ORA Winter League - Week 1 Report

The ORA Winter League returned on Monday evening, with 27 teams across 4 divisions battling it out for top positions over the season. It was a season of change for Jersey Netball, with a new sponsor, a new venue at Active Oakfield, and a new league structure of four divisions, each with a mixture of senior and junior players.

Monday evening saw the return of the ever-competitive Division 1, with newly promoted St Saviour A facing a momentous challenge as they came up against reigning league champions Convent A. Convent were seamless in their play and built on their units throughout the game, with Hope Herridge, Toni Chaytor and Millie Luce linking well to mix up the play in the centre court. Under the post, Rosie Tonner and Madison Fitzgerald-Wilkins were strong as ever, with many players in this team able to use their experience of playing at Premier League level with the Evelyn Partners Jets to their advantage. Despite the tough opposition, St Saviour continued to push on and fight through, with their efforts showing during the final two quarters as they built on their goal tally. Against a top-tier level of netball, the Division 1 newcomers showed promise and resilience in their play, taking many lessons forward into future matches. Ultimately, Convent A came away with a 107-22 win. Players of the Match: Convent A GD, Flo Allo and St Saviour A, Enya Conway

Also in Division 1, St Lawrence started strong, whereas it took a while for the newly formed Convent B team to settle. St Lawrence dictated play in the first half of the game, however Convent’s squad, made up of four youngsters who have come directly from YouthNETS and more experienced players, grew in confidence throughout. The defensive unit of Amelia Coutanche, Millie Pratt, Bethannie Wood and Kiah Kuppe stemmed the flow of the St Lawrence attack and turned over ball. The shooting combinations from Convent’s Alex Perry, Paloma Farina-Richings and Yara Rodrigues did well to find good shooting opportunities and slotted home their goals. A young centre court, made up of Florence Kelly, Scarlett Le Fustec, Isla Rafferty and Leah Cannard, were full of energy,linking defence and attack with great timing. The second half saw Convent taking the win for the 3rd quarter and drawing 4th quarter, with the final result seeing St Lawrence A take the win at 40-29.

On Tuesday evening, the remaining divisions took to the court to battle it out, kicking off with St Lawrence E taking on St Saviour C in Division 4. A closely contested match saw St Saviour come into their own, with controlled play across the court allowing them to maintain a healthy scoreline, despite the efforts of a young St Lawrence side. Consistent efforts from both teams, in particular St Saviour’s Player of the Match Hayley Russell and St Lawrence’s Player of the Match, Macey Lucas, provided crucial turnovers and opportunities for their sides. St Saviour C took the win at 36-22 at the final whistle.

Also in Division 4, St Clement C gained valuable practice and learning opportunities in a friendly game against guest team, U14 Jets Blue. The U14 Jets were unfazed by their first outing in the league, and soon began to settle in this new environment. The Jets youngsters grew in confidence throughout the game, with Libby shooting with precision supported by Olivia and Izzy who worked the space with accuracy to feed their shooter. Bea was influential in the centre court and linked well with Bobbi and Nelly who were quick to find the space and drive onto the ball. The U14 Jets defence, Lucie and Mili, mixed up play to turnover the ball. It was a great contest, with a young St Clement C, many of whom are also new to the league, fully in the game throughout.

Alongside their fellow guest team, U14 Jets Red also enjoyed a debut into the league against Accies F in another friendly.Both teams quickly found their rhythm, moving the ball swiftly through court. Stellar efforts from the defenders set the tone for the match, with GK Ellie, GD Lucie, and WD Priseis delaying the opposition at every opportunity and tirelessly fighting to win ball. Impact player Nelly, WD, provided much needed width and support through court as the game progressed. Clinical feeds from C and Player of the Match, Amelia and WA Alice helped the young Jets side keep possession and dominate the match. The depth in ability of sharp shooters Ruby, Connie, and Bella kept the Accies defenders on their toes, with Accies continuing to apply pressure to force their opponents to create a number ofcombinations around the circle. Overall, a fantastic display of netball from both sides!

