Wet weather dampened the spirits of the Hunter region’s top netballers at the 2022 HART Junior State Titles at the weekend.

Thirteen associations – Newcastle, Charlestown, Maitland, Westlakes District, Lakeside, Callaghan District, Cessnock, Singleton, Kurri Kurri, Nelson Bay, Muswellbrook, Scone & District and Port Stephens – flew the local flag at the tournament after a two-year COVID-enforced hiatus.

Hunter also fielded a boys’ team for the first time.

And, the flagship event, for the Netball NSW (NNSW) pathway, began in a blaze of glory at Penrith and Baulkham Hills on Saturday.

However, rain intervened late on the opening day of play, forcing organisers to make a tough decision.

“A full assessment was carried out by staff, umpires and safety officers at both venues and, unfortunately, due to a number of factors such as flooding, dangerous court conditions and issued weather warnings, Netball NSW had no option,” NNSW executive general manager of community and pathways Tim Fava said.

“Having had the past two years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to see this year’s event fall victim to the weather after getting off to a great start is simply heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“Firstly, our thoughts are with all the players, coaches, umpires, team managers and fans who put so much into their campaigns.

“It is a similar feeling of disappointment for the wonderful people at Penrith and Baulkham Hills who have been such brilliant hosts, all of our commercial partners – in particular, HART Sport – and of course our employees who worked tirelessly to get us to this point.

“We had such energy and excitement at both venues on Saturday morning despite the rain, which has gotten much worse since then.

“Sadly, the water impact on the courts and the surrounding areas makes it impossible to go ahead in a way that ensures the safety of all.”

Of the local representatives, Hunter looked sharp in the junior male grade, claiming four wins and a draw from its six matches.

Maitland impressed in under-12 division two, knocking over Nambucca Valley 17-11, Orange 15-7, Queanbeyan 15-2, Westlakes District 20-7 and Woy Woy Peninsula 28-0.

Cessnock remained unbeaten in division three, accounting for Ballina 14-13, Coffs Harbour 15-13, Cootamundra 21-5, Cowra & District 24-1 and Grafton 25-8.

It was a similar situation for Kurri Kurri and Nelson Bay in division four, the former prevailing at the expense of Tumut 26-1, Wollondilly 21-3, Woolgoolga District 25-3, Yass 27-2 and Brunswick Byron 15-5, while the latter proved too strong for Lower Clarence 14-1, Moree & District 18-3, Narrabri 25-3, Armidale District 23-2 and Sapphire Coast 20-1.

In the under-13s, Maitland suffered just one loss in division two.

It was, however, Lakeside who led the way, overcoming Orange 20-1, Queanbeyan 28-3, Wagga Wagga 19-9, Westlakes District 26-2, Peninsula 28-2 and Callaghan District 24-7.

In division three, Cessnock defeated Singleton 28-4, Parramatta Auburn 27-8, Mount Druitt 26-3, Lismore & District 23-5, Griffith 21-13 and Grafton 20-11 to maintain a perfect record.

Muswellbrook and Singleton also seemed undaunted in that age group.

Kurri Kurri and Nelson Bay were the standouts in division four, the former handing out defeats to Quirindi 12-10, Sapphire Coast 13-5, Tamworth 18-5, Tumut 23-8 and Wollondilly 15-6, with the latter putting the sword to Narrabri 11-4, Armidale District 8-4, Port Stephens 14-7, Quirindi 13-2 and Sapphire Coast 22-10.

Scone & District, Cessnock and Muswellbrook all served notice to their rivals in under-14 division three.

In fact, the Upper Hunter outfit, Scone & District, failed to drop an encounter, beating Great Lakes 17-16, Griffith 20-14, Leeton 31-8, Lismore & District 26-9 and Macleay 24-11.

Kurri Kurri followed suit in division four, seeing off Kiama 15-11, Gunnedah 22-8, Cowra & District 15-5, Brunswick Byron 20-5, Armidale District 10-3 and Wollondilly 21-4.

