Winter League Update
Now we’re starting to get into the ‘rematch’ phase of the season, it’s time for a mid-season table update. The first half of the season has been solid for both Swifts and Lakers with plenty of notes to work on but also lots of greats on which we can build. At this (approximate) halfway point, Swifts are sitting in the top half of the table in 4th place, and Lakers follow them in 8th. Penrith Swifts The Swifts have enjoyed a strong first round of matches, putting lots of goals on the board in the process. Despite sitting in 4th, they have the second-highest number of goals scored across all teams. Their challenge for the second half of the season will be to remain cool and composed in the remaining matches against the top-rated teams of Westmorland Wanderers and Meerkats 1. Their next game will be on 16 April 2024 vs. Stewartry NPT. Penrith Lakers Compared to last season, Penrith Lakers are flying high this time around. This development side has not only shown that they can grow into matches but can also (importantly) win them! A recent highlight was their game against table-toppers, Harraby 1, where they finished only five goals down on the very well-drilled side. As we move into the second half, the Lakers will need to keep pushing on and mastering the basics in each match to ensure they make the most of every second in possession. Finally, we’d like to thank all the league organisers and officials who have volunteered their time so far this season. Here’s to a great second half!
Winning Start for the Swifts
The Penrith Swifts set their intentions for this season right from the get-go during their Tuesday night match-up with Meerkats 4. The first quarter saw the Swifts take an early 14-2 lead against the relatively young Meerkats 4 team, who took a while to settle into their rhythm. The Blackburn/Holme shooting duo took a fantastic run of 11 back-to-back goals before their opponents netted a first. The second quarter brought another surge of energy for Penrith Swifts as they put another 14 goals on the board, compared to the Meerkats’ six. The Swifts entered onto shaky ground in the third quarter however as they were swept up into a netballing whirlwind, giving away a number of passes in the process. The Penrith Swifts took home their highest quarter score yet to finish strongly in the fourth and final eleven minutes, further pushing their lead over Meerkats 4. Overall, it was a great opener to the 2023-2024 season for the Swifts who hope to build upon previous winter and summer league successes. They also added a new name to their roster, Zoe Heathcock, who joins the club this season. Congratulations to Zoe on her league debut, but also to Cara Watson who was named Player of the Match in this first outing. Our thanks go to the umpires and scorers for the evening, and we look forward to seeing the Swifts back out on the court on 03 October when they take on Harraby 1.
Summer Handicap Results Released
The CNL Summer Handicap League has now concluded for another year, and our thanks go to all organisers, umpires, timers, scorers, and of course players for a great season. The final league standings are as follows: Stewartry – 36 points Meerkats 2 – 33 points Meerkats 1 – 31 points Penrith Swifts – 27 points Meerkats 3 – 23 points (369 goals) Harraby – 23 points (368 goals) Mavericks – 20 points Penrith Lakers – 17 points Meerkats 4 – 9 points The final breakdown of points can be seen below, and for the full results of the CNL Summer Handicap, please visit the archive page here. Team Name P W D L GF GA GD Bonus Pts Meerkats 4 8 0 8 345 439 -94 9 9 Harraby 8 4 4 368 344 24 3 23 Meerkats 1 8 6 2 326 270 56 1 31 Meerkats 2 8 6 2 319 288 31 3 33 Meerkats 3 8 3 1 4 369 345 24 5 23 Stewartry 8 7 1 339 294 45 1 36 Mavericks 8 3 5 348 388 -40 5 20 Penrith Lakers 8 2 6 343 399 -56 7 17 Penrith Swifts 8 4 1 3 371 361 10 4 27 Our thanks are extended to all umpires, scorers and officials associated with this summer league. We look forward to hitting the ground running in the 2023 CNL Winter League, starting in September.
Summer Handicap League Begins
The 2023 CNL Summer Handicap league began this evening with a double-header of matches for our two Penrith teams. This summer league is played between both Divisions I and II of the regular Carlisle Netball League. As such, handicaps are allocated to each team based on their finishing position in the Winter 2022 league – the list of handicaps is as follows: Meerkats 1 – 0 points Harraby – 2 points Meerkats 2 – 8 points Penrith Swifts – 12 points Stewartry – 14 points Meerkats 3 – 18 points Mavericks – 22 points Penrith Lakers – 24 points Meerkats 4 – 30 points Tonight’s matches brought the Swifts and Lakers together to face off in a Penrith derby, which was as hotly-contested as you might imagine. The Lakers came away with a six-goal win over Swifts, the final score being 57-51 to the Lakers. Our Players of the Match were Sarah Addison (Swifts) and Lauren Jackson (Lakers). Thanks are extended to the umpires and scorers for the evening – here’s to an exciting summer season!
