Cooks Hill’s Bella Williams is the new Australian under-14 ironwoman and board champion after starring on the national stage at North Kirra over the weekend.
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Williams outclassed a field of the country’s top emerging athletes at the Australian Youth Surf Life Saving Championships on Saturday to win both events. She was also second in the surf swim.
It was a successful day for Hunter competitors.
Swansea-Belmont’s Nicholas Stoddart secured the national title in the under-14 boys’ board and Cooks Hill’s Kye Taylor won the under-15 board race with clubmate York Dalton third.
Taylor, Dalton and Fletcher Myers combined for a silver-medal performance in the under-15 boys’ board relay (Dalton, Taylor and Fletcher Myers).
Swansea Belmont’s B team of Josh Murphy and Kyle Lehmann produced a surprise win when they came from behind to win the under-15 boys’ board rescue on Sunday.
Four teams were charging for the finish line and they sealed victory ahead of Northcliffe and Maroochydore. Swansea-Belmont’s A team of Stoddart and Saxon Coates were fourth.
The pair had only joined forces 12 months ago and are now national champions.
The youth titles were the start of the week-long Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on the Gold Coast.
Hurricanes in harbour
The Hunter Hurricanes made history, and a big splash, when they introduced National Water Polo League to Newcastle Harbour on Saturday.
The matches in the harbour had been a pipedream for the Hunters for a long time and finally came to fruition over the weekend. The first round of matches there set down for March 18 had to be cancelled due to poor weather.
The Hurricanes men had success in the harbour, beating UTS Balmain Tigers 11-10 but the women lost 12-4.
Both teams played at Lambton Pool on Sunday. The men lost 9-6 to the Tigers and the women put up a gallant fight in a 7-6 loss.
Hamwicks win NDCA
Hamilton-Wickham are NDCA champions after winning their first premiership in 13 years.
Hamwicks were last year’s beaten finalists but dominated in beating Belmont at No.1 Sportsground over the weekend.
Belmont were out for 72. All-rounder Mark Dries took 5-16 then contributed 43 to Hamwicks’ 4-195. He earned the Ken Clifford Medal as player of the final. Belmont captain Mark Littlewood conceded defeat on Sunday.
NPL round 3
Broadmeadow Magic are three points clear at the top of the NPL ladder. They beat Valentine 3-2 at Magic Park on Saturday and Edgeworth downed Adamstown 6-0.
Lake Macquarie drew 1-1 with Charlestown at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday while Weston drew 2-2 with Lambton.
In round two catch-up games, Rosebud take on Hamilton OIympic on Tuesday from 7pm at Adamstown Oval. The Jaffas host Edgeworth and Lake Macquarie welcome Valentine from 6.30pm on Wednesday, and Charlestown meet Maitland from 6.30pm on Thursday at Lisle Carr Oval.
WPL round 3
Merewether and defending champions Warners Bay were both forced to come behind before winning their Herald Women’s Premier League games on Sunday.
United beat Wallsend 3-2 at Myamblah Oval after trailing 1-0 early. Warners Bay downed Thornton 3-1 after also being 1-0 down in the opening stages.
Adamstown drew 1-1 with South Wallsend at Adamstown Oval.
Warners Bay and Wallsend back up on Wednesday night in a rescheduled round-two match at John Street Oval. Kick-off is 7,45pm.
Hunters win grand final rematch
Newcastle Hunters hung on to edge out Illawarra Hawks 67-65 at Broadmeadow on Saturday night in a thrilling rematch between the 2016 Waratah Basketball League women’s grand final rivals.
The reigning Waratah champions followed up their triumph in last August’s title decider over the Hawks to record the first victory of their title defence, but it took two Kelsey Moss free throws with 10 seconds remaining to seal the deal.
The Hunters led 65-57 with two minutes left but the Hawks rallied and a Rachel Harris three-pointer tied the game with 18 seconds on the clock. Moss broke the deadlock eight seconds later then Illawarra’s Paige Phillips was off target with a three-point attempt at the buzzer.
Fittingly, Newcastle captain Alison Ebzery reeled in the rebound to secure the win.