The first two weeks of a new Honiton Netball League has seen every team complete their first match of the campaign, writes Steph Upson.

Division One sports four teams with three points: HNC Hotshots, TNC Otters, Hi Q and Panthers.

Hotshots are listed as number one in the fledgling table as a result of their goal difference of 35, this after they defeated High Tide 39-14 thanks to some fine play from Charlotte Yorke. For a battling High Tide, Rachel Burrough was named Player of the Match.

Otters sit second after a 33-13 success over Blackdown. Bea Bandyszewska got the individual honour for Blackdown while Amy Colwill was given the accolade for Otters. Panthers player Anna Benson, crowned as Winter League Player of the Season, was straight back in the old routine being named star player in her side’s 29-23 win over SNC Toucans, while the other opening game Division One playing honours went to Abi Greenslade (Flamingos), Amy Tresidder (Hi Q) and both Danni Walters and Sarah Fletcher (SNC Toucans).

Division Two has got off to an interesting start with Coly-flowers being unable to raise a full team for their first match. However, despite playing with only five, they gave Beer Blazers a run for their money! Beer won 34-7, but Cheryl Robson was richly deserving of the Coly-flowers Player of the Match award, while the individual honour for Blazers went to Gemma Langham. Signs South West (SSW) sit top of the table after their huge 62-7 success over a hardworking and enthusiastic Slick Chicks. Michaela Sydenham was the player of the match for SSW while Izzy Pinnock scooped the award for Slick Chicks. Sitting third in Division Two are winter league winners SNC Eagles, who won their opening game 42-17 against HNC 3Ts. Darcy Hastie led by example and was Eagles’ individual star, while Meg Gooding was recognised as 3T’s star player. Other Division Two players recognised for their fine play were Lisa Bevan (JD Tyres) and Rebecca Rowe (Otter Valley).

In Division Three there are a number of new teams competing. Two of them, Sidmouth Trident and Ottery St Mary-based Flaming Barrels, met each other in their first games. Despite some excellent play from Anna Scott of Barrels, it wasn’t enough as Trident, for whom Emma White was the stand-out individual, won 22-7.

Jurassics, who have some new players as part of their team, began their campaign with a narrow and exciting win over HNC Honeyz. Helen French starred for Jurassics, and for Honeyz the top player was Victoria Henwood. New side SNC Kites went down 39-9 to Cranbrook-based Black Arrows. It was Kirsty Crowe who bagged the playing honours for Black Arrows with Emily Pulman taking the honours for Kites.

White Arrows – a sister team of Black Arrows – did not enjoy such opening game success as they went down 36-7 to Tornados for whom Laura Dollman was the star player.

The top player award for White Arrow went to Lucy Downing.