Update by Chan Hui Mui/Red Sports

Eight teams are through to the second round of the A Division Netball Championship.

In the tightly contested Group A, Temasek Junior College upset St. Andrew’s Junior College 33-31 in their opening match.

In Temasek JC’s next match, they led Serangoon JC by less than 10 points at the end of third quarter. SRJC could not sustain the pressure in the last quarter and Temasek JC wrapped up the game 56-40.

Temasek JC then beat Jurong JC 48-37 and swept Innova JC aside 59-13 in their remaining matches to top the group.

After the defeat to Temasek JC, St. Andrew’s JC recovered well to easily overcome their other opponents. St. Andrew’s JC thrashed Innova JC 79-18 before beating Jurong JC and Serangoon JC 58-29 and 46-27 respectively to finish second in the group.

In Group B, no school came close to threatening last year’s runners-up Raffles Institution. They brushed Millennia Institute aside 63-8, handed National JC an 86-5 defeat, crushed Victoria JC 66-15 before sweeping Anderson JC aside 66-6 to finish top of the group.

In a crucial match, Victoria JC faced off against their arch-rivals Anderson JC, whom they lost to by four points in the first round last year and crashed out as a result. Despite leading by two points at the end of third quarter, Victoria JC fumbled in the final quarter to hand Anderson JC a 37-32 victory and painfully missed out on the second round again.

In Group C, defending champions Anglo-Chinese JC (ACJC) overcame their opponents effortlessly and kept their opponents to below 20 points while scoring more than 80 points – a feat that they achieved last year as well. ACJC defeated Yishun JC 84-10, thrashed Nanyang JC 92-11, toppled Anglo Chinese School (Independent) JC 86-13 and beat Pioneer JC 84-17.

The deciding match for second place between Nanyang JC and Pioneer JC was tight with the lead being exchanged throughout the game. Pioneer JC eventually proved the stronger of the two, beating Nanyang JC 37-35 to enter the second round as the runners-up of Group C.

In Group D, Hwa Chong Institution, who had a much easier group as compared to last year, thrashed Tampines JC 99-5, knocked out Catholic JC 93-17 and toppled Meridian JC 87-11. The only opponent that created some hassle for Hwa Chong Institution was River Valley High. However, Hwa Chong Institution were still too strong for River Valley High and won the match 54-28 to top Group D.

River Valley High, who are making their maiden appearance in the A Division netball scene, did not struggle to enter the second round as the runners-up of the group. River Valley High beat Catholic JC 45-20, thrashed Tampines JC 66-16 and handed Meridian JC a 60-19 defeat.

The second round will be played at Republic Polytechnic.