New league makes stunning start

The Limestone Coast Football Netball League started its inaugural representative season with a bang – coming home with three titles from the 2024 South Australian Country Netball Championships.

Five teams headed to the Adelaide event, with the 17 & Under and 15 & Under (Championship) winning Division 1 titles and the 13 & under development team claiming the Division 3 title in a nail biting final that went into overtime before South Gambier’s Harper Bowering nailed two mid range shots to put the Limestone Coast team in front when it counted most.

Coached by Jackie Sunderland, the team went through the event undefeated but most of them were tough contests with narrow margins, and also including two draws in the minor round.

West’s Hannah Jackson and Claudia Vorwerk had strong tournaments, while the versatility of the 10 player squad allowed Sunderland to use the rolling substitutions to great effect.

The 15 & Under A Championship team was coached by Donna Denton and after a sluggish start in the opening round, cruised through the championships with no more losses – taking on their first round conqueror Barossa, Light & Gawler in the grand final and turning the tables.

Bell Coghlan, Emily Denton & Mischa Human led the way in what was an even 10 player squad and were it not for a late surge from Barossa, Light & Gawler in the title decider, the margin might have been a little more comfortable.

The 17 & Under team, coached by Michelle Skeer, were basically the talk of the stadium as they steamrolled most opponents, including in the title decider.

Edie Easterby was a standout in what was a star studded team as she dominated the defensive transverse line at either wing defence or goal defence taking countless interceptions and pressuring opposition teams into error.

She was well supported by North Gambier’s Stella Mobbs and Ava Collins, with the trio working well as a defensive unit, using their height and ability to read the play to great effect.

The mid court saw Millicent’s Piper Paul and Poppy Venn dominate the attacking wing; Maggie Collins dominated the centre and Mia Gysbers was reliable in transition.

Macey Griffith controlled the shooting circle with her smart positioning, creative feeding and accurate finishing with Mylee Lynch and Gracie Dalton combining well with the star Tiger.

The 13 & Under Championship team, coached by Larnka Foran, bowed out at quarter final stage to the eventual Division 1 champions, while the 15 & Under Development team, coached by Lillie Paul, battled hard against tough opposition.

RESULTS:

17 & UNDER CHAMPIONSHIP

Limestone Coast 44 (Edie Easterby & Macey Griffith) d Eastern Eyre 11; Limestone Coast 39 (Ava Collins & Piper Paul) d Hills 19; Limestone Coast 29 (Poppy Venn & Piper Paul) d River Murray 21; Limestone Coast 31 (Edie Easterby & Gracie Dalton) d Port Lincoln 19; Limestone Coast 34 (Stella Mobbs & Ava Collins) d Northern Areas 9; Limestone Coast 36 (Edie Easterby & Mylee Lynch) d Mid South East 11; Limestone Coast 40 (Gracie Dalton & Ava Collins) d Mount Gambier 5

QUARTER FINAL:

Limestone Coast 31 (Edie Easterby & Maggie Collins) d Port Augusta 15

SEMI FINAL:

Limestone Coast 36 (Edie Easterby & Macey Griffith) d Riverland 15

GRAND FINAL:

Limestone Coast 30 (Edie Easterby & Ava Collins) d Great Southern 9

15 & UNDER CHAMPIONSHIP

Barossa, Light & Gawler 31 d Limestone Coast 26 (Mischa Human & Emily Denton); Limestone Coast 29 (Jeda Hibberd & Lila Pearson) d River Murray 19; Limestone Coast 34 (Lucy Crowe & Ruby Milich) d Whyalla 16; Limestone Coast 33 (Raine Darimaani & Asha Gysbers) d Northern Areas 10; Limestone Coast 44 (Kalani Dunn & Bell Coghlan) d Great Flinders 14; Limestone Coast 27 (Emily Denton & Bell Coghlan) d KNTNA 14; Limestone Coast 31 (Raine Darimaani & Mischa Human) d Mid Hills 19; Limestone Coast 40 (Lila Pearson & Lucy Crowe) d Mount Gambier 8; Limestone Coast 28 (Ruby Milich & Jeda Hibberd) d Southern Hills 15

QUARTER FINAL:

Limestone Coast 31 (Emily Denton & Bell Coghlan) d Hills Netball Association 14

SEMI FINAL:

Limestone Coast 27 (Bell Coghlan & Mischa Human) d Great Southern 22

GRAND FINAL:

Limestone Coast 22 (Emily Denton & Raine Darimaani) d Barossa, Light & Gawler 20

15 & UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Limestone Coast 20 (Ylana Grigg & Mia Griffith) drew with Eastern Eyre 20; Mid South East 35 d Limestone Coast 17 (Amarlie Thomson & Claire Hunter); Hills 25 d Limestone Coast 12 (Claire Hunter & Marlee Robbins); Port August 36 d Limestone Coast 11 (Indee Stratford & Mia Griffith); Great Southern 31 d Limestone Coast 8 (Audrey Galambos & Olive Thorne); Port Lincoln 33 d Limestone Coast 5 (Winnie Zadow & Mia Griffith); Riverland 26 d Limestone Coast 5 (Yalan Grigg & Mia Griffith);

13 & UNDER CHAMPIONSHIP

Limestone Coast 21 (Lola Ferguson & Lacey Hunter) d Port Augusta 19; Kangaroo Island 28 d Limestone Coast 24 (Indi Coghlan & Eva Povey); Limestone Coast 23 (Indi Coghlan & Lacey Hunter) drew with Yorke Peninsula 23; Limestone Coast 27 (Sailor McCracken & Indi Coghlan d Great Southern 26; Limestone Coast 27 (Prudence Johnson & Amelie Adam) d Port Lincoln 21; Limestone Coast 22 (Prudence Johnson & Ella McKenny) d River Murray 12; Limestone Coast 35 (Eva Povey & Tegan Sims) d Southern Hills 7; Limestone Coast 19 (Lola Ferguson & Sailor McCracken) d Mid Hills 12

QUARTER FINAL:

Hills Netball Association 24 d Limestone Coast 14 (Indi Coghlan & Lacey Hunter)

13 & UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Limestone Coast 28 (Lacey Sunderland & Hannah Jackson) d Kangaroo Island 14; Limestone Coast 41 (Ellie McCracken & Elsie Merchant) d Mount Gambier 13; Limestone Coast 21 (Claudia Vorwerk & Hannah Jackson) d River Murray 20; Limestone Coast 17 (Annalie Peucker & Claudia Vorwerk) d Western Eyre 15; Limestone Coast 20 (Caludia Vorwerk & Hannah Jackson) d Whyalla 15; Limestone Coast 22 (Hannah Jackson & Eliza Herring) drew with Roxby Downs 22

SEMI FINAL:

Limestone Coast 20 (Claudia Vorwerk & Lacey Sunderland) d Whyalla 18

GRAND FINAL:

Limestone Coast 27 (Hannah Jackson & Harper Bowering) d Western Eyre 26 (in overtime)