Newcastle’s netballers have shed the bridesmaid’s tag to capture the opens championship at the 2023 HART Senior State Titles.
After finishing runners up in their past two campaigns, the local girls left no doubt who the best team was at Maitland Park on Monday 12 June.
Savannah Angelozzi, Erin Asquith, Leah Dove, Narelle Eather, Abbie Gray, Nakita Jackson, Georgia King, Claudia Rodwell, Danielle Taylor and Lucy Tonkin registered 17 victories to relegate Manly Warringah into second spot following three days of intense competition.
Newcastle accounted for Liverpool City 27-9, Maitland 25-17, Baulkham Hills Shire 24-13, Northern Suburbs 31-9, Orange 21-15, Penrith District 34-17, Queanbeyan 22-13, Sutherland Shire 25-11, Wyong District 33-12, Bellingen 32-13, Callaghan District 23-13, Camden & District 26-7, Campbelltown District 27-8, Charlestown 19-9, Gosford 19-12, Hills District 22-12 and Illawarra District 27-11.
Ironically, the squad drew 16-all with Manly Warringah, but suffered a single loss, 19-17, to Woy Woy Peninsula.
Host club Maitland finished third (16-3-0), Callaghan District snared fifth (13-6-0) and Charlestown claimed sixth (12-7-0) in a terrific showing for Hunter sides.
The region tasted success in the opens division three competition, too, with Nelson Bay prevailing at the Newcastle netball complex.
The outfit – Sienna Burrows, Emma Dawson, Lily Foster, Corrine Hampshire, Linda Jones, Fiona McGrath, Alice Mitchell, Katie Schein, Paige Welsh and Taylar Wilks – recorded 16 triumphs, a loss and a draw from its 18 matches.
Nelson Bay knocked over Singleton (17-12), Temora (13-12, 17-7) West Wyalong (20-14, 18-13) Wollondilly (21-10, 20-6), Eurobodalla (24-12, 21-12), Glen Innes (20-9, 21-18), Inverell (23-16), Narrandera (25-7, 24-8) and Cessnock (19-11, 19-12).
They drew 17-all with Singleton, but were beaten by Inverell 12-9, as well.
Rivals Singleton locked in fourth (10-5-3) and Cessnock sixth (8-9-1).
In opens division two, Westlakes placed ninth (9-8-0), Lakeside 13th (5-11-1) and Kurri Kurri 18th (0-12-0).
In the under-17s, Newcastle (11-5-2) grabbed sixth in the championship section.
Cessnock secured fourth (13-4-0) in division two, ahead of Charlestown sixth (11-6-0), Maitland eighth (10-6-1), Callaghan District 10th (9-8-0) and Lakeside 16th (2-14-1).
In division three, Muswellbrook performed strongly to procure third, with a 16-3-0 win-loss-draw record, from Kurri Kurri fourth (15-4-0), Nelson Bay 11th (8-11-0), Singleton 17th (3-15-1) and Port Stephens 18th (3-15-1).
The champagne corks were also popping in the under-15s, with Kurri Kurri bringing home the division four title.
Ava Beckett, Ellen Beckett, Laura Chang, Holly Clack, Ella Graham, Phoenix Henderson, Annika Jarlett, Evie Kaal, Alyvia Lieb and Makayla Whitehead prevailed at the expense of Sapphire Coast 19-13, Temora 21-10, Tumut 25-7, West Wyalong 17-8, Woolgoolga 23-7, Blayney & District 15-7, Brunswick Byron 13-5, Casino 16-9, Cowra & District 19-14, Armidale District 15-8, Leeton 19-13, Lower Clarence 26-5, Mount Druitt 22-16, Narrabri 21-11, Parkes & District 29-4 and Port Stephens 16-9, losing only to Inverell 13-6.
Port Stephens (8-8-1) acquired 10th spot overall.
In the opens championship, Newcastle attained sixth, thanks to a 13-5-1 record.
In division two, Callaghan District obtained second (15-1-0), Lakeside fourth (12-4-0), Charlestown seventh (10-6-0), Maitland 12th (5-10-1) and Westlakes 13th (4-11-1).
Cessnock powered into second (15-2-0) in division three, from Scone & District third (14-2-1), Muswellbrook 11th (7-9-1) and Singleton 18th (0-17-0).
Netball NSW had nothing but praise for the two associations who staged the three-day event, Maitland and Newcastle, with more than 10,000 people converging on the Hunter.
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