WHAT WENT ON 24 - 25 July

JUNIOR RUGBY
After a few weeks off due to cancellations and school holidays, Wairoa JAB was finally back in action on Saturday morning. With only a few rounds remaining this season, it was great to see teams banding together to have fun and competitive matches. Players were shared to fill in gaps which was great to see! Check out the results for round 8 below.

Tuhara Harvest Rippa
Rippa Black vs. YMP Tangitu (win by default)
Rippa White (10) vs. St Joseph School (10)
Rippa Stripes (11) vs. Tapuae Rossco's (6)

Tuhara Harvest Junior
Junior Warriors (15) vs. Nuhaka (9)
Junior Storm (21) vs. Tapuae Little Taniwha (5)

Tuhara Harvest Primary
Athletic vs. Tapuae Big Baldy's

SENIOR NETBALL FINALS
Osler's Bakery & Cafe Athletic Black took to the court for the final time this season, pumped and ready to take on TKT in the Gold Grade Final. In the lead-up to the game, we trained hard both mentally and physically to ensure we stepped onto the court ready to play our game and bring home the win. The first quarter got off to a great start. We stuck to our game plan, supported one another, and kept level heads. Despite an injury in the opening minutes that saw us lose one of our defenders, the team stepped up and played with determination. Our midcourters worked tirelessly to carry the ball through the court and feed our shooters, who made it look effortless as they calmly sank the goals. We held a narrow lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw our defensive pressure lift another level. WD Claire disrupted TKT’s attacking flow, while midcourters Teri and Maddy continued to work hard to maintain possession and deliver accurate ball into the circle. Our shooters capitalised on every opportunity, and by halftime the scores were locked at 23-all. The third quarter saw TKT demonstrate why they have been such a strong side all season. They contested every ball, applied relentless pressure, and made us fight for every pass. Despite the incredible effort from every player on the court, we were unable to regain the momentum, with TKT taking the win 44–34.

This season wasn’t without its challenges for Athletic Black. We battled injuries, farewelled teammates, welcomed new ones, and adapted to position changes throughout the year. But one thing remained constant—our support for one another, the laughter we shared, our dedication, our love for the game, and the positive energy we brought to the court every week. While we are disappointed not to have come away with the win, we are incredibly proud of how far we’ve come this season. A huge thank you to our coach, Tracy, who travelled from Napier every week to share her knowledge, passion, and experience. Her commitment helped us grow not only as individual players but as the strong, united team we became throughout the season. Finally, thank you to all of our supporters who turned up week after week to cheer us on, and especially those who packed the sidelines for Saturday’s final. We truly felt the Athletic support behind us, and we’re so grateful for every one of you.

Pictured below: Osler's Bakery & Cafe Athletic Black on Finals Day.

What a way to finish the season! After months of hard work, Osler's Bakery & Cafe Athletic White finished the season on a high, taking on Panthers Te Rito in the playoff for 5th and 6th place. It was an incredibly close contest that went right down to the final whistle, but we came away with a hard-fought 20–18 victory, securing 5th place overall in the Silver Grade. Captain Alyssa Deam made an immediate impact after returning from injury. From the second quarter onwards, she helped swing the momentum in Athletic White’s favour, delivering pinpoint bullet feeds into the shooting circle that combined brilliantly with Sarah Spicer and Grace Young, creating crucial scoring opportunities. Although everyone played incredibly well, standout players were Libby Young and Sarah Spicer, who were on fire. Libby was outstanding in defence, applying relentless pressure, denying Panthers countless opportunities to score and getting fingertips to numerous intercepts that proved crucial throughout the game. Sarah was exceptional under the hoop with her accurate shooting and tireless work rate. She never stopped moving, working hard both in the circle and through the midcourt to create opportunities and help drive the team to victory. To top off an outstanding performance, Sarah also picked up a couple of well-earned interceptions, an impressive all-round effort and something she should be incredibly proud of. A special mention also goes to Sarah Johansen, who answered the call-up for the match and slotted seamlessly into Goal Keep. She put in a determined defensive performance, making life difficult for the Panthers shooters and helping restrict their scoring opportunities when it mattered most. While individual performances stood out, this win was a true team effort. Every player stepped onto the court determined to finish the season on a high, and the trust, communication, and support shown across all four quarters was a reflection of how far this team has come.

A very special thank you to Avon McCormack for all the coaching and support throughout the season. Your passion, knowledge, and commitment made a huge difference to our team, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you’ve done. We hope to have you back with us next season. We can’t wait to see what next season has in store!

Finally, a massive thank you to our incredible NETBALL CODE SPONSOR OSLER'S BAKERY & CAFE for their continued support throughout the season and beyond. Go and show them some love and try out their brand new Pāua Pie, in store now!

Pictured below: Osler's Bakery & Cafe Athletic White on Finals Day.

SENIOR FOOTBALL
Saturday's match we hosted top of the table Thistle Bobcats at Bayleys Athletic Park. QRS Athletic Football played a good-spirited game with defensive efforts keeping Thistle scoreless for the first 43 minutes, and eventually holding them to a 1-0 lead going into halftime. Athletic started slow in the second half, picking up a bit of fatigue from the impressive effort Thistle put in and they managed to get a second goal, making it 2-0. Athletic had some standout players with Will Taylor filling in, Luke Graves outstanding in goal, Hira Campbell running the substitutions perfectly, and young guns Aayden, Tamatoa, and KC played incredibly against tough opposition. Thistle managed to get a further 2 goals to take home a 4-0 victory to better their chances for the Division 1 title.

Players of the day were Andrew Langdon and Luke Graves sharing the honours. Next weekend we have a bye as its a catch up round, then we go into the final 3 matches after the division split happens. Stay tuned!