JUST one Casterton Sandford team remains in the race for a Western Border Netball Association premiership, with the Cats having a tough day on the courts in the do-or-die first semi-finals at Malseed Park.

This weekend Renae Newell and her 13 & Under B charges will head to McDonald Park to take on Millicent, where a win will launch them straight into the grand final, while a loss will line them up against Saturday’s first semi-final winner, West Gambier, for a second shot at the big game.

While a home-ground final is always exciting – Casterton Sandford set to host preliminary finals at Island Park on 27 August – another week off may be welcomed by the young Cats, after a gruelling year.

Like their 2021 15 & Under colleagues, the 13 & Unders have backed up with the same team to play both A and B divisions in their age group every week and despite the extra workload, finished a clear second on the ‘B’ premiership table, dropping just three matches for the season.

While the Saints were unbeaten in 2022, the Cats did not let them get away with much - each of three meetings resulting in some tight tussles - and with a big crowd behind them this Saturday, the girls will look to be the first to topple the minor premiers.

The young Cats take to the court at East Gambier’s home ground at 10.45am, Victorian time, this Saturday.

On Saturday, coach Jodie Humphries and her 17 & Under side provided the heart-stopper of the day, the girls coming back from a three-quarter time deficit, executing text-book turnovers to draw the match, before a see-sawing score line saw the Cats down by one, right on the final whistle.

The 15 & Under and B Grade sides showed why they finished in the top four in their respective grades, but also came up against tough opposition in West and South Gambier, respectively, bowing out of the finals race.

First semi-finals

17 & Under

THERE was never more than four goals separating the well-matched Cats and Tigers in the epic 17 & Under first semi-final match on Saturday.

North got the better of the start with Coco Mackereth starring in the first quarter as she drove hard to the circle and connected well with her goaling combination of Ava Norman and Lauran Norman, who netted 12 for the quarter as North built a three- goal quarter time lead.

The Cats were always going to respond and not only did they start to create turnover ball, they also found better rhythm in attack as Makayla Hutchins and Phoebe Carlin started to find better position on the circle and fed accurately to Chloe Foster and Ivy Lane.

North still looked solid, with Mackereth continuing to dominate and Alice Tentye also working overtime in centre, while Lauran Norman continued to be a strong target and finishing well.

It was a one-goal margin at the main break and while North swung the changes, with Tentye moving to the shooting circle, Gianna Morello entering the clash at centre and circle defenders Katie Dyson and Alysha Coon swapping roles, with Coon moving out to goal defence, the game remained an arm wrestle.

Lane was dominant for the Cats in this quarter, converting 10 from 11 and she used her strong holding and perfect timing to great effect and Ebany Jarrad started to find more turnover ball to give the Cats more opportunities.

But the fresh legs of Morello and her willingness to release the ball to Lauran Norman, as well as Coon finding some turnover ball higher up the court, saw North once again work to a three-goal three-quarter time lead.

That lead evaporated quickly in the early going of the last, though, with Jarrad again proving influential and passing errors creeping into the Tigers game and as the goal-for-goal battle ensued, neither team could gain an advantage, despite both having opportunities to secure a small buffer.

In the end Lauran Norman converted an under-the-post penalty rebound just before the final whistle and time ran out for the Cats.

Lauran Norman was dominant in attack, while Coon rebounded strongly and earned some important interceptions for North, while Jarrad and Hutchins worked hard for the Cats.

B Grade

SOUTH Gambier started strongly in the B Grade contest, scoring the first four goals before Casterton Sandford responded through Renae Newell.

South continued to dominate the quarter with Kim McIntyre and Sophie Wight working hard to limit the Cats’ opportunities. At the other end Gracie Dalton showed maturity in goals scoring seven goals for the quarter.

South led at the first change by eight goals.

Casterton stepped up all over the court in the second quarter, applying defensive pressure to cause turnovers and with Phoebe Carlin entering the game and combining well with Newell in goals to outscore South by five goals to be only three goals down at the half time break.

South swung the changes at the break with Shelby Auld moving to C and Charlie Attiwill entering the game at WD.

They combined well with Wight and McIntyre to restrict the scoring opportunities of the Cats and with Dalton having her best quarter shooting 11 from 12, South extended their lead to be 12 goals in front at the last change.

Casterton continued to fight hard with Emma Grigg taking some timely intercepts at GD to keep her side in the contest, however South were too experienced all over the court and Leyna Bruggermann finished off the good work at GS.

South again outscored the Cats to take the match by 16 goals to advance to the pre-liminary final in two weeks’ time.

Best for South were Bruggermann and Dalton and for Casterton Sandford it was Mutch and Grigg.

15 & Under A

THE 15 & Under A Cats came into this game against West Gambier, confident after a strong game that secured them a spot in the top four.

A slow start from the girls put them behind in the first start, our defender Amy Crauford, Sarah Richardson, Matilda Thompson and Caitlyn Gorman worked overtime to stop the flow of the west attackers and gain as much possession for our attackers to convert.

Olivia Nolte and Chelsea’s Hulm were accurate all day and worked hard for any ball that came their way.

Indi Longhurst and Brydie Carlin combined well and worked overtime to feed the ball into our goalies.

Halftime saw the girls down by nine, it also saw multiple changes made with one three positions staying the same.

The last half was a standout for the girls which brought them back into the mix with strong defensive pressure all over the court, denying west the ball as well as smart work in attack to convert the ball. Overall, it just wasn’t the girls’ day, going down by five goals to a very deserving West team, but should hold their heads high after a great season.