GREAT Lakes have claimed this year’s Netball NSW State Age Under 14 Division Three Championship during a three day carnival in Penrith.
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Finishing fourth in last year’s championships, the girls set their sights on gaining a place amongst the top three but were stunned when they were announced winners following an equal first with invitational side South Canberra.
Great Lakes ended the 19 games from a mighty effort of 16 wins, one draw and two losses. Lower Clarence finished second overall with 14 wins, four losses and one draw. Enduring a nervous ending to the championship as places were finalised, coach Kate Morse was extremely proud of her team.
“Top three was the goal but we knew we had a good enough side to be able to win it as well,” Morse said.
“They’re an extremely motivated group and they’ve done all of the hard work and been strong at training and if we could put all of that together at state age then we knew we would get close.”
The group included Jasmine Black, Jillian Black, Madelyn Clapham, Brooklyn Daniels, Emily Driese, Emily Green, Charlotte Hill, Lisa Nicholson, Kiana Richardson and Rawai Poini. They powered through the opening day of the championship, winning five games and losing just the one 11-10 against Coffs Harbour.
Sunday’s second day of the championship saw the girls finish with six wins and a 12-all draw against Shoalhaven.
Day three started with a win, then a loss to a strong invitational South Canberra. To their credit, the Great Lakes girls picked up right when they needed to, going on and win the final four games.
“It was a fantastic effort by all 10 girls, and I couldn’t be any prouder of them,” Morse said.
In total, Great Lakes had three other sides competing, including the under 12’s and 13’s competing in division three at Penrith. The youngest side, the Under 12’s, finished an impressive third overall with 12 wins and three losses. This was a phenomenal effort considering this was their first year competing over the three day carnival.
The Under 13’s had a tough carnival finishing fifteenth overall. The Great Lakes Under 15’s competed at the Eastwood Ryde Netball Club Division Two Championships, finishing a fabulous equal fourth overall with 12 wins, five losses and one draw.