HORSHAM has claimed the 17 and Under Wimmera Netball Association premiership against Dimboola.
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It gave the Demons a clean sweep of the four junior netball flags on offer at Warracknabeal on Saturday.
Bar the first half of the first quarter, the game was a pretty even tussle from start to finish.
Dimboola got a run of goals early to lead 6-1 about five minutes into the game.
Horsham pegged a few back and started to find some more momentum, but the Roos kept them at bay.
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Both teams looked nervous at times and dropped a few passes and overshot some targets.
The Roos went out to an 11-3 lead, however the Demons got a few goals back late, and went into the first break trailing Dimboola 12-9.
Both teams seemed a bit more fired up in the second quarter after settling their nerves.
The Roos did just enough to keep a lead for the first part of the quarter, and then extended it to 23-18 at the halfway point.
But the Demons rallied for a run of goals, and at half-time the margin was cut to one, 23-22 Dimboola’s way.
Horsham leveled the score at 24 all a few minutes into the second half, then took the lead.
The margin got out to three before Dimboola pulled it back and leveled at 32 all.
From there the quarter went goal for goal for a few minutes, before Horsham gained the upper hand towards the end.
They went into the final change up 38-35.
Horsham maintained its lead for the first few minutes of the final quarter and looked on top.
But Dimboola piled on a few goals in succession and led 43-41 a few minutes later.
A crucial turnover in defence helped the Demons to draw level before they hit the front again.
With five minutes left to play they held a one-point lead, which they managed to edge out to three by the final whistle.
The final scoreboard read Horsham 49 to Dimboola 46.
Best on court went to Demon goal shooter Romi Miller.
Horsham coach Shavaughn Neale said her team was a little taken aback in the first quarter when Dimboola jumped out to an eight-goal lead.
"They got a great jump on us. But my girls showed great character to just keep having a go," she said.
"That's all we wanted them to do – just keep having a go.
"And their versatility, being able to throw them around a bit, absolutely helped us.
"It was so hot out there today, so the rotations definitely helped us to give us a bit more run through the middle.”
Neale said she was super proud of her team and the fight they showed on court.
"They've had some ups and downs, and each one of them has had some individual fights throughout the year. The team has constantly got around each other," she said.
"Today that showed again. They picked each other up, dusted each other off and away they went.”