East Zone Netball Final 2009

East Zone Netball Finals 2009

TKP Seniors vs St Hilda's Pri 21-17

Player of the match - GA Ngov Seak Im (TKP)

East Zone Netball 3rd/4th Playoffs

TKP Juniors vs Pasir Ris Pri 21-15

Player of the match - GK Natasha Hogan (TKP)

What a day! The juniors bounced back from their semi-final defeat and won their 3rd place playoffs. Having played with Pasir Ris Pri during the quarter finals and narrowly beaten them, the juniors knew they have a tough match ahead. True enough, it was a titanic battle right up to the 4th quarter when the superior midfield as well as the mighty defence coupled with some accurate shooting won the day for the juniors! The match was an appetizer of what was to come for the seniors in the final.

Having beaten St Hilda's Pri last year in the final, their opponents were in no mood to make it a repeat of last year and fought point for point right up to the end of 3rd quarter with the score still deadlocked at 15-15. The edge for the seniors were the fighting spirit and the experience of having won the nationals last year. Finally, the seniors in the last 5 minute managed to capitalise on their opponent's mistakes and won the match 21-17. Phew! It was a close shave.

When quizzed on his thoughts after the pulsating match, Mr Njoo calmly replied that the other schools in the east zone were fast catching up and the immediate response was to work harder and to raise the standards of netball in TKP even higher. He also mentioned that the talent identification of players in future has to be more rigourous so as to mount a better challenge to wrest the junior title back from Fengshan Pri and to train the current batch of juniors to match up to the other teams whom we have lost. This is a transitional period for TKP netball and we certainly hope that we will be able to regain what we have lost as soon as possible! Come on TK!

Watch out schools in Malaysia, TKP netball team will be training hard for the nationals during the June holidays in Malaysia. Watch out for our update on the Cross Straits Netball Tournament in Kl.

Here are some of the action at ITE Simei, venue of the East Zone Finals 2009:

East Zone Semi-Final Update Seniors

East Zone Netball Semi-Finals (Seniors)

TKP seniors vs Pasir Ris Pri 38-8

The seniors again showed their vast superiority against their opponents by defeating them for a place in the Final next Tuesday. It was left to the seniors to carry the flag for the school after the juniors crashed out in the other semi finals. Come on seniors, let us regain some pride for TKP by winning the East Zone Final this Thursday at Simei ITE 4pm.



1pm - TKP Juniors vs Pasir Ris Pri (3rd/4th Place Playoff)

4pm - TKP Seniors vs St Hilda's Pri (FINAL)

Come on supporters! See you there...

East Zone Semi-Final Update

East Zone Netball Semi-Final (Juniors)

TKP Juniors vs St Hilda's Pri 18-21

TKP's record breaking run of being double champions (juniors and seniors) has ended sadly today!

2005 - East Zone Champions (Juniors) and East Zone Champions (Seniors)

2006 - East Zone Champions (Juniors) and East Zone Champions (Seniors)

2007 - East Zone Champions (Juniors) and East Zone Champions (Seniors)

2008 - East Zone Champions (Juniors) and East Zone Champions (Seniors)

Is this the end of of TKP's netball golden era? Can we take another heart-stopping match after encountering one lucky escape against Pasir Ris Pri on Tuesday. To quote Mr Njoo, "This is the first time in a long while that I was feeling uncomfortable in an East Zone netball match, we used to be so strong that I will only get this feeling in the finals!" How times has changed. More and more schools are getting stronger every year and this time the TKP juniors will have to play their toughest opponents in the east, St Hilda's pri.

Two of our players who have performed well, Dewi and Ariqah

It was actually a match filled with errors. It looked like the team that made the least mistakes will truimph. The first quarter ended with our juniors trailing by 3 points, 8-5. The 2nd and 3rd quarters were nerve-wrecking with the juniors missing their chance to capitalise on their opponents' mistakes and ended trailing by 3 points. The juniors were making simple basic errors that got the TKP supporters fuming mad. One of the teachers remarked that the girls were not mentally strong and was crumbling under pressure. It was really frustrating to watch them underperformed for the second match in a row. St Hilda's Pri were fast tiring and were playing even more badly than our girls but it was a little too late to catch them even though if you count the chances we had, it was definately more than St Hilda's.

Alas, the final whistle went and the bright golden era of TKP netball ended. No more double champions in 2009. Let's hope the juniors can bounce back from this setback. As we left Kallang Netball Centre, I could not help but to steal a glance at our coach, Mr Njoo. His shoulders were slumped and he was walking slowly back to the bus. For the first time, I could see the vulnerable side of him where once it was filled with fire and passion!

