THE Coastal Sharks are this year’s Smarter than Smoking State Netball League champions in both the colts and reserves divisions.
The colts won a commanding 60-43 clash with rivals South East Demons leading from start to finish.
Coastal goal shooter and match MVP Alexandra Morgan was outstanding from the first whistle and proved the difference between the two sides.
The two sides had a nervous start with turnovers at both ends before it was the Sharks who settled first.
Abbey Thomas was the key for the Sharks' attack in wing attack, ably feeding both shooters under the post.
On the back of Morgan's shooting, the Sharks opened up a 17-11 quarter time lead.
The Demons made wholesale changes in the second with a new attacking line-up, but the side failed to capitalise on their turnover ball.
But the Demons stayed in the match and when Sharks centre Emily Smith was caught with a held ball, the Demons jumped back into the match.
Trailing by just three with minutes left in the first half, an untimely injury timeout to Demon Courtney Kruta put their side on the back foot once again.
It was the Sharks who emerged from the time-out with all the run as they opened up a 30-22 lead by the main break.
A defensive shuffle for Coastals with Ariann Washbourne moving to goal keep was an ideal move as her partnership with Zoe Fisher provided plenty of turnovers.
The lead blew out in the third as the Sharks showed why they finished the regular season undefeated.
An unchanged Sharks line-up ran out the final whistle, winning 60-43.
Morgan finished the match with an incredible 48 goals from 49 attempts while goal attack Erin Smith slotted 12 goals at 93 per cent.
In the reserve grade, Coastals had a thrilling dying seconds win over the Wheatbelt Flames who came from nine goals down at three-quarter time to almost snatch the improbable win.
The Sharks lacked their earlier run in the final term and the Flames almost made them pay.
Levelling scores with less than 20 seconds to go, the Sharks calmly slotted a goal moments before the final whistle to take the pulsating 43-42 victory.
The Sharks were lucky to escape with the win after a sloppy opening minutes.
Back-to-back turnovers had the Flames out to a 4-0 lead to start the match before a brilliant intercept by goal defender Nicola Miller sparked the side.
The Sharks levelled scores and pulled away as Flames goal keeper Renee Cabassi gave away a lot of height to her opponent Mary-Alice Telfer.
But the Sharks were unable to use Telfer's height to their advantage while her footwork continued to let her down.
It was the defensive work of Miller and goal keeper Marlee Matau that kept the Sharks in the match as the duo picked off plenty of turnover ball.
Up by three at quarter time, the Sharks extended that to 24-19 at the main break.
The Sharks, with Kara Edwards coming from the bench to goal keeper looked the better side in the third term but inaccuracy continued to plague both Telfer and goal attack Emily Gecas.
With a nine-goal lead at three-quarter time, the Flames looked to their bench to spark the side.
Just wing attack Melva-Rose Yarran remained unchanged as the Flames started to claw their way back.
Down by eight with 13 minutes to go, another missed shot by Gecas gifted the Flames the intercept they needed.
Full of voice and with plenty of support in the crowd, the Flames again capitalised on a Sharks midcourt turnover and closed to within three.
An offensive contact penalty against Telfer gave the Flames another opportunity in the dying minutes and when wing defender Elizabeth Raveora pulled in a cross court ball by the Sharks, the scores were tied with 20 seconds to go.
Telfer calmly took the final shot of the match to give the Sharks the grand final win.
The Sharks had 15 more scoring attempts than the Flames as inaccuracy almost cost the side the win.
Telfer finished with 32 goals at 67 per cent while fellow shooter Gecas had 11 goals at 53 per cent.
Flames defender Cabassi was named match MVP in a losing side.
