White Cross Cyclone, an under-16 side from the White Cross Netball Club based in Leven, have once again proven their strength on the court, playing above themselves to earn a place in the Yorkshire Regional League after an outstanding performance at the recent County Qualifying Tournament.
This achievement marks the second time in the past three years that the team has advanced to regionals, a testament to their skill, dedication and teamwork.
The Yorkshire Regional League is for the top eight sides in the county and runs from October to March. Teams play each other twice, so 14 matches in total, with matches being held at the impressive English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
The qualifying tournament was an all-day event, held at York University, with 15 of the top sides in Yorkshire taking part. Only eight sides could qualify, meaning Cyclone would have to be at their very best to secure one of the places, as they were up against big-city, performance netball clubs.
The qualifying event was split into three phases, with each side playing three matches in each phase. Phases one and two saw Cyclone feel their way into the tournament, with two or three defeats against top sides in Leeds YMCA, Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Athletic, but notable victories against Yorkshire Warriors and Hull KR.
So it would all boil down to phase three to see which sides qualified. Cyclone’s previous results had seen them put in a group with Leeds YMCA (last year’s fourth best side in Yorkshire), Ripon Rockets (last year’s sixth best side in Yorkshire) and Sheffield Concorde, who the girls had met in the Regional League two years ago.
It looked a tough group, as just the top two teams would qualify.
First up were Ripon Rockets. The girls needed a strong performance, and a thrilling game ended 12-12, with the hooter going just as Cyclone were about to shoot at goal.
Match two was against Sheffield Concorde. A win was needed so they could go into the final match against top side Leeds YMCA still with a qualifying place a possibility, albeit a slim one. A professional performance saw the girls win 11-5.
After eight matches and seven hours courtside, it all came down to Cyclone’s last match to see if they were to qualify for the Yorkshire Regional League.
Due to other results in the group, a win or draw would guarantee qualification, but they were playing against Leeds YMCA, last year’s fourth best side in the county. If they lost, it would go down to goal difference with Ripon Rockets.
Cyclone produced a simply stunning display, rattling their much higher-ranked opponents and matching them in both skill and speed. With a minute to go, Cyclone amazingly took the lead, and although with just seconds remaining Leeds scored to level at 12-12, the hooter then went. The draw was enough, and White Cross Cyclone had qualified for the Yorkshire Regional League.
Seeing the sides that qualified shows the magnitude of the achievement by a Leven-based side made up of girls from the Hornsea and Beverley area. The qualifying teams were: Sheffield Tigers, Leeds Athletic, Huddersfield Giants, Leeds YMCA, Sheffield Steel, Barnsley Silkstone Swifts, Hull Chevrons, White Cross Cyclone.
It’s an outstanding achievement that all involved should be proud of, notably coaches Kirsty Thackray and Jo Richardson along with the whole squad: Isla T, Lucy H (captain), Jolie H-S, Martha W, Jess S, Maddie C, Brooke W-S, Lois C, Erin H and Prim K.
Yorkshire Regionals… here come Cyclone!