Tara Murray
Riddell’s young guns stood talent when needed as it won through to a second straight Riddell District Netball League grand final.
For the second time in three weeks, the Bombers faced Wallan, with a grand final spot the reward for the winner.
Like the first week of finals, it was a close match that went down to the wire.
The Bombers were able to turn the tables and come away with a 37-36 win.
Bombers coach Emily Ktona said the group was ecstatic to be back in the grand final.
“We came up with a plan to start strongly and we were able to do that,” she said. “We had a couple of lapses in the game but it never felt like we would lose it.
“We had lots of confidence and it came down to the final five minutes. We said when we lost to Wallan the first time that we had to do it the hard way last year and we’ve done it the hard way.
“Hopefully it’ll be a different result.”
Like she has all season, Ktona tried different combinations to try and keep the momentum going.
She said it was a couple of their younger girls that really stood up when they needed them too.
“I put Xara Burge on in the last quarter,” she said. “It was her first quarter of the game.
“We needed a little bit more speed.
“Sahara [Ball] was sensational. In a low scoring game her shooting accuracy was really important. She is just 16 years old.
“They stood up in the last five minutes.”
Ball finished with 23 goals.
Ellen Close, who played most of the game at wing attack, was also very important in the win.
Ktona said the group was very different to last year with a number of new faces on court and in the coaching group.
She said they are stoked that in their first year together they’ve been able to make the grand final.
“We are a young team,” she said. “Most of the team are 20 or under and they were all able to step up in moments.”
It’ll be a big grand final day for the Bombers with four of their five netball teams featuring, with their D-grade team knocked out on Saturday.
Ktona said she was proud of what the whole netball program had been able to do.
“I’m playing in B-grade, so there will be a ride of emotions as I then throw on the coaching hat,” she said.
“It’s a credit to everyone at the club and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.”
The Bombers will face Woodend-Hesket in the grand final in a rematch of last year’s grand final.
The Hawks won last year in extra time.
Ktona knows it will be a big challenge on Saturday.
“We have a win and a loss against each other,” she said. “Both teams had players missing when we played each other.
“We know what we need to do.”
