Two of the young stars of the Kyabram District League’s A-grade netball competition, Stanhope’s Jemma-Marie Wright and Lancaster’s Millie Hill, went head-to-head at the weekend.
Lancaster’s 13-goal win against Stanhope on Saturday has come at a cost after star utility Phillipa Inglis suffered a suspected ACL tear in the game.
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It is a week after the same fate befell Caddison Mulholland.
This weekend the Wombats’ final home and away game is against third-ranked Shepparton East, which they must win to keep top spot.
If they lose and second-placed Girgarre beats Stanhope they will lose top spot on the ladder.
Lancaster started slowly, a nine-goal opening term from Stanhope’s Jemma-Marie Wright allowing her team to be 13-all with the top team at the first change.
Lancaster responded by taking a six-goal lead into half-time on the back of Inglis’ work in centre, with Millie Hill and Charli Westerveld getting on top in defence.
Chicquita Vick then did what she has done so often this season by exploding in the third term with a 17-goal term (goaling partner Lexi Thomas shot the remaining goal) as the Wombats outscored Lancaster by seven.
Despite the hard work of Jamieson Young and Rhylee Prescott in the midcourt Stanhope was unable to claw back any ground and broke even in the last quarter 10 apiece.
Wright finished with 25 of her team’s 42 goals and Vick shot 43 of her side’s 55 in the victory.
Stanhope remains in sixth position, but only on percentage, facing a final round game with second-ranked Girgarre this weekend.
It must win or rely on Violet Town losing to Murchison-Toolamba in order to stay in the finals race.
Phillipa Inglis was back in business for Lancaster at the weekend, a week after the team had lost its first game for the season to Nagambie.
· Girgarre’s shot at winning the minor premiership will hinge on the final home and away match of the season after the Kangaroos survived an early challenge from ninth-ranked Tallygaroopna to record a 13th win for the 2024 season.
The second-placed team could steal the minor premiership from Lancaster if two things happen:
First, it beats sixth-placed Stanhope and, secondly, the Wombats falter for the second time in three weeks by losing to third-ranked Shepparton East this weekend.
Stanhope will be highly motivated for the match with its neighbouring town’s top netball team as it sits in sixth place — it is equal on points with seventh-placed Violet Town — hinges on the result.
If Violet Town beats 11th-ranked Murchison-Toolamba and the Lions lose their game they will be out of the finals.
Girgarre has concerns of its own, however, after only managing to be 17-all at half-time of the game with its non-final opponent on Saturday.
Tallygaroopna led by three at quarter-time, but Girgarre goaler Jacqui Gahan shot all 12 of her team’s second-quarter goals and scores were level at half-time.
Gahan shot 24 second-half goals and the Girgarre defensive unit of Abigail Sergienko, Elizabeth Pangrazio, Allana Adams and Darcie Stammers kept their opposition to five second half goals — eventually winning 48-22.
Kimberley Hanna played the entire game in goals with Gahan, with the Kangaroos midcourt again alternating heavily throughout the afternoon.
Merrigum A-grade coach Maddie Wilson dishes out some instructions to her charges before the Bulldogs scored their 17-goal win against Rushworth on Saturday.
· Merrigum won its fifth game of the season with a 49-32 scoreline against bottom team Rushworth on Saturday.
The Bulldogs face a tough finish to the season this weekend when they meet fourth-ranked Nagambie.
The Lakers fresh off a two-goal win against Lancaster and an eighth successive win of the season against Murchison-Toolamba on Saturday — by 24 goals.
· Stanhope’s B-grade netball team remains in the hunt for a spot in the finals after taking an 18-goal win against Lancaster on Saturday.
The Lions and Wombats were a chance to make finals at the weekend, but after a 51-33 result only Stanhope can reach the play-offs now.
They will need the unlikely scenario of both of them beating fifth-ranked Girgarre and 10th-placed Violet Town beating sixth-placed Murchison-Toolamba to reach the finals.
A 16-3 final quarter was the most impactful of the game, Kaitlyn Joyce shooting 10 final-quarter goals after Lancaster only trailed by five goals at three-quarter time.
Stanhope defenders Ellie Turpin and Felicity Hall were dominant in the final term.
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