“It’s just bloody awesome.”
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That’s how Orange City coach Cindy Gilchrist described the feeling of her players winning a 10th consecutive Orange Netball Association division one crown.
On Saturday, the team which had won the previous nine titles as Robin Hood, claimed its 10th under its new moniker.
In a tough Toyota Cup contest at Sir Neville Howse Stadium, Orange City was able to topple Hawks Royal 57-49.
“It was never going to be an easy game,” Gilchrist said.
“Hawks have this innate ability to be able to come back and turn things around really, really quickly. So I think we won every quarter but it might have been even in the last. That just goes to show what they’re like. I always knew we had to set it up going into the second half to be able to maintain that lead.”
The nine-time defending champs were up 15-11 after the first quarter and extended that to 28-21 at the main break.
Things were tighter in the third quarter but City still took a 41-33 lead into the final period.
It was an even final quarter but that was enough for City to claim another premiership.
It is the second year in a row Hawks have fallen in the main game, but captain-coach Amanda Hurford was still full of pride at her team’s performance.
“It was a fantastic game,” Hurford said.
“I said to my girls after the game that we left nothing behind. We had moments of brilliance and at times we struggled.”