Northlands Primary Claim Historic Third Straight Netball Crown
IslandStats.com
Northlands Primary have further cemented their dominance in youth sport after securing their third consecutive Primary School Netball Tournament title following a pulsating 4-3 victory over West Pembroke Primary at Bernard Park.
In a final defined by defensive grit and high-pressure shooting, it was Jher’z Burgess who emerged as the hero for the champions, leading from the front with a vital haul of goals to push her side over the line.
The match remained on a knife-edge until the closing stages when Mila Bryan found the net to score the decisive fourth goal for Northlands. West Pembroke pushed the champions to the very limit as Ariah Tucker netted twice and A’Nylah Tucker added another, but they ultimately fell just one goal short of forcing the match into extra time.
Northlands reached the showpiece event after a convincing 6-3 victory over Somersfield Academy in the semi-finals. Burgess was once again the standout performer in that clash, netting five times to lead all scorers, while Bryan added a single goal to complete the scoring. Somersfield fought valiantly with Gabriella Saunders scoring twice and Aleisha Siddiqi adding a third, but they could not contain the Northlands offensive surge.
The other semi-final was a much more grueling affair as West Pembroke needed extra time to eventually see off Harrington Sound Primary 10-8. Ariah Tucker was in sensational form during that encounter, scoring eight goals to single-handedly drag her team into the final, supported by two goals from A’Nylah Tucker. Harrington Sound’s resistance was led by Aalyasia Watson and Mia White, who each scored four times in what was the highest-scoring match of the day.
The knockout stages began with Harrington Sound delivering a statement performance by defeating Purvis Primary 9-4 in the first quarter-final. West Pembroke then survived a scare to edge out BHS 6-4, while Somersfield Academy secured their progress with a hard-fought 7-5 win over Saltus Grammar. The eventual champions, Northlands, wrapped up the quarter-final round in dominant fashion with a ruthless 7-0 shutout win over Warwick Academy to signal their intent early in the day.
