Hawks Deighton Fall Short in Leeds

In a closely contested Leeds League showdown, West Yorkshire Hawks Deighton suffered a narrow 62-54 loss to City of Leeds, despite a strong start and standout performances from several key players.

The Hawks opened the game with purpose, fueled by Poppy Townsend’s seven points in the first quarter. Their solid defensive intensity and offensive flow earned them a 14-11 lead at the end of the opening period.

Momentum continued in the second quarter as player-coach Ula Kostka put on a scoring clinic, adding 14 points to power the Hawks to a 31-24 advantage at the half.

However, City of Leeds regrouped during the halftime break and returned to the court with renewed energy. Their offense came alive in the third quarter, scoring 19 points and cutting the Hawks’ lead to just four heading into the final quarter. Leeds’ intensity ultimately proved decisive, as their relentless style wore down the Hawks in the closing stages.

Ginny Neher led the way for the Hawks with 18 points, while Ula Kostka finished with 16 points and Vilma Jurgaityte chipped in 11. Despite these efforts, Leeds’ fourth-quarter surge sealed an eight-point victory.

Reflecting on the game, player-coach Kostka shared her thoughts:
“That is a tough one to take. We were strong in the first half, but we just didn’t quite have enough in the tank to get the win across the line in the fourth. We have lessons to learn from this one and will come back stronger next game.”

The Hawks will look to bounce back on 15th January, when they welcome City of Leeds to the Hawks Nest at the University of Huddersfield.