LIGHTNING has struck twice for Nelson Bay representative netball teams at this year’s HART State Championships.

Twenty-one days after bringing home the NSW Senior Opens Division 3 trophy, the talented Nelson Bay 12-year outfit has conquered all to claim the Division 4 State Junior title in Sydney on a countback.

It is a huge achievement by the small, but competitive association to win two state championship competitions in the one season.

Triumphant 12-year head coach Taylah Whitty told News Of The Area that “the State title success was the reward for plenty of hard work by the girls both on and off court and a super defensive effort.

“Emphasis was on fun and building combinations and the team was in sync for the entire three days of the carnival,” said, who was assisted by her mother Kerry Whitty and manager Jenny Withey.

“The competition was tough but the girls were able to adapt and show their skills and durability throughout a heavy load of fixtures” she said.

“Our shooters Sophie Edwards and Liberty Phillips were sharp and accurate and helped us compile some big scores, but overall it was our gritty defence that underpinned the title win,” said Taylah.

For assistant coach Kerry, a former Nelson Bay Netball president, it was a third state badge after previous championship triumphs as manager of Newcastle Under 21s and coach of Port Stephens 12-year representative teams.

In a unique scenario, Nelson Bay was one of six clubs to finish the 12-year carnival on 28 points, with fourteen victories and four losses from eighteen games played.

They were joined by runners-up Scone & District, third-placed Yass, fourth-placed Port Stephens, fifth-placed Leeton and sixth-placed Lower Clarence, but were awarded the title through their superior percentage of 223.71.

Team captain and centre Alyssa Schein and vice captain Emma Tibbs showed their leadership qualities as Nelson Bay dominated the division with top displays from the outset.

Schein was a stand out at centre and wing attack, while Tibbs showed her versatility as a goal attack and in goal defence.

Other players to shine were centre Kaitlin Burgess, wing attack/shooter April Eggins, wing defenders Millah Brown and Talia Sloan and promising goalkeepers Eva Hanrahan and Ciara Cullen.

Coach Taylar, who represented Nelson Bay in her early teens, remembered the thrill of finishing third as a player at a previous state junior carnival.

“The girls were tired by the third day and had three narrow losses but proved themselves the team to beat with consistent performances,” she said.

The Nelson Bay team recorded impressive victories over Inverell (16-3), Forbes (14-6), Armidale District (23-0), Woolgoolga (7-6), Tumut (10-7), Sapphire Coast (19-1), Lower Clarence (13-2), Gunnedah (14-3), Cowra & District (13-2), Blayney & District (18-3), Yass (13-12), Wollondilly (12-6), Scone & District (12-8), Port Stephens (7-6) and Kiama (17-5).

On the flip side they suffered one-goal losses to Casino (8-7), Muswellbrook (9-8) and Leeton (6-5) and a three-goal defeat against Kiama (9-6).

Nelson Bay’s championship double at this year’s state senior and junior netball carnivals was one of many highlights from strong-performing clubs in the Central Coast/Hunter and North Coast regions.

By Chris KARAS