Orange’s Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School has qualified for the state finals of the Netball NSW Schools Cup for the first time since 2014, catapulting itself into the upper echelon of year five and six sides in the process.
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In progressing to the final eight for the second time, Catherine McAuley becomes just the fourth primary school to make more than one appearance at the state finals of the Schools Cup since its inception in 2013.
Once again proving its status as a stronghold for junior netball talent, the Orange school joins St Paul’s Camden, St Patrick’s Albury and St Mary’s Casino in that elite group.
“It is our second time making it to the state finals, we’re the only school (in the West/Central West region) to have done that, which is very exciting,” Catherine McAuley co-coach Lee Ann Hazelton said.
“We’re all very proud of the girls because they’ve have to work very hard and play some really tough netball (to make it this far).”
This year the side will be looking to go one step further than in 2014 too.
That year Catherine McAuley fell at the final hurdle, relinquishing a 5-3 half-time lead in the grand final to ultimately suffer a 10-6 defeat at the hands of St Mary’s Noraville.
“We came runners-up last time we went down to Sydney but we were very close,” Lucy Connor, who coached the 2014 side and shares the duties with Hazelton now, explained.
“I think we’ll be competitive, we’re very positive going in,” Hazelton added.
“Sydney is very competitive but so are these girls, there is a lot of ability here and they work really well as a group and that’s what it takes to win.
“It’s an achievement even to make it this far though, [a lot of] schools have never done that.”
Hard work’s been a key feature of this group’s success, Hazelton and Connor agreed, they’ve spent countless hours honing their skills in preparation for the state finals, and before that the earlier stages of the competition.
Catherine McAuley dominated the first phase, the Local Gala Day, in Bathurst before edging home at the West/Central West Regional Finals at Sir Neville Howse Stadium.
Hazelton and Connor’s troops took down outfits from as far west as Cobar to claim the regional title that day.
“It was pretty exciting for everyone to watch (that day), it was such good netball,” Hazelton said.
Catherine McAuley will compete at the State Finals on September 19 and 20.
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
