Te Tai Timu 1 score stunning victory
Te Tai Timu 1 won comfortably in Kapi Mana premier netball on Saturday, but the season has not been smooth sailing for the club.
Te Tai Timu 2, who also play in the premier grade, had to default their game to KBJ after absences and injuries meant they could not field a team.
Club captain Tash Marsters said it was disappointing, but was confident the club would bounce back.
The first team put Paremata Plimmerton Eagles away 75- 27, coasting out to a 20-point lead after the first quarter and keeping the accelerator down the whole way.
Although the beaten side was only recently promoted from premier 2, Marsters said her side never took any opposition lightly.
‘‘We always play as hard as we can, no matter who we’re up against,’’ she said. ‘‘ The intensity might be a bit higher and the scores closer against Norths or KBJ, but that doesn’t mean we underestimate anyone.’’
Losing to KBJ in the race to see who would join Norths in the regional Super League competition early this season was a blow, but Marsters said winning the Kapi Mana premier 1 competition was still their priority.
But getting two settled sides on court every week was proving tricky.
‘‘It’s been hard, because there’s a lot of injuries, and some of the girls are playing for [Wellington] teams, so they need to leave early sometimes,’’ Marsters said.
‘‘We’re still trying to get those solid connections together and when we do we’ll be a solid chance to win this league.’’
In other matches, Norths 1 overcame Rockz 1 69-53 and Aotea College demolished MTTP Sharks 1 80-31.
In Central League football action, Wests lost the chance to close the gap on leaders Napier City Rovers when they went down 2-1 to Wellington Olympic at Endeavour Park. Tawa, meanwhile, drew 0-0 with Stop Out.
Wests are five points behind Napier and have played a game more, and Tawa stay bottom, but are just two points behind Lower Hutt.
In Wellington club rugby league, there was grim news for the two Porirua sides.
Porirua Vikings slipped to a 31-18 defeat to Wainuiomata at Wise Park and St George were hammered 62-4 by competition leaders Te Aroha at Te Whiti Park.
Vikings are fourth and Dragons sixth in the standings.
Titahi Bay Marlins continued on their merry way in premier reserve, beating Wainuiomata 28-18 at Wise Park to remain top of the ladder.
In Jubilee Cup premier rugby, Tawa won a tight encounter with Hutt Old Boys Marist, 28- 24 at Lyndhurst Park. The win keeps them second in the table after five games, four points behind Old BoysUniversity, and still well positioned for a semifinal spot.
Tawa trailed 14-10 at halftime, and after 15 minutes of the second spell were in more trouble, down 24-15. But they fought back well.
Faraimo Nofoaiga, 2, and lock Telea Seumanutafa scored tries and James So’oialo continued to stack up the points with two conversions and three penalties. Nofoaiga’s first was a brilliant individual effort.
Busy flanker TJ Fermanis and winger Faraimo Nofoaiga were two of Tawa’s standout players.
Tawa travel to unbeaten Old Boys University next week for what should be a top-class encounter.
In the second tier Hardham Cup, Paremata Plimmerton went down 15-13 to Avalon in a crucial encoun- ter at Ngatitoa Domain.
Northern United similarly lost a must-win game, 23-18, to Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park.
Norths remain third on the table, but Paremata Plimmerton, after a promising start to the Hardham Cup, have slipped to second- tobottom.