Auckland confirms superiority with five netball trialists

Press, 1 September 1986, Page 36

Auckland confirms superiority with five netball trialists

PA Auckland The superiority of Auckland in clinching the national netball title yesterday was underlined by the fact that the team had five players named as trialists for the New Zealand squad to contest the world event in Glasgow next year.

Included are the goalkeep, Chris Covacich, whose jumping ability compensates for her lack of height, and Ana Noovao, a key figure in the well organised Auckland defence which kept tight wraps on the country’s best shooters last week.

Noovao has played for the New Zealand under-21 side, but Covacich has no international experience.

The Auckland coach, Yvonne Willering, said that winning against the off-form North Shore on the first day proved the springboard for her team’s outstanding success, but added that the key t was the balanced,

unified play of her toplayer squad. • “Once you are ahead in any game it is always easier to stay there,” she said.

“But our real strength is that we have a squad of equally strong players, with no stars, who all work together and know what to expect from each other.”

The team demonstrated this ,in the early stages of its crucial game against Canterbury on Saturday, when the goal-shoot, Te Aroha Clarke, missed a succession of shots.

The goal-attack, Alison Wieringa, calmly stepped into the breech and took charge of the shooting until Clarke regained her form later in the match, denying Canterbury the chance to storm ahead. A capacity crowd was treated to a spectacular match, particularly in the first half as Canterbury doggedly refused to allow Auckland to more

than a six-goal lead. By the end of the third quarter, however, Auckland began to surge ahead.

Covacich, Noovao and the goal-defence, Julie Townsend, constituted a formidable defence, giving the crack Canterbury shooter, Stephanie StokesWashington, few opportunities.

In other games on Saturday, North Shore predictably beat Manawatu to secure second place in the competition, while Waikato downed the disappointing Wellington side to finish third over-all. Horowhenua and Te Kawau tied for the top position in the fourth grade.

Results from the final day.— First grade Division A: North Shore 57, Manawatu 43; Auckland 66, Canterbury 48; Waikato 60, Wellington 40. Points: Auckland 10, North Shore 8, Waikato 6, Christ-

church 4, Wellington 2, Manawatu 0.

Division B: Rotorua 60, South Waikato 43; Southland 47, Wellington Subs 39; Otago 64, Thames Valley 43. Points: Otago 10, Thames Valley 7, South Waikato 5, Rotorua 4, Wellington Subs 2, Southland 2. Second grade Round 10: Wanganui 42, Auckland Subs 25; Hawke's Bay 30, Hutt Valley 25; Western BoP 25, Waikato Subs 20; Nelson 33, Counties 30; Taranaki '45, Northland 38; South Canterbury 53, Canterbury Country 32. Round 11: Auckland Subs 28, Nelson 27; Hawke’s Bay 29, Western BoP 21; South Canterbury 51, Counties 31; Hutt Valley 38, Northland 27; Waikato Subs 31, Taranaki 31; Wanganui 38, Canterbury Country 33. Points: South Canterbury 20, Wanganui 18; Taranaki 15, Auckland Subs 12, Hutt Valley 12, Nelson 12, Counties 11, Hawke’s Bay 10, Canterbury Country 8, Northland 6, Waikato Subs 5, Western BoP 3. Third grade Round 10: Eastern BoP 40, Ashburton 27; Marlborough 36,<King Country 28; West

Coast 32, Wairarapa 27; West Auckland Districts 41, Otago Country 27; Southland Country 31, Matamata 21; HowickPakuranga 35, Poverty Bay 31.

Round 11: Ashburton 40, Otago Country 32; King Country 28, Wairarapa 22; HowickPakuranga 42, West Auckland Districts 24; Marlborough 45, Matamata 28; Southland Country 33, West Coast 31; Eastern BoP 41, Poverty Bay 28.

Points: Howick-Pakuranga 22, Eastern BoP 20, Poverty Bay 14, West Auckland Districts 13, Southland Country 12, West Coast 11, Marlborough 10, Wairarapa 8, Ashburton 8, Otago Country 8, King Country 4, Matamata 2. Fourth grade Round 10: Horowhenua 37, Buller 19; Nelson Minor 35, Poverty Bay East Coast 20; Te Kawau 34, Wairoa 32; South Canterbury Country 35, Temuka and Districts 26; Manawatu Subs 27, Hawkes Bay Minor 21; North Otago 38, Hokitika 36. Round 11: Buller 27, South Canterbury Country 21; Te Kawau 33, Nelson Minor 10; Hokitika 30, Temuka and Districts 27; Hawke’s Bay Minor 34, Poverty Coast

21; Manawatu Subs 35, Wairoa 32; Horowhenua 39, North Otago 31. Points: Horowhenua 21, Te Kawau 21, Buller 16, Hokitika 14, Manawatu Subs 12, North Otago 11, Wairoa 10, South Canterbury Country 8, Nelson Minor 8, Hawke’s Bay Minor 8, Temuka and Districts 4, Poverty Bay-East Coast 1. The squad of 21 from which a New Zealand netball team will be chosen to contest the world championships in Glasgow next year, is: Julie Carter (Otago), Te Aroha Clarke (Auckland), Chris Covacich (Auckland), Tracy Eyrl (North Shore), Rita Fatialofa (Wellington), Tracey Fear (Waikato), Denise Felex (North Shore), Margaret Forsyth (Waikato), Leigh Gibbs (Canterbury), Annette Heffernan (Canterbury), Karen Henrickson (Wellington), Liz McJorrow (Wellington), Sandra Mallett (Waikato), Darlene Marsters (Waikato), Margharet Matenga (Wellington), Ana Noovao (Auckland), Angela Pule (Canterbury), Joan Solia (Auckland), Waimarama Taumaunu (Wellington), Julie Townsend (Auckland), Cathrine Wilkinson (Waikato).