Auckland set for netball title

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 52

Auckland set for netball title

PA Hamilton New Zealand first-grade netball championship honours looked safe with Auckland at the end of the fourth day’s play in the annual tournament in Hamilton yesterday. With matches against Matamata and North Shore ahead of it today. Auckland led by three points from North'Shore, with Wellington and Waikato another point behind. Auckland looks assured of victory against the young Matamata team this morning, which should put Auckland in an unassailable position by the time it meets North Shore in the afternoon. The aggressive, confident (Auckland team came ; through yesterday with an i impressive 39-29 win over I Wellington and another fine 'win, 38-28, against Canterbury. Auckland owed much to the strong defence play of Yvonne Willering, while Sue McKay at goal-shoot and Sharon Wilson at goal-attack did all that could be asked of them. Auckland was given a surprisingly hard time by an injury-hit Canterbury team, which led 17-16 at half-time, was four goals ahead early in the second half, and was not overhauled until the scores were level at 26-26.

Canterbury was without its captain and goal defence Maxine Blomquist, who sprained an ankle badly on Thursday, and Philippa McLean, who injured an ankle. Three of the players who took the court against Auckland were also suffering from a variety of injuries. The seven on the court included Sandra Heffernan, who had come to Hamilton as a spectator to follow the fortunes of the Canterbury team and was [pressed into service at short notice to play goal-keep. She is a former Southland Country and Otago representative. Auckland’s best performance of the tournament was probably its big effort against Wellington. Auckland played with plenty of control, and brilliant goals were landed from all parts of the circle. The second grade lies between King Country and Wanganui, the former leading by one point. Hutt Valley’s chance of winning this grade and returning to the first grade, from which it was relegated last year, took a knock in the last round yesterday when it was beaten by Canterbury Country, 30-28. Ashburton and Otago Country head the third grade, Thames Valley being one point behind. The fourth grade is dominated by Marl-

i borough and South Canterbury Minor, which will meet .today. They are six points clear of Te Kawau. Results yesterday were First grade.—Waikato 38, Hawke's Bax 21; Auckland 39. Wellington 29: Rotorua 37. C.mI terbury 28; Manawatu 35. Matamata 21; South Canterbury 41, | Nelson 36: North Shore 37. Otago 31: Waikato 42. Nelson 2.1, South Canterburv 35. Otago 26; ! Wellington 44. North Shore 30; Rotorua 49. Matamata 23; Manawatu 33, Hawke's Bay 30; Auck- . land 38, Canterbury 28. I Points: Auckland 18, North [Shore 15. Wellington 14, Waikato 14, Canterbury 12, Nelson 9, South Canterbury Manawatu 6, Rotorua 6, Otago ;4, Hawke’s Bay 2, Matamata 0. j Second grade. — Canterbury Country 42. Westein Bax of Plenty 24; South Waikato 24. southland 22; King Country 44. (Southland Country 17; Hutt Valley 37. Poverty Bay 21; \u k ! land Sub-associations 35. South Auckland 32: Wanganui 38. West[Auckland Districts 34; Wanganui 133. Western Bay of Plenty 2.1; 'Hutt Valley 33, Auckland Subassociations 32; South 24, WestAuckland Districts 20; Kin- w (Country 36. Soutii Waikato 2 ■ (South Auckland 30. Canterbui. " Country 28; Southland Country 27, Poverty Bay 24; South I Waikato 33, Poverty Bay 26; I Wanganui 31. South Auckland 30; 'King Country 27. Wcst-Auckland j Districts 11; Auckland SubI associations 28. Southland Country 25; Southland 22, Western Bay of Plenty 17; Canterbury' Country 30, Hutt Valley '2B. I Points: King Country 17, | Wanganui 16, Hutt Valley 14, I South Auckland 13. Canterbury J Country 12, Southland 10, West(Auckland Districts 8. Western Bay of Plenty 6, South Waikato 6, Auckland Sub-associations 4, Southland Country 2, Poverty (Bay 0. Fourth grade.—North Otago 31. (Manawatu Minor 31; Poverty Bay-East Coast 39, Hutt Valley I Minor 30; Wairoa 27, Nelsoii Minor 22; Marlborough 26, (Tekawau 11; South Canterbury Minor 46, Hawke s Bay Minor 21; North Otago 27. Hutt Valley Minor 23: Poverty Bay-East Coast 29, Wairoa 25; Marlborough 39, Hauke’s Bay Minor 12; South [Canterbury Minor 28, Nelson (Minor 17; Manawatu Minor 21; Te Kawau 17. Points: Marlborough 16, South (Canterbury Minor 16, To Kawau 10, Nelson Minor 8, Manawatu Minor 8, North Otago 7. Poverty i Bay-East Coast 7, Wairoa 6, Hutt (Valley Minor 2, Hawke's Bay {Minor 0. | Third giade.—Otago Country (24, Temuka 15; Eastern Bay of I Plenty 29. Taranaki 22: Waikato I Sub-associations 37, Northland 27; Ashburton 38, Wellington [Minor 22; West Coast 40, Wairarapa 27; Thames Valiev 36, • Horowhenua 14; Otago Country 25, Waikato Sub-associations 23; , Temuka 31, Thames Valiev 18; ' Horowhenua 29, Taranaki 28; Eastern Bav of Plenty 28, Wellington Minor 26; Ashburton 46. West Coast 35; Manawatu Minor ’ 21, Te Kawau 17; Northland 29, I Wairarapa 27. Points: Ashburton 15, Otago Country 15, Thames Valley 14, ’ Temuka 13, Waikato Subassociations 12, Northland 11, . Eastern Bay of Plenty 8, Horowhenua 6, West Coast 6, Taranaki 4, Wairarapa 4. Wei- : Hngton Minor u. I Cycling.—Lothar Thomas, of ' East Germany, has won tile gold medal in the Ikm individual | time trial at the world cycling championships in San Cristobal, i Venezuela. Guenther Schumacher, of West Germany, . won the silver medal and Hans Ledermann, of Switzerland, the bronze.