East Zone 2009 Quarter Final Update Final match

East Zone Netball Quarter-finals Update 2009

TKP Juniors vs Pasir Ris Pri 18-16

TKP Seniors vs Fengshan Pri 45-10

Both teams qualify for the semi-finals as group champions! Although the juniors had a lot more work to do after just scrapping past their opponents. Work hard, juniors!

East Zone 2009 Quarter Final Update (Seniors)

East Zone 2009 Quarter Final Update (Seniors)

TKP Seniors vs St Anthony's Canossian 49-9

TKP Seniors vs Junyuan Pri 58-3

Player to watch - Goh Xing Hui (WA)

She is not the tallest of players but she has good leaping ability, powerful and explosive!

Xing Hui in action

Another attacking foray

Her leaping ability! Any sec sch interested?

The Seniors booked their semi-final passage with thumping wins against their quarter-final opponents. The seniors showed their aerial superiority, better physical strength and skills and the more notable factor - their depth in the reserves. Mr Njoo played all 12 players in both their games and still the intensity of the effort was still evident. They will play against Fengshan Pri in their last quarter final game on Tuesday before the semi-final match on Thursday. Good luck seniors!

East Zone 2009 Quarter Final Update (Juniors)

East Zone Netball Quarter Final Update (Juniors)

TKP Juniors vs East Coast Pri 47-2

TKP Juniors vs Junyuan Pri 32-11

Stretching for the ball, good catch!

Dewi, our WA eyeing an attacking chance

Tiffany, our GD blocking a pass

Yipee! The Juniors are through to the Semi-finals with one more Q-final match yet to be played. A decider to be No. 1 int he group! On Monday, the Juniors will pip their wits against Pasir Ris Pri, a team that they lost last year during the Kidznet Carnival. That defeat denied the Juniors a chance to play in an exhibition match against St Margaret's Pri at the 5 Nations Cup Final. The Juniors have been waiting for this opportunity all year and this will be the best chance for them to show everyone that they have improved. However, to win Pasir Ris Pri, the juniors will have to up their game - be more aggressive, play well defensively and make less mistakes in their attacking game. A lot will depend on how the GK - Natasha and GD - Tiffany coped with the pressure imposed by the Pasir Ris attackers. In the meantime, Mr Njoo is devising a game plan to outwit their opponents so as to become the group champion!

Debby, our shooter turned defender intercepting a pass

East Zone Netball Quarter-Final Draw Seniors

East Zone Netball Quarter-Final Draw

Seniors

Group X
St Hilda's Pri - 1st in group
Coral Pri - 1st in group
Pasir Ris Pri - 2nd in group
East View Pri - 2nd in group

Group Y
Tanjong Katong Pri - 1st in group
Fengshan Pri - 1st in group
SAC - 2nd in group
Junyuan Pri - 2nd in group

For the seniors, it is important that they do not get complacent and think just because they are the reigning national champions, they will win every game. They must remember the basics of accurate passing, timing and shooting accuracy. Lately, Mr Njoo has not been pleased with the shooters' shot percentage. In fact, he claimed the juniors were more accurate in their games based on the statistics being painstakingly compiled by the reserves during matches. So seniors, let us get down to our basics and play beautiful, fast and intelligent netball during the Q-finals like how all the old TKP teams have played!

East Zone Netball Quarter-Final Draw

East Zone Quarter-Final Draw

Juniors

Group X
Pasir Ris Pri - 1st in group
Tanjong Katong Pri - 1st in group
Junyuan Pri - 2nd in group
East Coast Pri - 2nd in group

Group Y
St Hilda's Pri - 1st in group
Fengshan Pri - 1st in group
Yumin Pri - 2nd in group
White Sands Pri - 2nd in group

It was a good draw. First of all, it gives the juniors a chance to exact 'revenge' on Pasir Ris Pri after losing to them 2-1 last year during the Kidznet Carnival. Secondly, no disrespect to the other teams in the group, they are probably not as strong as the ones in group Y. Group Y seems like a group of 'death'. All 4 teams stand a chance to qualify for the semi-finals although Fengshan and St Hilda's are favourites to go through. However, White Sands and Yumin can give them a fight if they have their off-days (very common for junior matches). I'm salivating just at the thought of watching these pulsating, heart-wrenching games next week! Bring it on!!!

East Zone Netball 2009 First Rd Final Match Update

East Zone Netball 1st rd final match

TKP Juniors vs Opera Estate Pri 56-0

Ariqah (GA), player to watch in the juniors competition

The Juniors completed their final match in the first round defeating Opera Estate Pri 56-0. Again, the players were being shuffled around as Mr Njoo wanted to give all the players in the team more match exposure. One of the players that have caught everyone's attention was the team's GA, Ariqah. Although not the tallest player around, she has inspired the juniors with her crisp shooting, swift running and her ever present enthusiasm for the game! She is definately the player to watch in this team. More importantly, she plays with a smile on her face all the time. Of course I must also add that the juniors is not a one-man team - there are talented players all over the court. Natasha, Tiffany and Nadia are forming a great defensive partnership, Depi and Dewi are great attacking midfielders and of course our dangerous marksmen, shooters - Ariqah and Debby. The juniors are shaping well after a tentative start and we look forward to more action from them in the Q-finals. Go Juniors!