Penrith Swifts Top Division II
It’s official – the Penrith Swifts have topped this season’s Division II table! This is a great achievement for all involved, and our immense thanks are extended to the umpires, scorers, and other committee members who make the league possible. Throughout the season, the Swifts faced only one loss against Stewartry in round five, bouncing back in round ten to take the win during their rematch. Swifts and Stewartry finished the season with the same amount of points (46pts) leaving the top spot to be decided on goals scored. In this regard, Penrith Swifts pipped second-place Stewartry by 20 goals. The full breakdown of the Swifts’ matches this season can be seen below: Date & Time Opponent Result Score Player of the Match 18-Oct-22 19:00 Penrith Lakers WIN 32 – 23 Jo Richards 01-Nov-22 20:00 Meerkats 3 WIN 40 – 22 Millie Coates 15-Nov-22 18:00 Meerkats 4 WIN 20 – 38 Katie Blackburn 29-Nov-22 18:00 Mavericks WIN 27 – 43 Katie Blackburn 13-Dec-2022 18:00 Stewartry LOSS 30 – 43 Charlotte Ecroyd 10-Jan-23 20:00 Penrith Lakers WIN 35 – 31 Victoria Baker 24-Jan-23 18:00 Meerkats 3 WIN 31 – 40 Nen Holme 31-Jan-23 19:00 Meerkats 4 WIN 23 – 18 Sarah Addison 14-Feb-2023 19:00 Mavericks WIN 40 – 21 Katie Blackburn 28-Feb-2023 19:00 Stewartry WIN 33 – 25 Sarah Addison
Juniors bring their A-Games in Carlisle
Our Junior 1s faced the Carlisle-based Meerkats U11 & U13 teams at Trinity School last Saturday, and truly brought their A-games. The U11s ultimately lost their game, with a close 5-4 finish but dispalyed some brilliant netball up and down the court. The J1s coach, Eleanor Holme, said that “everyone put in a great effort and worked together as a team really well – they should all be proud of themselves!“ The U11s Player of the Match was Abi – well done! Our U13s team came away with a hard-earned victory, ending 16-14 to Penrith. This was a fast and furious game, with lots of to-and-fro from end to end. There was similarly lots to be proud of in the U13 game too, especially in the mid-court which flowed well to move the ball to goal. The U13s Player of the Match was Rosie – very well deserved! Our thanks go to the umpires for the day, as well as Meerkats Netball Club for organising such a great morning! We hope to see you again soon!
Winter League Standings Announced
The Carlisle Netball League’s Winter 2022 running is now concluded. Our thanks to all organisers, umpires and scorers this season. Thanks also to all the other teams for bringing their A-games and pushing us the whole way. The final standings are as follows: A full breakdown of results, player caps and match scores can be found on the CNL Winter 2022 page.
Swifts and Lakers in Round Seven
Penrith Swifts On Tuesday, Swifts played fifth-place Meerkats 3, coming away with a 40-31 win following an intense four quarters of netball. Despite losing the first quarter 8-9, their mighty efforts were rewarded with an unbroken run of six goals in the second quarter, making the half-time score 20-16 to the Swifts. The Meerkats managed to tighten the scoreline throughout the second quarter, but constant pressure from Penrith Swifts paid off and landed them a nine-goal advantage at full-time. The Swifts Player of the Match was Ekeanor Holme. Penrith Lakers Penrith Lakers also put in a fantastic effort in their match on Tuesday evening. During their game against fourth-place Mavericks, the team faced two on-court injuries in the second half. However, it did not faze the squad, and their perseverance earned them wins in the third and fourth quarters. Sadly, this didn’t boost them enough for the overall win, but this does not fully reflect the close contest provided by the Lakers. The Lakers Player of the Match was Katy Aris. The teams next take to the court on Tuesday 31 January (Penrith Swifts v Meerkats 4) and Tuesday 07 February (Penrith Lakers v Stewartry).
