Neither Cadence Major or Taya Tamblyn were at the vote count, instead watching a live stream of the event in their homes — Cadence in Rochester and Taya in Lockington.
Cadence, who won’t turn 14 until November, won the league’s under-15 award for her outstanding season with Lockington Bamawm United after 12 months earlier being the runner-up in the under-13 vote count.
Taya Tamblyn was named the league’s under-13 netball best and fairest at last week’s count.
The pair played together last year at under-13 level and will be teammates again next year, the dual awards sending a warning to opposition clubs for 2023.
Cadence has played at LBU for three years and played in the centre for the team, which did not qualify for the finals.
Taya, who turns 13 next May, and her team are sitting first on the ladder
After 15 rounds of the count, Taya was equal, but polled five votes in the final three rounds to win the award.
Cadence was four votes behind after 15 rounds, but polled seven votes in the final three rounds, including votes in the final round to get her across the line.
She won by one vote from Mount Pleasant’s Tarli Nihill.
“It was a surprise,” Candice said. “We both watched it with family.”
Taya explained the only reason she tuned in was to see how many votes she received, because she didn’t get many the previous year.
The answer was 30. Taya has played at both end of the court, as well as centre.
• St Joseph’s Primary School teacher Olivia McEvoy won her third Esther Cheatley Medal when she polled 32 votes to make it five for her family — mother Ann was also a two-time winner.
