By STEVE MENZIES
It was a good day for Wests Netball Club at the Pat Gallagher Netball Centre on Saturday.
Beginning with 11-and-under Wests Zaaras Kitchen at 10am, the club had seven winning teams and a draw from 11 games.
They included wins in 13-and-unders, 15-and-unders, B2 and B grades plus the club’s two A-Reserves teams
The draw was in C-grade where the C-Grade where the fifth-placed Wests Jaws Contracting and second-placed Federal P&V Flames both finished on 29 goals.
Federal also had a good day with seven wins, a draw and four losses with one being its A-Reserve forfeiting to the A-Grade by incluDing A-Grade players in its team as the club decided to mix the players up between the two teams. This saw the A-Grade attack against the A-grade defence,
It was a different tale for Rovers which, as a club, won seven and lost nine games. This included four matches where two Rovers teams played each other.
But there was worse to come when talented shooter Suzi Barter injured her ankle in the game between the club’s KFC A-Grade and the Club Eastside A-Reserves teams.
Third-placed Wests Jaws Contracting 15-and-under team came from trailing most of the game to snatch a 50-49 victory against top-side Seasons ASYASS.
This enabled Federal Fever, 64-14 winners against Giants Big 4 Mac Range, to equal top with Seasons with Wests a win behind,
Rania Shelford was a standout performer for Wests in the three positions she played, She began at goal attack, moved to centre for the second term, played goal defence in the third and then was back at goal attack for the final stanza.
Coach Carlee Warburton was understandably pleased with the win but more with the way the side played.
“It was a good game. All our players played well as a team,” she said.
“They stepped up against a taller opposition and did not drop their heads, as they have done, when they were behind.
“Federal flogged us last time we played. But this time the girls all put in for the full four quarters.
“Rania is a marvellous player in whatever position we place her and played really well.
“She makes a big difference to the team.”
Wests, despite trailing for most of the quarters, was able to hold narrow leads at every break.
The wins by the Wests Club Eastside A-Reserve teams, Gillen 59-43 against Federal Office National Angels and Epilogue 45-35 against second-placed Neata Glass Giants, consolidated the former’s and earned the latter places in the top four.
Giants, which was so good in the early season, has struggled since Rowena Petrenas left, and now has a challenge to hold onto second place and the vital double chance.
The side was also without Lara Espie and Lauren Stone and called on three players from the 17-and-unders to field the team while Wests included talented former A-Grade trio Katie Hannah, Kathleen Axten and Carlee Warburton.
Giants began well, leading 13-9 at the first change but Wests dominated the middle two terms scoring 28 goals to 15.
The game between Wests Gillen and Angels was close with only two goals (41-39) separating the teams at the final change, but Wests switched on the afterburners scoring 18 goals to four in the final stanza.
With Suzi Barter taking her place in the Rovers Complete Construction reserves side, the KFC A-Grade team was able to play former star player Jordann Hickey in the shooting role for her first A-Grade game in four years.
She proved a strong ally in the circle for Molly Southam and shot 29 of the side/s 62 goals.
The reserves side lost centre Chloe Southam through injury in the second term and then Barter in the final quarter and will be hoping they can recover for its finals campaign in three weeks time.
On a bright note for Rovers, it ended the finals hopes of Wests Jaws Contracting by consolidating fourth spot with a 45-26 win against second-placed Seasons CADS.
Seasons loss opened the door for sister side Seasons Complete Fencing & Steel Deals to move equal on wins after it defeated Sundowners Alice Springs Hospitality Supplies 52-30.
Wests Loco Burrito and Rovers Spritzers continued their battle for the B2 fourth position with both having wins to remain level on premiership points.
Third-placed Federal AKC moved to within a point of second-placed Wests Ward Keller by defeating it 44-19.
The 29-29 draw between the Trophy Central C-Grade second-placed Federal P&V Flames and fifth-placed Wests Jaws Contracting was not the only surprise.
Federal Swifts strengthened its hold on fourth spot with a 58-45 win against third-placed Giants Dreamers.
There was some excitement from the 17-and-under Division 2 games when Sundowners Elders Insurance defeated Neata Glass Giants 40-11 to climb off the bottom of the premiership table for the first time this season.
PHOTO: Neata Glass Giants (blue) vs Wests Gillen (maroon).