LOCALS featured heavily in the Mininera and District Netball Association Best and Fairest awards on Wednesday night.

Penshurst’s Leah Mirtschin romped to a six-vote win in the A grade count, despite not POLLING/PLAYING in the first six rounds, finishing with 24 votes.

A four-game stretch between rounds 10 and 13 saw the defender poll maximum votes, also collecting three votes on three other occasions to finish clear of Ararat’s Taryn Kelly in second place with 18 votes.

Mirtschin, who has returned from an ACL injury and also had a child in recent years, has had a big impact for the red and black, with the team taking to the court today for a preliminary final clash with a grand final spot on the line.

Elise Couchman also enjoyed success after the Rams player collected the C grade Best and Fairest with 27 votes.

Couchman did not go more than two consecutive games without polling votes, claiming best on court honours seven times on her way to claiming the top honour.

Penshurst’s Libby Rentsch finished equal runner-up alongside Lismore-Derrinallum’s Jaala Perkins after both polled 21 votes.

The Bombers also polled plenty of votes in B grade, as Jedah Huf fell just short of the B grade Best and Fairest, finishing runner-up to Ararat’s Sarah West by two votes.

The youngster, who played her junior netball at Penshurst before spending time at the Hamilton Kangaroos prior to returning to the red and black, has impressed upon her return to the club.

Huf polled 28 votes, including eight three-vote games, to finish second.

Making the effort all the more impressive was that Huf juggled netball responsibilities with women’s football, helping Horsham Demons to a grand final appearance in the Western Victoria Female Football League.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur’s Sophie Parfrey found herself in a three-way tie for second in the 17-and-Under vote count, alongside Moyston-Willaura’s Sophie Cooper and Woorndoo-Mortlake’s Elise Killen.

The trio each polled 17 votes to finish behind young Tiger, Mia Richie, who won with 25 votes.

Anna Rentsch continued Penshurst’s strong form, sharing the 15-and-Under top honours with Sophie Calvert from Wickliffe-Lake Bolac.

The pair each polled 27 votes to finish well clear of runner-up, Woorndoo-Mortlake’s Ava Wardlaw.

Full list of votes will be in next Wednesday’s Spec.