Sport
14 July, 2026
Navarre dismantles Trentham by 46 goals
Navarre cleansed the ghosts of last season’s derailing defeat to Trentham with Saturday’s dominant 64-18 triumph.
Returning to Trentham Reserve for the first time since that 27-goal loss to the Saints, the Grasshoppers smashed any superstitions of a Trentham curse with a suffocating 15-3 opening term.
Right from the opening whistle, the Saints were shackled by Navarre’s unrelenting full-court defensive pressure, with the visitors creating takeaways aplenty.
When midcourters Stevie Courtney and Amy Vandenham did break free and send the ball into Trentham’s goal circle, shooters Sharna Ford and Charli Copeland were hit with brick walls named Grace Long and Jade Allen.
The defensive duo was incessant in their shot contest and defensive rebounding, giving the Saints very few scoring avenues.
Their Trentham counterparts Madelyn Keeping and Jessica Walker did a commendable job of limiting the destructive shooting tandem of Zanaiya Bergen and Aliza Lockhart to a manageable score, but Navarre’s outstanding defence ensured the Saints trailed by 12 goals at quarter time.
The Saints felt compelled to change their lineup in the aftermath of the opening term, bringing on junior standout Macey Holmes to play wing attack while Vandenham was trialled at goal attack midway through the second quarter to try and create an offensive spark.
The alterations did noticeably improve Trentham’s attack, but the Grasshoppers remained firmly in control, extending their lead to 21 goals at the main interval.
Despite the hefty advantage, Navarre showed no remorse after half time.
After watching her team’s exceptional first half from the bench, star defender Jess Parry made an immediate impact when she slotted into goal defence as the Saints continued to struggle without the presence of standout shooters Georgia Fearn and Hannah Weier.
Navarre player-coach Sidney Dyer and creative midcourter Brooke Currie were also outstanding in the third term, swiftly advancing the ball forward and delivering pinpoint feeds to Bergen and Lockhart, who scored 20 goals in the third term.
Even as they trailed by 38 goals at three-quarter time, the Saints remained resolute in finding a solution to the Navarre juggernaut, constantly tinkering with their personnel.
Trentham were arguably at their most competitive during the fourth quarter, but the Grasshoppers still won the term 14-6 to complete their 10th win of the season.
Bergen had one of her most accurate performances of the season, finishing with a game-high 39 goals at a shooting percentage of 83 percent. Lockhart was also brilliant for Navarre, netting 25 of her 30 attempts at goal.
The Saints had three players hit the scoreboard, with captain Ford leading with 13 goals while Charli Copeland and Walker added three and two respectively.