On Saturday, a fortnight after defeating last year's beaten grand finalists in Orange Physiotherapy Vipers, the Hornets took their biggest scalp of the year to date by knocking off the reigning premiers.

The Hornets stunned Orange City Craig Harvey Mechanical on Sir Neville Howse Stadium's show court, downing the Lions 40-34 to score their third straight win and fourth of the season so far.

The only loss they've suffered was at the hands of the only side above them on the ladder in the still-undefeated Life Studio, who maintained their top dog status with a thumping, 50-goal win over Orange City Epiroc last weekend.

The Hornets' six-goal win continues their remarkable 2019 surge after winning just two games last season and only narrowly avoiding relegation to the division two Jeep Cup by three points.

After the Vipers win OHS coach Tegan Dray put her side's climb up the standings down to the outfit being a year older and substantially stronger mentally, with the additions of the likes of Milly Wilcox and Annalise Maier obviously playing a role too.

While she said the young side will wait until the halfway point of the season to reassess their goals, there's plenty of pundits now suggesting the Hornets are very much the real deal in 2019.

Orange City Craig Harvey Mechanical coach Cindy Gilchrist said as much after Saturday's loss, too.

"They're absolutely the real deal, they're a top two or three side for sure and I think they can do whatever they want in this competition," Gilchrist enthused.

"They're really quite formidable and they're just so good to watch. Tegan is doing some special things with that side this year and I don't think they're going to stop."

She went on to heap praise on Wilcox, the Hornets' marquee recruit who won player-of-the-final in the Lions' grand final win last year.

"By my calculations she didn't miss a shot on the weekend, not one," Gilchrist said, going on to praise a number of the Hornets' other young stars too.

"Tegan and I always knew her value but I think some people might have still underestimated her, but Milly is an absolute powerhouse.

"Across the court they're just great. Their mid-court with Haegan (Boland) and Bailie-Rose Miller, they just don't stop trying.

"Poppy Keegan, since playing with Milly her confidence has skyrocketed and in the defensive end with Annalise Maier and Tabua Tuinkauvadra, they've got a formidable duo. They're other defensive players are very good too."

Neither Dray nor Katelin Eslick were on hand for Saturday's clash but Gilchrist refused to use being understrength as an excuse for the defeat, but did say her side's still building combinations.

"We are still building and like everyone always says you don't win a premiership in the first round," Gilchrist said.

"But I think we do need to look beyond Tegan on the court a bit, she always sits the games out where we play sides she's coaching."

With just two more games remaining in the opening half of the season the Hornets look likely to continue their resurgence and winning streak too, the two sides they're yet to face off with are last-placed Orange City Epiroc and seventh-placed Life Studio Mid West Eyes.

The Hornets take those two sides on in the fortnight following the June long weekend, respectively, while the competition leaders are charged with tough clashes against Vipers and Hawks Royals in rounds six and seven.

While it's continuing to deal in hypothetical should results fall Orange High's way the young Hornets could find themselves in a share for the lead, or even as the competition's outright leaders come the halfway mark of 2019.

Life Studio piled on a whopping 77 goals in their big win over Orange City Epiroc while conceding just 27, along with being the Toyota Cup's leaders they're also far and away the best side, statistically, on both sides of the ball.

Hawks edged out Life Studio Mid West Eyes (52-51) on Saturday while Vipers defeated Life Studio Sportspower in Saturday's fifth round as well, winning 60-33.