In the competitive Division 2, St Brelade A took on St Lawrence B in an evenly matched well spirited game. St Brelade’s Player of the Match Rochelle Allison (GS) was a key player for the team, with her height, strength and accuracy giving the Western side a strong advantage on the scoreboard. St Lawrence’s Player of the Match, Tara Parker (GA/GS) used her experience to outwit her opposition, keeping her side firmly in contention for the entire game. In her debut, St Lawrence newcomer, Lucy Kelly (WA/GA), rose to the occasion and performed with enthusiasm and excitement. A talented performance from each side showed that both teams are certainly in contention for the top spot this season, with St Brelade taking the win at 49-37.

The new season for St Ouen A began against the young and skilled Accies C team, who return to Division 2 after a stint in Division 1. The game started with both teams scoring back and forth, but the Accies defence, featuring Romie Cole (GD) and Caitlyn Hogan (GK), made it difficult for St Ouen midcourters to get the ball to shooters Katie De La Cour (GS) and Jess Garner (GA). Despite the hard work of Kerry Roche (WD) and Jess Southern (GD) to create turnovers, Accies C took a nine-goal lead by halftime. In the third quarter, St Ouen A, led by strong connections between Mary Surcouf-Johnson (C), Julie Gould (WA), and Paige Mason (GD), kept the deficit to 11 goals. However, Accies C capitalized on excellent interceptions in the final quarter, with accurate shooting from Niamh Carney (GS) and Julia Duszkiewicz (GA) to secure a 50-33 victory. Lisa Neil (GK) was named Player of the Match for St Ouen A.

The first game of the season for St Brelade’s Division 3 teams saw a thrilling intra-club clash as the B and C teams faced off in a fast-paced, competitive match. Both sides brought great energy and determination to the court, setting the tone for the season ahead. St Brelade B took an early lead in the first quarter, but the C team kept the pressure on throughout, narrowing the gap impressively in the third quarter. Despite the strong challenge, the B Team held their composure and pushed ahead in the final quarter to secure a 32–24 victory. It was a fantastic team effort from both sides, with accurate shooting, tireless work through the mid-court, and strong defensive play all round. Player of the Match for St Brelade B was Brody Morris (GA/GS) and for St Brelade C, Lolly Waters (GA).

Meanwhile, St Ouen B returned to the court with a new squad this season, with a mixture of new and returning players stepping up against St Lawrence D. The game started evenly, with excellent defence at both ends of the court giving both teams a challenge to put points on the scoreboard. In their first game for B Team, GK Lauren Byrne brought with her a strong defence from last season’s C team in Emma Le Main (WD/GD) and Sarah Ramasawmy (GD/WD), with solid pressure stemming the flow of goals from St Lawrence’s talented shooters. Mid-court, Lucy Fox (C/WA) and Lianne Laignel (C/WA), both new to the squad, quickly settled into the game and provided fantastic support, moving the ball swiftly despite continuous challenges from their opponents. St Ouen began to pull away at half time as players found their flow and identified opportunities to turn over the ball, with Jasmine Le Lievre (GA/WA) impressing during her first match in the Winter League and working in harmony with returning shooters, Sarah Atwood (GA/GS) and Zoe Barrett-Banks (GS). Despite a momentous defensive effort from St Lawrence, including some well-read interceptions from POM Caroline Rodrigues (GD), St Ouen were able to maintain their lead and continue to build points, ending their first game back with a 46-35 win. Jasmine Le Lievre took the well-deserved POM accolade for St Ouen B.

Wrapping up week 1 was a tough first game of the season for St Ouen’s C, who have welcomed a number of new players. St Ouen C faced a formidable St Clement B team, who started their Division 3 campaign with eyes firmly set on the top spot. Despite a more physical style of play that they were used to, St Ouen C kept their heads up and worked well as a team. Player of the Match, Emily Hopkins (GS), remained calm in the shooting circle against a strong St Clement defence, with excellent shooting allowing her side to stay on the scoreboard.St Clement’s Player of the Match, Tracey Fullerton (GD), applied pressure on each ball, whilst St Ouen newcomers, Sally Parker, Lisette Grenyer and Katie Le Herissier worked tirelessly in defence, making it increasingly difficult for the opposition at the other end. Strong mid court play kept the ball coming up the court, however the determination of St Clement B resulting in them taking a 48 – 19 win.