Tungamah is the Picola District League C-grade netball premier.
Photo by
Callum Farquhar
Tungamah’s C-grade Picola District League netball side was faced with adversity on its way to a flag triumph on Saturday at Mathorua Recreation Reserve, but perhaps it was the adversity that sharpened the Bears’ tools for success.
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A side stacked with young women in their first years out of the junior program, Tungamah relished having youth in the legs to run out multiple long-winded contests in the PDL C-grade finals series, as Bears coach Bernadette Atwood reflected on a staggering finish to the campaign.
“We took Deni to double extra time in the first final, and came out with a two-goal loss,” Atwood said.
“But we came out of it with huge belief that we could grind through four quarters and extra time.
“We then took on Rennie, our arch rivals, in the next final, and won that one comfortably, but then our (preliminary final) against Katunga went into extra time again, and we won that by two goals.
“So by grand final week, we had this belief that we could push through and keep our composure when the pressure’s up and we’re fatigued.”
In the end, Tungamah supporters didn’t need an ambulance on hand for another potential heart-attack inducing finish.
Tungamah stormed over the top of the Rovers in the second half on Saturday, taking an even ledger at 16-apiece at half time to 27-36 at the full time horn, the Bears exacting their revenge on Deniliquin after their qualifying final meeting.
Atwood was full of pride of her premiership side post-game.
“I’m well and truly the oldest, I think I’m about nearly 20 years older than some of them,” she said.
“We have really positive talk, we don’t drop our heads and we work hard until he final whistle.
“It was amazing.”
Goal defence Chelsea Phillips was named the best on court for the C-grade decider.