2022 HART Junior State Titles (Hunter results)

Junior male

• Hunter d Davidson 7-1
• Hunter d Western Sydney Warriors (U12) 18-1
• Hunter d Liverpool City 10-7
• Hunter drew with Davidson 5-all
• Hunter d Western Sydney Warriors (U12) 12-5
• Liverpool City d Hunter 14-7

Under-12 championship

• St George District d Charlestown 15-4
• Sutherland Shire d Charlestown 22-3
• Wyong District d Charlestown 15-4
• Ku-ring-Gai d Charlestown 10-4
• Baulkham Hill Shire d Charlestown 16-11
• Charlestown d Blacktown City 13-8

• Newcastle d Inner West 13-6
• Liverpool City d Newcastle 19-10
• Manly Warringah d Newcastle 13-11
• Bankstown City d Newcastle 18-5
• Northern Suburbs d Newcastle 11-9
• Newcastle d Penrith District 14-12

Under-12 (division two)

• Blue Mountains d Callaghan District 16-3
• Dubbo d Callaghan District 13-10
• Hastings Valley d Callaghan District 14-6
• Hawkesbury City d Callaghan District 8-7
• Hills District d Callaghan District 13-5
• Lakeside d Callaghan District 27-7

• Hastings Valley d Westlakes District 14-8
• Hawkesbury City d Westlakes District 16-8
• Hills District d Westlakes District 17-5
• Lakeside d Westlakes District 17-9
• Westlakes District d Manning Valley 13-10

• Maitland d Nambucca Valley 17-11
• Maitland d Orange 15-7
• Maitland d Queanbeyan 15-2
• Wagga Wagga d Maitland 13-8
• Maitland d Westlakes District 20-7
• Maitland d Woy Woy Peninsula 28-0

• Lakeside d Orange 17-10
• Lakeside d Queanbeyan 17-10
• Wagga Wagga d Lakeside 15-8
• Lakeside d Woy Woy Peninsula 20-1

Under-12 (division three)

• Cessnock d Ballina 14-13
• Cessnock d Coffs Harbour 15-13
• Cessnock d Cootamundra 21-5
• Cessnock d Cowra & District 24-1
• Cessnock d Grafton 25-8

• Singleton d Lismore & District 15-13
• Singleton d Macleay 18-11
• Singleton d Parramatta Auburn 8-6
• Ballina d Singleton 15-14
• Southern Highlands d Singleton 18-7

Under-12 (division four)

• Kurri Kurri d Tumut 26-1
• Kurri Kurri d Wollondilly 21-3
• Kurri Kurri d Woolgoolga District 25-3
• Kurri Kurri d Yass 27-2
• Kurri Kurri d Brunswick Byron 15-5

• Nelson Bay d Lower Clarence 14-1
• Nelson Bay d Moree & District 18-3
• Nelson Bay d Narrabri 25-3
• Nelson Bay d Armidale District 23-2
• Nelson Bay d Sapphire Coast 20-1

Under-13 championship

• St George District d Charlestown 16-4
• Sutherland Shire d Charlestown 25-8
• Wyong District d Charlestown 21-4
• Ku-Ring-Gai d Charlestown 13-12
• Baulkham Hills Shire d Charlestown 12-8
• Blacktown City d Charlestown 14-10

• Newcastle d Inner West 25-6
• Liverpool City d Newcastle 14-11
• Manly Warringah d Newcastle 16-11
• Newcastle drew with Bankstown City 10-all
• Northern Suburbs d Newcastle 14-11
• Newcastle d Penrith District 15-11

Under-13 (division two)

• Callaghan District d Blue Mountains 17-11
• Callaghan District d Dubbo 12-11
• Hastings Valley d Callaghan District 15-8
• Callaghan District d Hawkesbury City 11-9
• Hills District d Callaghan District 18-9
• Lakeside d Callaghan District 24-7

• Hastings Valley d Westlakes District 13-6
• Hawkesbury City d Westlakes District 16-9
• Hills District d Westlakes District 26-3
• Lakeside d Westlakes District 26-2
• Westlakes District d Manning Valley 14-13

• Maitland d Nambucca Valley 19-13
• Orange d Maitland 14-13
• Maitland d Queanbeyan 18-8
• Maitland drew with Wagga Wagga 10-all
• Maitland d Westlakes District 16-3
• Maitland d Woy Woy Peninsula 19-4

• Lakeside d Orange 20-1
• Lakeside d Queanbeyan 28-3
• Lakeside d Wagga Wagga 19-9
• Lakeside d Woy Woy Peninsula 28-2

Under-13 (division three)

• Cessnock d Singleton 28-4
• Cessnock d Parramatta Auburn 27-8
• Cessnock d Mount Druitt 26-3
• Cessnock d Lismore & District 23-5
• Cessnock d Griffith 21-13
• Cessnock d Grafton 20-11

• Coffs Harbour d Scone & District 14-6
• Ballina d Scone & District 15-7
• Southern Highlands d Scone & District 20-7
• Macleay d Scone & District 24-5

