The Parkes District Netball Association sent a contingent of 42 representatives to the State Age championships in Sydney recently.
Parkes fielded three teams for the competition in the 13, 14 and 15 year age groups. Each team played a minimum of six half hour games each day.
There were 19 teams in the 13 year division – won by Brunswick Byron.
Day 1 started with losses to Casino and Inverell. The next game against Gunnedah was an 8 all draw and they won their next two games convincingly against Cobar and Armidale. The last game ended with a loss to Macleay 10-8.
Day 2 was a hard day with the final tally at 5 loses, 1 win.
Day 3 was again a tough one against 4 teams who finished in the top 10. The results were 1 win against Narrabri, followed by 3 narrow losses against Woolgoolga, Sapphire Coast and Kurri Kurri going down by one point to each on the buzzer. With nothing left in the tank the girls went down in the last 2 games against Goulburn and Kiama.
The 14 year group had 19 teams with Macleay the overall winners.
Day 1 started with a win against Narrabri, but they they went down in the next 5 games.
Day 2’s first match against Mudgee ended with a loss, a win against Gunnedah, losses to Goulburn and Inverell, and a win against Yass. They lost the final match against Ulladulla.
Day 3 they played 4 top ten rated teams with losses against Leeton, Woolgoolga, Kiama, Lower Clarence and Port Stephens.
They took away a win against Armidale.
The largest field was in the 15 year division with 21 teams with eventual winners Armidale.
Day 1 they faced strong teams and went down to Temora, Grafton, Group 14, Narrandera and Gunnedah, but finished with a win over Ulladulla & Districts.
Day 2 started with a loss against eventual winners Armidale. They posted their second win over Sapphire Coast before going down to Brunswick Byron, Glen Innes, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri.
Day 3 brought 7 matches with the final tally of 4 losses against Macleay, Lower Clarence, West Wyalong and Mount Druitt, 1 narrow loss against Coonabarabran and 2 wins against Narrabri and Port Stephens.
A highlight of the weekend was getting to watch the Round 10 Suncorp Super Netball match between the Giants and Swifts at the ICC on Sunday night after meeting some of the players on Saturday.