THE White Hills A-grade netball team proved it was the best in the Heathcote District Netball Association this year, scoring a 20-goal victory against Colbinabbin in Saturday’s grand final.
The 48-28 victory was even sweeter for the White Hills A-grade team, which endured an upset one-goal grand final loss to Colbinabbin a year ago.
Played in strong winds and torrential rain on Colbinabbin’s court, White Hills handled the conditions best out of the two sides, sticking to a shorter and controlled game plan from the opening whistle.
White Hills goal-attack Michelle Atherton was on target early, with remarkably accurate goaling against her much taller opponents.
Colbinabbin’s goaler Paige Tuohey was also prominent in the opening term, allowing her side to stay with White Hills for much of the first quarter to be within four goals at quarter time.
But that was the closest Colbinabbin would get to White Hills, who really turned up the intensity in the second quarter to score 15 goals to Colbinabbin’s five.
White Hills’ mid court combination of Zenda McConnell and Christie Griffiths fed brilliantly to Atherton and goal shooter Clare Hope.
The White Hills defence was also superb in cutting off Colbo’s passes.
Colbo’s goal-attack Felicity Ryan started to find more of the ball in the second term, but was under constant pressure from White Hills’ goal defence Danielle Sawyer, who was among her team’s best players.
Colbinabbin seemed to struggle with the conditions more than White Hills, with Tuohey and Ryan suffering from goaling inaccuracy late in the second term, while at the opposite end Atherton and Hope were on target.
With the score line stretching out to 14 goals at half-time, Colbinabbin coach Anne McEvoy switched her mid court combinations, with Olivia McEvoy moving into centre and Kate Hill into wing attack.
The changes proved fruitful for Colbinabbin, with the side scoring the first three goals of the third term and looked to have found another gear.
But it wasn’t long before White Hills regained control, with Atherton continuing to dominate in goals and McConnell and Griffiths controlling the mid court.
Entering the final term with a 16-goal lead, White Hills surged away from the Grasshoppers through their more direct and steady style of play.
Despite the score line, Colbinabbin never backed down, with strong performances from Ryan in goals as well as McEvoy in centre, who was one of her team’s best on court for the day.
Atherton and Hope continued to shoot with a high level of accuracy on the way to an impressive victory for a club contesting its 16th consecutive A-grade grand final.
White Hills playing coach Christie Griffiths said she was thrilled with her side’s four-quarter performance against the Grasshoppers on their home court.
“It was a great effort, because once we got going we just didn’t stop and especially in these conditions it what was we needed to try and do,” she said.
“It was only really raining badly in the first quarter, so for the rest of the match we were able to play our normal game, which worked really well for us.
“We talked a lot more on court and we had great defence pressure from one end to the other and I think that’s something we did well, in that if we turned over a ball we were there fighting to get back the next pass.”
White Hills goal attack Michelle Atherton was named best on court for the grand final.
A grade scoreboard:
White Hills 48 d Colbinabbin 28.
GOALS - White Hills: Michelle Atherton 24, Clare Hope 24. Colbinabbin: Felicity Ryan 14, Paige Tuohey 14.
BEST - White Hills: Michelle Atherton, Dannielle Sawyer. Colbinabbin: Holly Guerra, Olivia McEvoy.
Email a friend