After two years without a competition, Louise Cooper had no idea how Hunter would fare at the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association netball championships.
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But the Cooper-coached side "smashed it out of the park" to be undefeated on the way to securing the state title at Sydney Olympic Park's Netball Central.
Among the Hunter representative team was Nelson Bay Netball Association representative 12s players Bowey Manning and Mackenzie Bohan.
Hunter played 13 matches at netball central over three days from July 26 to 28 and cruised to victory in most.
Their closest score lines were in beating Polding 32-18 and Sydney West 31-17.
"Going into the tournament, I didn't know how we would go," Cooper said.
"The competition had not been held for the past two years and this was my first time coaching the Hunter team.
"But the team just smashed it out of the ballpark. It was a team of no super stars, just a cohesive group that worked together, came together and played for each other.
"And, honestly, it was just about playing."
Bohan, from Wirreanda Public School, was vice captain of the Hunter team.
Following in the footsteps of her mother and sisters, Bohan began playing the sport as a 6 year old.
The now 12 year old plays for Medowie Netball Club on Saturdays but for Nelson Bay at the representative level, including at the NSW Junior State Titles.
Bohan, a defensive player, said she was "very surprised" but also "really happy" that the Hunter team went through the state PSSA championship.
"We were told that the Sydney teams are really good. We weren't expecting to do as well as we did," she said. "When we won the trophy undefeated we were happy. Shocked, but really happy."
The team was led by captain Raya Prestwidge (Hillsborough Public School) and Bohan.
Also in the team was Manning (Soldiers Point Public School), Chloe Eyles (Mount Hutton), Penny Vogt (Wallsend South), Samson Nathan (Wallsend), Alexis Kearney (Singleton), Amelia Wells (Glendore), Grace Mueller (Valentine) and Kaila Stringer (Floraville).
Nathan and Bohan play in the defence end, Vogt midcourt and Wells is a goal shooter.
Bohan, who played goal defence (GD) in the state championship, said she had a really good defensive connection with Samson, who played goalkeeper (GK).
"I felt like we worked really well together. The shooters found it really hard to get past us," Bohan said.
Nathan, the first boy to compete for Hunter at the NSW PSSA netball titles, Bohan, Vogt and Wells all earned selection in the 12-player NSW team headed to the Australian championships being staged in Wollongong from September 10 to 16.
Bohan said she was "shocked" when she learned after the state tournament that she had been selected to play in the national championship.
"I wasn't expecting it," she said. "I was so happy."
Manning, 11, played wing defence (WD) for the Hunter team.
She said she was "really nervous" going into the championship, but also "really excited".
The Nelson Bay netballer, who typically plays goal shooter or goal attack (GS/GA), said she though the strength of the Hunter team was that it played as a team.
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