The team travelled to Palmerston North for the Netball New Zealand U17 Championships full of confidence after some good results in preparation. The first game, however, was up against top seeds in the pool, Hamilton City. The netball was tentative given the conditions and slippery surface, however, Asher Grapes and Parris Petera were successful in supplying the shooting combination of Janayah Lewis and Imke Kitchin to lead 15-14 at half-time. Defensively, the whole team averaged 12 turnovers per quarter, but poor attacking decisions throughout the court meant Hawke's Bay were unable to capitalise on the high turnover rate. The team went down eventually 32-22. 

Next up, in what was to be a tough pool was Hutt Valley, who were undefeated against Hawke’s Bay in the two times they’ve met in other tournaments in 2018. Imke Kitchin shot over 90% in the game and was well fed from the mid-court players.  Assistant Coach Rebecca Martin stated, “the players came out far more determined and worked together to ensure they stuck to the game plan”. A convincing 46-33 win was just rewards for a great team performance to finish day one.

On day two a 20-point win over Gisborne was followed up by a 45-28 victory over Marlborough to ensure that Hawke’s Bay would make it into the round of 16 and finish as runners-up in their pool.

The crossover in the round of 16 was to be a very tough draw, coming up against a strong Howick Pakuranga team. It wasn’t to be for the Hawke’s Bay girls, a decisive 2^nd quarter the difference between the two sides, leaving Hawke’s Bay in the 9-16 bracket. Pakuranga would go on to claim Bronze in the tournament, only missing out on the final by one point to eventual winners Wellington.

The team bounced back from their disappointment superbly, putting in a stunning team performance to beat Eastern Waikato 51-30.

On the final day of play, Hawke’s Bay took on North Otago in the opening game; it was a tight affair with neither team giving an inch.   A physical game saw the players needing to dig deep throughout the court.  Some tenacious defence from Tapine and Kahukura along with Poi and Grapes saw Kitchin and Mikaele-Tuu dominate the shooting statistics giving the platform for a 35-27 victory.

As fate would have it, the opposition for the 9^th/10^th Play-off match would be Hamilton City, who won the opening group game against Hawke’s Bay three days prior.   Hawke’s Bay shot out to an early lead and Maddison Kaye and Liana Mikaele-Tuu interchanging well off the centre pass and finding Imke Kitchin with ease.   Valentine Kahukura and Kiah McCorkindale were in sync confusing the shooting circle space and creating turnovers, at the end of the first Hawke’s Bay were ahead 16-8.  Hamilton City applied the pressure in the second quarter and disrupted Hawke’s Bay on attack, almost bring the game back level. Janayah Lewis came on strong in the final quarter and provided control in the attacking end working well with Kitchin and converted the turnover ball for Hawke’s Bay to take the game 35-29.

A real showing of the determination and improvement from the Hawke’s Bay team with a 16-point swing in the scores from the opening loss to Hamilton City.

In the end a 9^th place finish, bettering last year’s finish and only one place a way from an all-time highest placing.

Coaches Lee-Anne Taylor and Rebecca Martin stated “We are really proud of this group, they are outstanding young ladies and they give you 100% every time on and off the court.  There is a lot of potential in this group and it will be great to watch them go further in their netball careers”.