A late charge by Kyabram’s A-grade netball team wasn’t enough to overcome a slow start and has left the Bombers as one of two winless teams after five weeks of Goulburn Valley netball competition.
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The three-goal defeat to 10th ranked Mansfield, that team’s second win for the season, means Kyabram will tackle three of the top six teams in the next month of competition.
Trailing by four at the first break, Kyabram outscored its opponent for two of the next three quarters.
Eventually it was beaten 39-42, but appears to be focused on the long-term benefits of playing several teenagers in key roles.
Again at the weekend it was one of those rising stars, Isla Carver, who was recognised as her team’s best player — following on from the celebrated performances of goaler Natasha Dodos and mid-court star Abby Waasdorp.
Things do not get any easier for the Kyabram team in coming weeks, with its anticipated meeting with Benalla, the other team yet to register a win, not until June 15.
In the next four rounds the Bombers face sixth-ranked Seymour, Tatura (fifth), Shepparton Swans (ninth, with two wins) and Shepparton Bears (third).
Carver worked with Waasdorp and Maaia Roberts in the mid-court, with Jayda Richardson coming on midway through the first term to spend the rest of the game in goals with Dodos.
Dodos finished with all but five of her team’s goals, while captain Jemma Hall was the pick of the defenders.
– A 41-goal win for the B-grade team was its first of the season and came on the back of a 62-goal performance from sure handed goaler Micaela Herbert.
Her rebounding and high conversion allowed the Bombers to register a 70-29 result and set their sights on climbing further on the ladder.
Currently in 10th, they have the chance to improve when they meet ninth-ranked Tatura and Shepparton Swans (seventh) in coming weeks.
Interspersed in the next month are matches against fourth and fifth ranked Seymour and Shepparton Bears, but the weekend’s turn around could provide a catapult to improved results.
The team started the season slowly, 45 and a pair of 36-goal defeats in the opening three rounds, but the 70-goal tally was the third highest score of the season — behind Shepparton Bears’ 86 goals (also against Mansfield) in the opening round.
Hannah Newman was the Bombers best mid-court player, while Ali Hall moved from the centre to goal defence and worked well in tandem with teenager Ava Hall (who played the last half) for a 39-11 second half result.
Herbert shot 19 goals in the final term when Kyabram produced its most dominant display, shooting 23 goals to Mansfield’s three.
– A third win for the B-reserve team has it sitting a game clear inside the top six and with the chance to improve further when it faces two teams above it on the ladder in the next month.
The 12-goal win, 47-35, has the Bombers sitting sixth ahead of a meeting with unbeaten ladder-leader team Seymour this weekend.
It then has two winnable games, against 10th ranked Tatura and eighth placed Shepparton Swans, before another test against third ranked Shepparton Bears.
Abbey Watson started the game in spectacular fashion, shooting 25 of her team’s 27 first-half goals.
She finished with 30 goals, Jemae Miller coming on in the final term to shoot five of the team’s 10 goals.
Laura Papalia was outstanding in the centre and Ebony Arnold was the pick of the defenders. Mansfield kept pace with the Bombers in the second half, outscored by three goals.
– Kyabram’s eight goals win in the under-17 game has seen it replace Mansfield in the top six with three wins from the opening five rounds.
The 38-30 result came on the back of Stella Trezise’s defensive work and Ava Pell’s brilliant mid-court play — who had only just been rewarded with selection in a league squad.
After losing the opening two rounds, the Bombers have had three successive wins, by two goals against Euroa, by three goals against Shepparton United and by eight against Mansfield on Saturday.
They sit sixth on the ladder, with matches against eighth ranked Seymour and Tatura (11th) in the next two weeks. Wins in those games will set up matches against the third and top-ranked teams, Shepparton Swans and Bears.
Leading by just two goals at half-time, it was the second half work of Rose Cunningham and Jemae Miller in goals that got the team across the line.
Both goalers finished with 19 for the game, but it was centre Pell and winger Charlee Gregory that combined with Trezise to finish in the best players.
– A 12-goal loss to the fourth ranked under-15 Mansfield team has Kyabram sitting ninth in the competition.
A slow start cost the team any hope of victory, but the Bombers finished the game strongly by matching its opponent in the second half after trailing by 12 at half-time.
The 34-46 loss came on the back of Kyabram using eight players and making a number of second half changes.
Ella Hooper finished with 26 of her team’s goals, while Mia Stockdale played three quarters in the centre and was supported by Rachael Polvere on a wing.
The Bombers face bottom team Seymour this weekend and will be hoping to stay in touch with the top six by scoring a second win for the season.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor