DONALD’S Claudia Griffiths has capped a great netball season for the Royals by winning the A-grade fairest and best award in the Goldacres North Central Football Netball League.
In season affected by several Covid lockdowns and then no finals series, Griffiths polled 17 votes to win the champion player award in the top grade.
Joint runners-up in the race for the A-grade title were Wedderburn’s Maddison Postle and Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers’ Asela Finch on 15 votes.
Other leading votegetters were Wedderburn’s Meg Lowry, 14, and Aliza Lockhart, 13, and Boort’s Carly Isaac on 13 votes.
Charlton’s Megan Bruns polled 20 votes to win the B-grade award.
Runner-up were Keely Griffiths from Sea Lake Nandaly on 15.
Next best were Birchip Watchem’s Hannah Cook and Donald’s Jarni Gilmour on 12 votes, and Boort’s Erin Twigg on 11.
It was Donald’s Chelsea Leeder who led the race for honours in C-grade on 20 votes.
Runner-up was Phoebe Van Heumen from Wedderburn on 17.
Other players to poll well were Charlton’s Kasey King, 14; Sea Lake Nandaly’s Anna Burns, 11; and Boort’s Tilly-Mae Lanyon, nine votes.
Games ratio was used to determine placings in the 16-and-under As competition.
Boort’s Annie Perryman was victorious on 1.3 as Donald’s Johanna Griffiths and Macie Mortlock scored 1.2 to be joint runners-up.
Other leading votegetters were Boort team-mates Alice Lanyon, 1.0, and Eliza Perryman, .88.
It was a quinella for Boort as Magpies’ team-mates Carissa Haw and Jessica Minogue scored 10 votes to be joint winners in the 16-and-under B competition.
Leading votegetters were Boort’s Ella Streader, eight; Imogen Boyle from Birchip Watchem on seven; and Dayne McKenzie from Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers on six votes.
Three clubs shared the spoils as minor premiers by finishing the shortened home and away series on top of the ladder.
Wedderburn led A-grade; Donald was number one in B-grade, C-grade, 16-under A, 13-under A; and Boort led the 16-under B standings.
The Rising Star award went to Aliza Lockhart from Wedderburn.
Charlton’s Maddison Fitzpatrick earned the Junior Incentive Award to mark her contribution to and involvement in netball, both on and off the court.
Four dedicated young netballers took their involvement to a new level this season.
Birchip-Watchem’s Cheyenne Parsons and Charlton’s Zara Jenkyn, Abby Fitzpatrick and Maddison Fitzpatrick gained their “C” grade umpire’s badge.
Another highlight of the season was North Central playing inter-league netball against Sunraysia in open and 17-under level in May at Sea Lake.
Written by Nathan Dole.