TKP Seniors vs Park View Pri 56-8

Rukmini in mid-air

The seniors faced their first setback when Jeraldine, our first-choice defender, sprained her ankle and was ruled out for one week. Mr Njoo, though perturbed, told the team that he has confidence in the team's depth in strength and actually felt it was a good time to let more players have more game time. He has always wanted Josephine and Pepe to step up their game and try to win their places in the first seven. During the game against Park View, their nervousness showed when they conceded 'soft' goals to their opponents. However, both of them soon 'warmed up' and played well, making crucial interceptions and rebounds. Mr Njoo believes that the strength in the 'reserves' is a testimony of how strong the team is and he certainly believes that this is one of his strongest team to date - with very good players in the reserves able to step up to play and more importantly, ability to win games! We hope to see more new faces making headlines during the Q-finals! GO Seniors!

Josephine (Player to watch in Q-final)

Pepe (Player to watch in Q-final)

East Zone Netball 2009 First Rd Update SENIORS

East Zone Netball 2009 First Rd Update

SENIORS

The 'new' seniors had a great start to the year winning the ISSAC League in term one. In addition to that, they have already beaten their closest rivals CHIJ Kellock (National Runner-up), St Margaret's Pri (National 3rd) and St Hilda's Pri (National 4th) on their way to winning the ISSAC league competition. The good start of the year was probably helped by their recent Perth training trip during the year-end holidays.

Seak Im, the captain, jostling for the ball

There were 16 players vying for the coveted 12 players spot for the East Zone Championship. According to our coach, Mr Njoo, he claimed that he had 'sleepless' nights deciding on the final 12 players. Still, he did comfort the others who did not make the squad that he would consider them for the nationals. Although the team lost Isabel Holt, our reserve shooter (left for international school), the team did have strength in depth with Syazana deputising as a reserve shooter.

Jeraldine intercepting the ball

Our 'little' giant in her own right, Xing Hui, our WA

The seniors kicked their East Zone campaign with a bang, hitting last year's 4th place Pasir Ris Pri 53-6 in their first game! It was definitely the statement the reigning national champion wants to make inthe East Zone! Here are the other results:


TKP Seniors vs Pasir Ris Pri 53-6


TKP Seniors vs Haig Girls' 50-0


TKP Seniors vs East Spring Pri 67-0

Rukmini and Fatin in action

With that, let's welcome our seniors of 2009:

GK-Jeraldine Lee
GD-Jamie Wong
WD-Fatin (Asst. Capt)
C-Rukmini (Asst.Capt)
WA-Xing Hui (chili padi)
GA-Seak Im (Capt)
GS-Corrine Kwek
Josephine Yeh
Pepe Bingham-Hall
Syazana
Chalisa
Vanessa Pang

East Zone Netball 2009 First Rd Update

East Zone Netball 2009 1st rd update

(Juniors)

The 'new' juniors started the East Zone campaign winning their first three games convincingly.

TKP Juniors vs Yumin Pri 28-7

TKP Juniors vs Taonan Pri 49-2

TKP Juniors vs East Spring Pri 65-0

The Juniors still have one more match against Opera Estate Pri next Tue but they have already qualified for the quarter-finals. Many have commented that the players that made up the junior team this year were lacking in height. The juniors did not let the comments bother them and prefer to let the results do the 'talking' for them, posting huge victories against their rivals.

Our captain, Depi Teo

Rosemary in action

We had the opportunity to interview their coach, Mr Edwin Njoo, with regards to the team' s chances on winning the east zone championship this year. He mentioned that this year's junior competition is very competitive with very good teams. They are St Hilda's, Fengshan Pri and Pasir Ris Pri. However, he did commented that TKP stand a very good chance too due to the fact that the players have a 'winning' mentality drilled into them from their illustrous seniors who have graced the junior competition and won it since 2005. 'Experience in winning championships is very important during tight games' was his explanation.

Debby, our GS, making a shot

Fang Ying catching a pass

So, to all supporters of TKP netball...Let's welcome the 'new' TKP Juniors!

GK - Natasha Hogan
GD - Tiffany Low
WD - Nadia Amir (Asst.Capt)
C - Depi Teo (Capt)
WA - Dewi Delf
GA - Ariqah (Asst. Capt)
GS - Debby Larissa
Elycia Lu
Rosemary Bingham-Hall
Nurul Amira
Yap Fang Ying
Iman