By STEVE MENZIES
The two undefeated senior sides in the KFC Alice Springs Netball Association kept their perfect records intact on Saturday.
They were the Rovers Complete Construction B2 team and Giants Bark”n”Bath 17-and-under side.
Rovers defeated third-placed Federal AKC 37-32.
It was a good day for Rovers as its sister side Rovers Spritzers defeated second-placed Wests Ward Keller 39-33.
These results leave Rovers CC two wins clear at the top of the premiership ladder. Wests remain in second place.
Spritzers’ win kept it in the race for a place in the finals as it is just outside the top four but equal on wins with Federal AKC.
Wests Loco Buritto moved into third place, from fourth, by defeating Seasons R&R Tax + Bookkeeping 44-43.
This was a gallant effort by Seasons as it has not won a game this season.
In an upset seventh-placed Federal Scorchers defeated sixth-placed Neata Glass Giants but the result did not alter their positions on the premiership ladder.
The Giants 52-45 win against Federal Red was full of merit and showed the club is benefitting from its junior development.
This was a clash between first and second.
Only five of the Giants team’s eight players were available forcing coach Alecia Petram to call on three players from the 15-and-under team that played earlier in the day to fill in.
They joined fellow under-15 Bella Alice who is one of the team’s eight regular players.
“It was a good game and we only ran away with it in the final quarter,” Petram said.
“To be fair, Feds also had a couple of players out.
“All the girls have been fabulous all season. A couple of weeks ago we were nine goals down against Feds at three quarter time and managed to get up to win.
“The split in the grade into two divisions is good although it is boring playing the same girls every couple of weeks.
“But now we always have a challenge as it is always competitive games where before there were a couple of weaker teams.
“Hopefully these girls, if they stay in town, will go on to be the formation of an A-Grade team. Four are playing A-Reserves this year.”
Key players in Giants successful season have been goal defence Amelia Napier and Elizabeth Johnson at wing attack centre.
The two KFC A-Grade teams had, as expected, easily defeated their A-Reserves opponents.
Federal Club Eastside defeated Wests Epilogue 63-22. Wests was able to include former A-Grade good players Katie Hannah, Katherine Axten and Catriona Thompson but could not counter Federal.
Rovers Complete Construction had a harder tussle against Federal Office National Angels before winning 69-43.
Angels included NT 19-and-under players Brooke Wilson and invitational player Poppy Douglas from Ballarat in its team.