MGS wins first-ever netball “B” Div title

SINGAPORE – Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) made the most of their first appearance in the National Inter-School “B” Division Netball Championships final yesterday, upsetting defending champion CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 31-27 to win their first-ever title in the competition.

The last five years has seen the “B” Div crown shared between CHIJ (TPY) and Singapore Sports School (SSP), though that stranglehold was broken at the Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall in a tightly-contested match.

CHIJ (TPY)’s entered the final as favourites, guided by veteran schools’ netball coach Kok Mun Wai who mentored the teams that won all five national titles at stake last year -- the Primary Junior and Primary Senior titles (CHIJ Kellock), “A” Div (Anglo-Chinese Junior College), and “B” and “C” Div crowns (CHIJ Toa Payoh).

But it was MGS’s new coach Joanne Ong who tasted success with her charges this time, though she acknowledged it was a close tussle.

“It was a goal-for-goal match between the two sides, tying our opponents in the half (14-14), and again with five minutes left to the final whistle (25-25),” said Ong.

Victory was built on the height advantage that Ong’s players have over the opponents -- MGS’ goal shooter Claire Seah stands at 1.8-metres tall, and her six goals in the last five minutes proved the difference.

“I have some very tall players – such as Claire, and also my goal-keeper Grace Tay (1.73m) – who cut imposing figures on the court,” said Ong.

“But more than that, my players are agile and they tired our opponents out. I focus on building fitness and strong grasp of basics in the sport such as shooting accuracy and sound defense tactics.”

Ong also coaches the MGS “C” Div netball team, and intends to continue joint-trainings of the “B” and “C” teams to facilitate learning among the players.

For MGS’ captain Celine Lim, the win came as a surprise to her team, as the Sec Four student said: “When the final whistle blew, we were all shocked, and it took a while to sink in that we have made history.

“We hope our win can inspire the next generations of our school’s netballers to repeat the feat.”

In the “C” Division title-decider also played yesterday, Kok successfully led CHIJ (TPY) to defend their crown with a 31-28 win over SSP. ADELENE WONG

Box:

National Inter-School Netball Championships

“B” Div: 1 Methodist Girls’ School; 2 CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh); 3 Nanyang Girls’ High School

“C” Div: 1 CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh); 2 Singapore Sports School; 3 Raffles Girls’ School