• Grafton d Muswellbrook 19-8
• Muswellbrook d Coffs Harbour 9-6
• Muswellbrook drew with Ballina 9-all
• Muswellbrook d Southern Highlands 13-9
• Muswellbrook d Scone & District 17-15

• Singleton d Shoalhaven 7-4
• Singleton d Parramatta Auburn 10-8
• Singleton d Mount Druitt 11-10
• Singleton d Lismore & District 11-8

Under-13 (division four)

• Kurri Kurri d Quirindi 12-10
• Kurri Kurri d Sapphire Coast 13-5
• Kurri Kurri d Tamworth 18-5
• Kurri Kurri d Tumut 23-8
• Kurri Kurri d Wollondilly 15-6

• Lower Clarence d Port Stephens 10-9
• Port Stephens d Narrabri 19-10
• Port Stephens d Armidale District 11-3
• Quirindi d Port Stephens 19-15

• Nelson Bay d Narrabri 11-4
• Nelson Bay d Armidale District 8-4
• Nelson Bay d Port Stephens 14-7
• Nelson Bay d Quirindi 13-2
• Nelson Bay d Sapphire Coast 22-10

Under-14 championship

• Sutherland Shire d Charlestown 35-3
• Wyong District d Charlestown 20-10
• Ku-Ring-Gai d Charlestown 29-4
• St George District d Charlestown 21-13
• Baulkham Hills Shire d Charlestown 24-7
• Blacktown City d Charlestown 25-8

• Newcastle d Inner West 17-15
• Liverpool City d Newcastle 12-10
• Newcastle d Manly Warringah 19-12
• Newcastle d Bankstown City 18-12
• Northern Suburbs d Newcastle 29-12
• Penrith District d Newcastle 22-9

Under-14 (division two)

• Callaghan District d Blue Mountains 30-9
• Callaghan District d Dubbo 19-13
• Callaghan District d Hastings Valley 14-7
• Hawkesbury City d Callaghan District 19-7
• Hills District d Callaghan District 22-8
• Callaghan District d Lakeside 17-16

• Westlakes District d Hastings Valley 10-8
• Hawkesbury City d Westlakes District 13-9
• Hills District d Westlakes District 30-5
• Lakeside d Westlakes District 19-5
• Westlakes District d Manning Valley 17-14

• Nambucca Valley d Maitland 14-10
• Orange d Maitland 17-9
• Queanbeyan d Maitland 14-10
• Wagga Wagga d Maitland 23-7
• Maitland d Westlakes District 15-14
• Woy Woy Peninsula d Maitland 17-11

• Lakeside d Orange 11-8
• Lakeside d Queanbeyan 22-6
• Lakeside d Wagga Wagga 20-11
• Lakeside d Woy Woy Peninsula 25-14

Under-14 (division three)

• Ballina d Cessnock 16-11
• Cessnock d Coffs Harbour 17-12
• Cessnock d Cootamundra 17-5
• Cessnock d Eurobodalla 20-13
• Cessnock d Grafton 20-8

• Grafton d Singleton 20-8
• Great Lakes d Singleton 29-8
• Griffith d Singleton 22-6
• Leeton d Singleton 15-12
• Lismore & District d Singleton 18-16

• Scone & District d Great Lakes 17-16
• Scone & District d Griffith 20-14
• Scone & District d Leeton 31-8
• Scone & District d Lismore & District 26-9
• Scone & District d Macleay 24-11

• Nelson Bay d Leeton 16-11
• Nelson Bay d Lismore & District 15-10
• Macleay d Nelson Bay 15-11
• Nelson Bay d Mount Druitt 24-14

• Muswellbrook d Lismore & District 15-4
• Muswellbrook d Macleay 13-6
• Muswellbrook d Mount Druitt 27-11
• Ballina d Muswellbrook 10-7
• Muswellbrook d Nelson Bay 14-12

Under-14 (division four)

• Port Stephens d Cowra & District 10-8
• Brunswick Byron d Port Stephens 12-8
• Armidale District d Port Stephens 11-8
• Port Stephens d Wollondilly 21-9
• Temora d Port Stephens 14-9

• Kurri Kurri d Kiama 15-11
• Kurri Kurri d Gunnedah 22-8
• Kurri Kurri d Cowra & District 15-5
• Kurri Kurri d Brunswick Byron 20-5
• Kurri Kurri d Armidale District 10-3
• Kurri Kurri d Wollondilly 21-4