THE Hastings Valley Netball Association has returned from the 2007 State Age Championships victorious.
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The NSW tournament was the largest junior sporting event conducted in the southern hemisphere.
Hastings sent four representative teams, along with coaches, umpires and officials, to the championships, which was simply too big to take place at one venue.
Illawarra hosted divisions two and three where the 12 and 13 years' outfits played.
The excited Hastings 12s - Hannah Walsh, Bridget Byrnes (vc), Maddi Olsen, Bella Millar, Ella Roberts, Lauren Richards, Bianca Kenny, Sophie Gray, Ashleigh George and Naomi Fraser (c) - attended their first State Age Championships and were scheduled to play 20 games over the three-day event.
They won six of seven matches on the opening day, losing a close tussle to Shoalhaven 13-12.
With eight games to play 24 hours later, the team had a scare when shooter Ashleigh George became ill after the second encounter.
Shooter/centre court player Sophie Gray stepped into the goal attack position.
Gray combined well with team captain Naomi Fraser as goal shooter, and Hastings was able to defeat Woy Woy 11-6.
Thankfully George recovered to resume playing and the team won all eight games that day.
A check of the table showed Hastings was running equal first with Cessnock and Shoalhaven.
The third game on day three featured an extremely tough showdown against Cessnock with Hastings winning 14-15.
The girls showed great commitment and strength.
Putting in 100 per cent, at this stage of the competition, was very difficult for the youngsters who had never experienced this level of competition before.
Overcoming the excitement of this win, the players had to focus on the remaining two games.
The final matches went Hastings' way and the team finished equal first with Shoalhaven.
The side would like to thank sponsors Byrnes Lawyers and Port Macquarie News for the generous support of their sporting endeavour.
Also playing in division two, the 13 years' squad lined up for a massive 25 games.
Winning 15 and drawing two, the team placed an impressive eighth.
Hastings was represented by Samantha Ninness, Eloise Bentley, Claudia Brown, Shannon Matheson, Jacqueline Wilson, Jade Rand, Shannon O'Connell, Stephanie Brown, Caitlin Blayden and Chloe McCarthy. Jessica Leeson, unfortunately, was forced out due to injury.
Campbelltown played host to the championship division.
Hastings' 14s and 15s took out the march past on the first day.
Competing against the top teams in the state, the 15 years' side played some competitive netball.
Although there were several tightly-contested matches, Hastings' loss by one point to Liverpool was impressive.
Containing several debutantes, the girls - Ellie Wilkinson, Mikayla Stephens, Leisha O'Brien, Adrienne Smith, Emily Fraser, Jessica Boswell, Samantha Tooby, Laura O'Donnell, Olivia Casey and Crystal Hearn - pulled together, showing why HVNA teams are regarded with respect and ones which are not to be judged lightly.
After a tough start, the 14s won seven out of eight games on the final day, ensuring their 14th spot.
Incredibly, the team drew five times proving just how intense the competition was.
Hastings' impressive list of scalps included a convincing six-point win over Blacktown.
Cassandra Fitzpatrick, Lucy Jackson, Anna Lewis, Carlie Ebert, Reanna Bowder, Grace Delaveau, Adriana Fitzpatrick, Bronte Ferraro all combined well with outstanding performances from Holly Marsden and Anna MacInnes.
