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Standout defender wins coveted award

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Cameron NewboldAlbany Advertiser
Michelle Parsons Memorial Award winner, Darcy Kerr from Narrikup 1.
Camera IconMichelle Parsons Memorial Award winner, Darcy Kerr from Narrikup 1. Credit: Shelby Upson

Outstanding Narrikup defender Darcy Kerr has won her first Michelle Parsons Memorial Award as the fairest-and-best A1 player in the Albany Netball Association at their gala presentations on Saturday night.

Kerr has been a revelation for Narrikup 1 this season, her intercepting and rebound from defence helping the team surge up the ladder and into the finals.

Kerr started well in the count, held at the Albany Entertainment Centre, to poll six votes in the first three rounds but she surrendered the lead to young Sonix shooter Kasey Warren by one vote after six rounds.

By round nine, Kerr had established a three-vote lead at the top of the leaderboard and she polled five votes in the last five rounds of the regular season to hold off the fast-finishing Nardia Humphries from Royals Saints 1.

The Michelle Parsons Award has been dominated by defenders in recent years and Kerr finished with 26 votes to be a clear winner of the prestigious honour.

Having moved to Albany from Geraldton, the 20-year-old credited Narrikup as the reason she had played so well.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it — there are such good players in the comp,” Kerr said.

“I was a bit shocked but really stoked to win the award. “Every single game, I give it 100 per cent and I definitely feel it on Sunday.

“I don’t go for body contact but I always go pretty hard for the ball.

“Joining Narrikup was the best possible club I could have joined when I moved down. They are such a supportive club and there is no negativity.” Humphries came with a big run in the last five rounds, polling nine votes, to claim the runner-up trophy with a total of 20.

Michelle Parsons Memorial Award winner Darcy Kerr with runner-up and Susan Howlett Award winner Nardia Humphries.
Camera IconMichelle Parsons Memorial Award winner Darcy Kerr with runner-up and Susan Howlett Award winner Nardia Humphries. Credit: Shelby Upson

Warren was on 18 votes after nine rounds and did not attract any more votes after that but the young gun was still able to claim third place in the count.

Kangas 1 shooter Alyssa Ward, Narrikup’s Casey Greay and Magpies 1 centre Rebecca Goodliffe were all next on 15 votes.

They were followed by Magpies’ Macy Lane (14 votes), Sonix’s Indigo Bew (13), Railways’ Keira Stephen (13), Railways’ Hollee Siviour (11), Railways’ Kirsten Gault (11) and Kangas 2’s Lily Minter (11).

For the second straight year, Humphries, a brilliant goal shooter, won the Susan Howlett Award as the fairest and best 18-and-under player in the A1 competition, edging out Warren in a hard-fought battle.

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