Club netball may have finished up, but a string of the region’s best and brightest were busy carving up the courts at the State Netball Titles at the weekend.
Players from Goulburn Valley and Murray league sides turned out for two days of action-packed play at the State Netball Centre, flying the flag for Goulburn on Saturday and Sunday.
The 17-and-under side put out a respectable showing, running out in 10th after an astounding 18 games of netball.
Matt Healey’s team recorded nine wins and nine losses to finish middle of the pack, a solid effort considering the standard of competition.
However, Goulburn’s 15-and-under outfit was a cut above.
Coached by Bree Hanslow with assistance from Di Hanslow, the younger of the age group sides went all the way to the final.
After losing their first match and drawing the second, the 15-and-unders went on a rampage to clean up the next six fixtures.
Featuring a strong nucleus of Echuca’s premiership-winning 15-and-under team, the Goulburn representatives ran out in third with a 13-2-3 ledger.
They knocked off Henderson 14-13 in the semi-final, booking a spot against Elmer in the main decider.
However, the central east Melbourne region proved too tough a task in the grand final with Goulburn falling 14-11.
It caps a cracking season for some of the Goulburn Valley’s best up-and-comers, closing the door on a scintillating six or so months of netball.
15-and-under team
Amalie Pate (Cobram), Emma Head, Mackenzie Evans, Rhani Head, Rose Byrne, Ruby Morley (Echuca), Ava Pell (Kyabram), Indiana Phillips (Moama), Bridie Kelly, Jinaya Nurse (Mooroopna), Chance Powles (Rochester), Charlotte Ogier (Shepparton)
17-and-under team
Tahlia Pate (Cobram), Bonnie Everett (Deniliquin), Abby Waasdorp, Isla Carver, Natasha Dodos (Kyabram), Abby Larkin, Hannah Richards (Moama), Claudia Plattfuss, Demi Hendy (Mooroopna), Montanna Bourke, Zoe Monteleone (Shepparton), Ella Morgan (Shepparton Swans)