SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA - SANDHURST DIVISION

Year 8 Girls Netball

On Wednesday 6 May, our Year 8 girls represented the school with pride at the Sandhurst Division Netball Competition held at the Golden City Netball Courts, with the teams showcasing outstanding skill, teamwork, and determination throughout the day.

Year 8 – Team 1

The girls got off to a fantastic start in their opening match, securing a dominant 19–3 win. From the first whistle, their strong passing and sharp ball movement down the court set the tone for the day. Defensive pressure was evident across all thirds, forcing turnovers and creating scoring opportunities.

Building on this momentum, the second game saw another convincing victory, 22–1 against Weeroona College. The team continued to impress with their accurate ball movement, quick transitions, and relentless defensive effort, making it difficult for their opponents to gain any control of the game.

In their third match, the girls faced a strong Marist College Bendigo side, which proved to be one of their toughest challenges of the day. With excellent hands-over-pressure in defence and disciplined play across the court, the team held their composure to come away with a hard-fought 11–6 win. This match highlighted the team’s ability to lift their intensity against quality opposition.

The next game against Bendigo South East College resulted in a comfortable 20–1 win. Once again, the girls’ consistency, teamwork, and communication were key strengths, allowing them to dominate play and confidently secure their spot in the finals.

In the semi-final, they met Crusoe College and continued their strong form, winning 17–5. Their confidence was evident, as they maintained control throughout the match with structured play and effective teamwork.

The Grand Final saw a rematch against a much-improved Marist team. It was a highly competitive contest, with both sides going goal-for-goal in the first half. However, the girls displayed excellent composure under pressure, along with outstanding teamwork and strong team cohesion. Their ability to trust one another, work together seamlessly, and stay focused in crucial moments enabled them to pull ahead, securing a well-deserved 12–8 victory.

Congratulations to the team on an excellent performance. Their skill, teamwork, determination and sportsmanship throughout the day were a credit to themselves and the school. The team will now progress to the Loddon Mallee Regional Finals on Tuesday 21 July.

Mrs Gretgrix (Coach)

TEAM 1: Mrs Hannah Gretgrix (Coach), Macaila Bannan, Scarlett Ramsey, Eliza Main, Emma Hietbrink, Abby Colt, Cammie Fitzgerald, Macey Nielsen, Colbie O’Bree, Darcy Rodda

Year 8 – Team 2

Team 2 took to the court, competing in Pool B of the A Division. In the opening round, the team started a little slowly but as the minutes ticked over, they soon found their rhythm to record a solid win over Crusoe College. The girls were steady and patient throughout the match, working well as a team to secure a confident 7–2 victory.

The girls then moved into their next game against Castlemaine Secondary College and lifted to another level. Excellent shooting, strong defensive intercepts, and impressive feeds through the midcourt saw the girls dominate play, finishing with a convincing 16–4 win.

Unfortunately, due to a school pulling out, the girls faced a long break before their final pool game, resulting in another slow start as they took time to settle. Nonetheless, the team showed great determination and resilience, fighting hard to get a 7–0 win against Victory Christian College. This result saw the girls finish on top of the Pool B ladder.

Progressing to the semi-finals, the girls came up against a strong Marist side, who had finished second in Pool A. The team certainly made their presence felt, taking the fight right up to Marist. The first half was an absolute ripper, with excellent teamwork, strong defensive pressure, and goals flowing at the attacking end to keep the score tight at the break 5-4. The second half started well; however the girls were starting to tire. Despite their desperate efforts to keep equilibrium in the game, the incredibly accurate shooting from Marist saw them gain the ascendancy and eventually take the win 13-6.

The girls then backed up to play off for third and fourth place against Crusoe College. After a huge semi-final effort, fatigue had set in, and the girls finished the day in fourth place overall, going down 6–2.

It was a fantastic team effort and a day full of strong performances and great netball. A big thank you to Ava Hope and Paige Kristiansen for umpiring on the day. Thank you also to our scorers Lucy Pollock and Rylee McInerney – your assistance was invaluable and greatly appreciated.

Mrs Leahy (Coach)

TEAM 2: Isabella Holland, Lily Capicchiano, Emily Harris, Emily Dullard, Arie Dean, Mrs Molly Leahy (Coach), Zara Grieve, Summer Whyte, Greta Pollock, Pippa Carr