League Halftime Round-Up
We’ve now reached the halfway point of this season’s Carlisle Netball Winter League and have our round six games under our belts too. Since our last update following round two, there’s a lot to catch up on! PENRITH SWIFTS Rounds 3, 4 and 5 saw the Swifts take on Meerkats 4, Mavericks, and Stewartry. The first two matches resulted in convincing wins for the Penrith side, who led each game early doors and continued to build upon it right until the final whistle. Round 5, however, brought the Swifts their first defeat of the season so far as they faced off against a so-far undefeated Stewartry team. A slow start in this game gave the Scottish side an early lead, and despite a huge fourth-quarter effort, it wasn’t quite enough. Round Scores/PoM Round 3: Swifts v Meerkats 4 – WIN (38 – 20), PoM: Katie Blackburn Round 4: Swifts v Mavericks – WIN (43 – 27), PoM: Katie Blackburn Round 5: Swifts v Stewartry – LOSS (43 – 30), PoM: Charlotte Ecroyd PENRITH LAKERS The Lakers had a mixed experience in rounds 3-5 of this season’s competition. Their Stewartry game in mid-November brought a strong start which sadly abated in the second quarter against a tough opponent, and a lack of momentum in the match against Meerkats 4 was not at all reflective of the abilities in this team. The Meerkats 3 game in round five was much more in keeping with the Lakers’ skills, and despite ending in a tight three-goal loss, there were multiple points at which Lakers overtook on the scoreboard. At their next meeting in round ten, it is likely this result will flip and give Lakers a well-earned win. Round Scores/PoM Round 3: Lakers v Stewartry – LOSS (27 – 10), PoM: Lucy Peile Round 4: Lakers v Meerkats 4 – LOSS (7 – 29), PoM: Lucy Peile Round 5: Lakers v Meerkats 3 – LOSS (25 – 28), PoM: Katy Aris ROUND SIX: SWIFTS v LAKERS The most recent match on 10th January brought the two Penrith teams head-to-head again, and as per usual it was a cracker game. At their last meeting in October 2023, Lakers took the early lead, only to be overtaken in the final half, but a different story was told this time around. Swifts started well and maintained a very close winning margin through to the final whistle. Lakers didn’t make it an easy job for them by any means, and fought every step of the way, equalising at various points throughout the game. Final score: Swifts 35 – Lakers 31 Swifts PoM: Victoria Baker Lakers PoM: Lucy Peile
Mixed Bag for Penrith in Round Two
Both Penrith Swifts and Lakers have played their second-round matches of the Carlisle Netball League’s winter season, with Swifts taking a win against Carlisle-based Meerkats 3 followed by a loss for the Lakers with the smallest of margins. PENRITH SWIFTS During their Tuesday night game, both Swifts and opponents Meerkats 3 took their time to get into the groove. Lots of back-and-forth play, interceptions and fumbles resulted in a very low-scoring 8-4 first quarter and 16-11 second, both to Swifts. The motivational half-time talk must have done the trick as Penrith came storming out of the blocks to keep Meerkats to only five goals in the third quarter whilst netting themselves 12. The final score was stretched further, ending 40 – 22 to Swifts. Penrith Swifts’ Captain, Eleanor Holme, wrote “I was really impressed with everyone during this match; everyone put in such great efforts. We were able to settle into the game through the first two quarters which really paid off in the second half.” Swifts Player of the Match: Millie Coates PENRITH LAKERS Despite the mightiest of efforts during their game, Penrith Lakers were pipped to the post by Mavericks to take a one-goal loss. Despite Mavericks initial seven-goal lead, Penrith were able to not only catch up, but overtake at several points during the third and fourth quarters. This eventful game brought injury to a couple of Penrith players and led to a quick exchange of bibs. In the dying minutes of the game, both teams upped the ante, going goal-for-goal, but it was Mavericks who finally beat the buzzer to win 18 – 19. Lakers co-captain, Nichola Jackson, said “The team had a slow start, but once we got our heads in the game, we started to work as a team to get the ball down court. Some great interceptions and well-drilled play were had by all.” Lakers Player of the Match: Nichola Jackson Thanks are extended to the umpires and scorers for both games. The next game for both teams will be 15 November: Penrith Swifts v Meerkats 4 at 6pm, followed by Penrith Lakers v Stewartry at 7pm.
