JERSEY NETBALL displayed the immense depth of their roster, dominating Guernsey to sweep the inter-insulars this past weekend at Les Ormes.
Former England captain and Jersey Netball head coach, Serena Kersten, was buzzing after the conclusion, saying: “I’m so proud of how everyone went about the games this weekend. All the teams put in really clinical performances.”
The disparity in quality was clear in the Open A game, where Jersey’s clinical performance saw off the visitors to a thunderous 84-18 result.
What became abundantly clear is that Jersey is spoilt for choice in terms of netball talent, with all eight teams claiming victory by at least 20 points in front of the rapturous home crowd.
Kersten continued: “It’s all about training regularly. Through partnering with Strive Academy, we do a lot of gym work, little things like that make a big difference.
“Linda Andrews has set up a really strong infrastructure for Jersey Netball to develop talent. Good coaches create good players and that’s what you’ve seen this weekend.”
From the first centre pass in the senior A game, Jersey spared no time in commencing the scoring, with Centre Nicole Goddard and Goal Attack Grace Thomson linking up well, to go up 21-2 in the first quarter.
Guernsey put in a valiant effort to move up the court, but the Reds’ defensive pairing of Goal Keeper Rebecca Forrest and Goal Defence Molly Carre proved unbreakable, executing pivotal turnovers to set up attacking chances.
The Sarnians gained a little momentum after the break, with Wing Defence Evie Robinson starring for the girls in green, leaping to receive the ball and set up scores.
Unfortunately, Robinson was forced to exit the game through injury, which was a major blow to their hopes as they fell behind 37-5.
A pair of substitutions for Jersey seamlessly entered play, displaying the great depth Jersey have at their disposal.
Fresh legs certainly injected energy into the side, who amped up the intensity and put the home team back on track after a couple of small errors in the second quarter.
Wing Attack Rosie Tonner was reliable as ever, her forward passes breaking through the visitors’ defence to set up easy shots and further their lead to 60-13.
The game seemed all done and dusted by the fourth quarter, but the visiting crowd never wavered in support. However, Jersey’s constant pressure was simply too much for their rivals, coming out on top with a whopping 66-point win.
Jersey skipper Tonner said: “The fact we sealed one of our biggest wins over them is a real showing of where we are as a team at the moment.
“We kept up our momentum through the whole 60 minutes, which is a great sign for us moving forwards.”
Saturday’s Over 30s matchup was seen as a key contest by Kersten, promising a tight game after last year’s encounter, which the visitors snatched 58-50.
Before that, the Under 11s opened the day, shutting out Guernsey 31-5 and displaying some of the outstanding future talent at the disposal of the Jersey Netball programme.
Yet Jersey were eager to avenge their loss and flipped the script this time around, as Player of the Match Jacy Brown led a classy display, firing on all cylinders to blow out their rivals 71-20.
To close out the first day, Jersey’s depth was thrust into the spotlight as the Open B game commenced.
Jersey once again showed the levels, their communal approach to training and development being a key advantage for the Island as they claimed a 63-27 victory.
“We train together week in, week out” said captain Tonner, “that’s allowed the team to build a huge connection, which greatly improves play on the court.
“Having the extra Regional 3 team for the Jets really helps bridge the gap from juniors to seniors, which is incredibly beneficial for the young talent coming up. This development aids our game dramatically and allows us to compete at a higher level in the UK.”
Early on Sunday, Guernsey put together their best showing yet in the Under 19 fixture, scoring 42 points and earning their only Player of the Match award, in Erin Le Huray, across all eight games.
In spite of a brilliant effort, Jersey once again edged out a victory, finding themselves on the right side of a 62-42 scoreline.
After that hard-fought contest, the Under 16s continued the winning streak, beating Guernsey 54-24 with teenage superstar Florence Allo claiming POTM award.
Hannah Munro starred in the Under 12s, which saw Jersey emerge 39-12 victors to set the hosts up for a clean-sweep, with only the Open A fixture to play.
After such a sensational weekend, Kersten is keen to keep up the momentum with the Jets, as the play-offs fast approaching: “Everyone’s looking forward to the play-offs, which will be extremely tough.
“We must go back to the drawing board on a couple things and keep working. It’s crucial to keep our heads and not get too ahead of ourselves.”
Captain Tonner echoed Kersten’s sentiments, adding: “It’s going to be very physical, so it’s vital we keep fit in the closing stages of the season.”
The future of netball in Jersey looks in bright hands and, with the outstanding leadership of the Jets programme, hopefully there are more positives in the near future.
