In a high-pressure second semi-final, Woodend-Hesket A-grade netballers led all the way on Saturday to advance to the Riddell League grand final.
The Hawks are chasing their first-ever A-grade netball premiership, and will play the winner of this Saturday’s cutthroat preliminary final between Riddell and Macedon.
“I’m super, super proud of everyone,” Hawks’ playing coach Meg Grbac told her players straight after their 37-33 victory over ladder leader Riddell on Saturday.
Grbac was a swift moving tower of strength in defence, and the side is keen to make amends for its runner-up effort last season.
The coach praised all her players for their performance, with the first term full of intense pressure, so much so scoring was restricted to 5-2; by half time Woodend-Hesket led 15-10.
Riddell trailed by six goals going into the last quarter, and Grbac called on her players to keep attacking and score 10 goals.
The Bombers cut the deficit to three mid-way through the term with good play, but the accuracy of Charlee Duff-Tytler and Amy Gilmore at the other end of the court proved vital.
Woodend-Hesket 37 (Duff Tytler 22, Gilmore 15) d Riddell 33 (Amy Starzer 19, Shelby Holter 14).
On Sunday, Macedon rebounded from the one-goal loss to Woodend-Hesket by accounting for Romsey 45-35, with Chloe Williams leading the way with 31 goals.
A dominant second term put the Cats on the way to victory against the Lena Way-coached Redbacks who improved greatly on their 2022 form.
Macedon’s long serving playing coach Ciara Stewart will not be with the Cats next season, and would love to have another crack at a premiership – that’s means beating a fired up Riddell this Saturday.
The Bombers are quite capable of bouncing back with another close contest likely.
Macedon 45 (C. Williams 31, H. Donoghue 10) d Romsey 35 (Hope Hamilton 24).
Other grade scores:
B-grade: Second semi-final – Macedon 35 d Diggers Rest 20; first semi-final – Riddell 41 d Western Rams 31.
C-grade: Macedon 22 d Riddell 19; Western Rams 32 d Woodend-Hesket 19.
19&Under: Western Rams 32 d Riddell 26, Wallan 20 d Melton Centrals 19.
