Jo Connolly
THE Gawler & District Netball Association finals series kicked off last week, with Gawler Central and Willaston successfully navigating the A1 semi-finals to move one step closer to a premiership.
Gawler Central played Williamstown in what proved to be a classy display of netball played with a high-skill level and fantastic sportsmanship.
Gawler Central made the most of turn overs to gain control of the early proceedings, and despite Williamstown blitzing back in the second quarter to bridge the gap to one goal at half time, Gawler Central was able to stay one step ahead to win by seven goals and book its spot in the grand final.
Willaston and Central District went goal-for-goal the entire match, as Willaston made the most of its depth and rotations, while Central District remained unchanged with its starting seven.
The margin remained tight the entire game with only one goal separating the sides at three-quarter-time, but Willaston remain composed under pressure and won its way into the preliminary final with a two-goal win.
In A2, Sandy Creek was in the driver’s seat the entire match, not giving room for Central District to make its way back into the game to win by 16 goals and advance to the grand final.
Central District will play Dragons in the preliminary final after Dragons managed to get the better of Gawler Central, winning by seven.
In B1, South Gawler Blue and Hamley Bridge both entered the finals series without a loss, with Hamley Bridge looking fresh as its players converted early forced errors by South Gawler to lead by five at the first break.
South Gawler settled, allowing the ball to find their goalies as the game started to increase with pace, but Hamley Bridge was able to maintain its lead from the first quarter and win by six goals to secure a bye through to the grand final.
In the other semi-final, Williamstown staked its claim as a serious contender after a big win against Willaston.
Williamstown did no wrong the entire match as players found space with ease and moved the ball from end-to-end with little errors, resulting in a 17-goal win, proving South Gawler will have a tall task ahead of it if it is to be a book a grand final rematch against Hamley Bridge.
In B2, Gawler Central and Central District Blue both started the game well, but Gawler Central’s second half proved too strong, pulling away to win by seven.
Lutheran and Willaston both found it hard to settle into their regular play in the first quarter, with plenty of turnovers at both ends, but Lutheran’s defence worked well together to rebound and move the ball down the court as the game progressed to finish eventual winners by seven goals.
In B3, Sandy Creek received a bye through to the grand final after Freeling was forced to withdraw due to player injuries and illnesses, while Central District comfortably handled South Gawler in the elimination semi-final to win by 19.
In C-grade, Gawler Central and Barossa District started slow, but once Gawler Central relaxed in the second quarter and took control of the match, it was all over as it ran away with a 29-goal win.
Xavier Saints started strongly over Sandy Creek, as expected with experienced finals players, but the Xavier response was sharp, as the Saints mid-court gelled well and worked the ball strategically to the goals – sprinting away with the 14-goal win in the final quarter.
In under-17s, Nuriootpa and Kapunda gave the crowd a block buster game, with Nuri jumping out of the blocks fast with its fast set-play game to take the first quarter 9-6.
Kapunda continued to work hard applying pressure across the court to keep things close at halftime, and nothing changed in the third period.
When it counted most, Kapunda turned over crucial play in the fourth, allowing Nuriootpa to hang on and win by one goal.
South Gawler kept its finals campaign going with a strong win over Gawler Central.
Both teams played well, however, South Gawler made the most of converting turnovers with high accuracy in the goals to finish winners by 21.
In under-15s division one, South Gawler and Gumnuts played off for a spot in the grand final, with South Gawler making the most of the early running to lead by six goals at the first break.
The leaders were able to carry that momentum throughout to maintain the lead and win by 10.
Central District and Sandy Creek were both eager to play more finals netball and it showed in the back-and-forth affair before teams found their groove.
Sandy Creek pulled together a brilliant second quarter, putting it in pole position the rest of the way as Central District couldn’t pull back the margin, finishing in a Sandy Creek 29-10 win.
In under-15s division two, Xavier Saints caught Gawler Central off-guard in the first quarter, blitzing passages of play to take an eight-goal lead at the first break.
Whilst Xavier Saints progressed, Gawler Central was unable to break through with turnovers in key areas, handing the Saints a grand final berth with a 12-goal win.
Barossa District also had a strong start in its match against Virginia, reading and turning the ball over for its attack to convert early to blow out the opposition and win 54-15.
In under-13s division one, Kapunda continued its successful season with a nine-goal win over Freeling to progress to the grand final.
However, Freeling made it difficult for the favourites, especially in the second term, staying with Kapunda and not allowing a normal free-flowing game, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.
Central District and South Gawler both started well, playing good passages of netball, but South Gawler was unable to convert key chances in the fourth period to succumb by 10 goals.
In under-13s division two, Xavier Saints made a strong start over premiership favourites Kapunda, leading at the first two breaks by a solitary goal before Kapunda was able to edge away and win by five.
Gawler Central had a comfortable 23-8 win over Barossa District to progress to the preliminary final.
Under-11s division one, Virginia and Sandy Creek went battled back-and-forth early before the former proved too much to handle, advancing to the grand final with a 23-8 win.
Kapunda and Xavier Saints started as a low-scoring slog, heading to quarter time tied at 2-2, with Kapunda able to pull away as its conversion rate rose, taking the lead and match by nine.
In under-11s division two, Xavier Saints Yellow made a good start to its game against South Gawler, getting quick goals on the scoreboard before South Gawler used the second quarter to keep the Saints goalless and level the game at half time.
Xavier Saints Yellow found its confidence in the second half, winning the match by 10.
Gumnuts were on top against Xavier Saints Green for the first half of their semi-final, leading by two at half time, but the Saints turned the game around after the main break to take a one-goal lead at three quarter time, and doubled it in the last to win by two.
This round was dedicated to Judith Clinch, who with love and cherished memories will always be remembered by the Gawler & District Netball community.
A life member who provided over 30 years of voluntary service to the Gawler & District Netball Association, Judith was renowned for her community focus and administration skills, and leaves a strong legacy for us all.
Our thoughts are with Leanne, Merridee, Janine and extended family – forever, yours in netball.