semi-finals.
The last instalment of Saturday/Sunday finals started at Rosedale, with the Blues on the court facing ladder leaders Woodside in the A Grade netball.
With Woodside having only lost two games for the entire season, to Rosedale in Round 13 and Cowwarr in Round 17, Rosedale’s coach Sarah Mayman knew it would be a tight match.
And tight it was.
The Wildcats and Blues came out fast, strong and physical with unrelenting determination, and at the end of the first quarter, the score was deadlocked nine-all.
Woodside pulled away from Rosedale at the start of the second quarter with a couple of quick goals, but not for long, as the Blues retaliated, matching the Wildcats’ goals plus three to enter halftime with a 15 to 13 lead.
Rosedale held off the league leaders in the final two quarters, taking home a 48-to-45 win.
Despite missing one of their main defenders, the Blues stepped up, and coach Mayman was more than happy with her team’s performance.
“I think we did really well,” she said.
“We were missing one of our main defenders, so we were going in knowing it was going to be very tough, but we pulled it off so we are pretty stoked.”
Rosedale’s hunger for the ball, hunger for the win was unmistakable, with every player fronting impressive determination in all four quarters.
What’s that saying? Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.
“We always want to win, but we definitely wanted to win that one to prove we could do it, especially being a main player down,” Mayman said.
“Going out to prove a point, showing that we could do it even though we were a man down, it was a good feeling to get that win.”
The Blues enjoy a much-deserved day off this weekend before returning to the court on Saturday, September 10, for the North Gippsland Football Netball League Grand Final.
Having lost in the Qualifying Final, Glengarry had their second shot at staying in the competition, playing Sale City in Glengarry on Sunday.
After a day of blazing sunshine, heat radiated from the asphalt below one’s feet and the slight breeze that had arrived just in time for the Magpies’ battle with the Bulldogs was gaily welcomed.
The whistle blew, and the fight began.
Yes, fight is the correct noun to use in this circumstance. Anyone not versed in netball’s happenings could have mistaken the game as a half-football, half-netball hybrid.
And they say netball is a non-contact sport.
The game went from zero to 100 faster than it takes a Tesla Roadster to reach 100km/h, and it was Glengarry goal shooter Megan Garlick who put the first goal on the board.
The collaboration between Garlick and goal attack Tiffany Boatman is definitely an asset for the Magpies, with their comprehension of each other’s whereabouts on the court and partnership in play a dangerous combination for any defender.
Dangerous as Boatman and Garlick may be, Sale City’s goalkeeper Simone Turner was not intimidated by the pair’s abilities, stepping up to the plate and then some, taking her place as one of the Bulldog’s most influential players.
At the end of the first quarter, Sale City led 15 to 11.
Swooping season came early as the Magpies returned to the court absolutely relentless.
Sale City’s wing attack Indigo Waugh copped a beating from Glengarry’s wing defender Shayla Marsh, at one stand spending more time on the ground than her feet.
And they say netball is a non-contact sport.
Glengarry regained the lead and headed into half-time two goals in front of Sale City, 26 to 24.
The young Bulldogs held their own in a cutthroat second half, stealing the win by one goal, 49 to 48, ending Glengarry’s finals expedition.
Coming out on top in one of their toughest games of the year had Sale City coach Jae Schuback oozing with pride.
“I was really proud of the girls’ huge efforts today,” she said.
“We had to adjust our game to overcome Glengarry’s strong whole-court defensive pressure, but we maintained our composure when it mattered most.
“Our girls did an amazing job at staying focused and never giving up, showing a great fighting spirit.”
Sale City’s best on court was Lilli Sobie.
“Lilli Stobie was best-on-court, making a huge impact steadying our attack and providing multiple options when moved into wing attack,” Schuback said.
Sale City will meet Woodside this weekend in the Preliminary Final at Churchill.
The Bulldogs will want to make sure they bring their bark and their bite as they head into another tough game against the more favoured Wildcats.
“The girls are excited and prepared for the challenge,” Schuback said.
“We will focus on defensive pressure to reduce feeds into Woodside’s tall shooting ring.”
The enduring debate of which one is better, cats or dogs, continues this weekend; which side are you on?
