National champions, Wellington champions, local champions... it's been a 2014 season to remember for the Wairarapa College first XI girls hockey squad.
Their thrilling 1-0 win over arch rivals St Matthew's Collegiate in the grand final of the Wellington secondary schools premier division competition at Clareville last Friday night was the perfect ending to a hugely successful campaign.
Not only did the victory also bring with it the Dunce Cup for the top Wairarapa side but it came hard on the heels of their winning of the Federation Cup, the No 1-ranked secondary schoolgirls tourney in the country.
Coach Catherine Smith said that Federation Cup success was part of the build-up to the Wellington final.
"We didn't want to have the Federation Cup and not be Wellington champions, that was never going to be good enough for us," she said. "Once we got one we badly wanted the other."
Invariably clashes between Wairarapa College and St Matthew's College are hard-fought affairs and this was no exception. The only goal of the match came from Wairarapa College's Brigette Mossman from a penalty corner early in the second half and Smith concedes that, on the run of play, the result could have gone either way.
"We both created quite a few scoring chances, there was never a lot in it," she said.
Smith was especially pleased with the structure of her side, both on attack and defence.
"We talked a lot about sticking to the game plan and we mostly did that," she said.
"The composure was outstanding".
For three of the Wairarapa College squad, Katie-Anne Saywell, Emma Smith and Hannah Candy, this was their last appearance for the college side and it was appropriate they should be among their team's most prominent players, as was one of their youngest players, goalkeeper Bridey Kiernan, who made several superb saves.
The match might also have been the last hurrah for coach Smith.
She only took up the role this season when nobody else came forward and despite the magnificent record she would be quite happy to relinquish the position next year.
"Working over the hill makes it difficult, it would be nice to think someone new will come on board," she said.
The Wellington secondary finals produced a notable double for Wairarapa College with their boys first XI beating Wellington College in an enthralling premier division decider in Wellington. The two teams were level pegging at 2-2 after ordinary time - Wairarapa College trailed 2-0 at one stage - and two periods of extra time and ended up winning in a penalty shootout.
The victory was some compensation for their defeat in the Rankin Cup national final, also decided on a shootout.
Both the Wairarapa College goals in ordinary time were scored by Hamish Finlayson.