Stanhope loses C-grade heart-stopper

By Rohan Aldous

Sep 20, 2022

Stanhope sandwich: C-grade star Holly Trevena is sandwiched between her Tally opposition in Saturday’s thrilling grand final. She shot 31 of her team’s 34 goals.

Stanhope lost a heart-stopping C-grade Kyabram district league netball grand final with Tallygaroopna on Saturday, in one of the more enthralling games of netball in recent KDL history.

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The heart-stopping win over Stanhope saw the Redlegs go back-to-back after their 2019 triumph, securing victory in what was their third grand final appearance in as many years.

The excitement levels and the heart rates of many at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve steadily rose as a thrilling goal-for-goal contest only grew more intense as it entered extra time.

With the score tied up at 31-31 at the midway point of extra-time, both sides returned to the court knowing the final five minutes would decide the premier.

Close encounter: Stanhope’s Amy Gillie during Saturday’s Kyabram district league C-grade netball grand final against Tallygaroopna. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

But with neither willing to budge an inch, even extra-time would go down to the absolute wire, and a two-goal Tally lead was quickly erased to square it up again at 34-34.

In a real-life next-goal-wins situation, Tally scored the winner only seconds before the final hooter sounded for a 35-34 victory.

Tally led by two goals at quarter time as Hayley Trevena shot all four opening-quarter goals for Stanhope.

By half-time Trevena had 12 goals and Stanhope led by one, 13-12, Morgan Evans moved into the centre and Olivia McInness to wing defence in the second term.

Bianca Atley, Tegan Morrison and Morgan Evans were under pressure in the third term and Tally turned the lead on its head again — leading by four at the final change.

Kate Twynsta combined with Amy Gillie and Amber Lunney to give Stanhope a mid-court advanage in the final term, which allowed Trevena to shoot another eight goals in tandem with Kara Canny — tying the game at 34 all and sending the game into extra time.