Surfing: Mount College triumphed at the 2013 NZ Secondary Schools Champs held in Raglan.
In a competition that brings the best surfers from around the country, Mount claimed the trophy for 2013 late last month. In good two to four feet conditions running over the course of two days, itwas the junior members of the team who impressed, with all of them making the semifinals and finals.
Jonas Tawharu, 14, won his first major national title in the under-14 division that boosted the team's points. He edged out under-16 NZ team member Daniel Farr for the win with smooth stylish surfing that rivalled his senior competitors and impressed the judges. Under-16 NZ team member Kehu Butler, 13, who is the NZ top-ranked under-16 and under-14 surfer, impressed the judges with critical stylish flow to end up second in the under-16 division. Raiha Ensor, 14, who finished the year as NZ top ranked under-14 girl, punched well above her weight competing in the under-18 girls' division, beating the nation's top senior surfers to gain a finals birth, and finished fourth. Lee Ririnui, 14, narrowly missed out on making the finals but surfed well to get to the semis. With second-ranked NZ U-14 girls surfer Maaia Reid Bennett and 2013 NZ squad members Kayden Mayes, Josh Taylor and Luca Kressey all surfing well, the Mount College team win looked inevitable on paper.
Unfortunately the team had to rely on the last final of the day to determine the winner, which saw other front-runners New Plymouth Boys' and 2012 champs Tauranga Boys' College battle for the U-18s final and overall teams trophy. In the end the Mount College took it out for the second year since 2004 after a succession of seconds and thirds.
The teams result has bolstered higher honours with all but one (Kehu Butler) of the junior surfers and two senior surfers making the BOP Scholastics team to defend the national title. Kehu will be competing against 15 of the world's best U-16s surfers in France at the same time as the national scholastics.
Basketball: Mount Maunganui basketball played off in final spots at the ASB Baypark Arena last week, Mount Junior A playing against AC Blue for first and second. Unfortunately after a hard-fought battle the boys finished with a loss and took second place.
Mount College Senior A, on the other hand, played their final also against AC B and won the senior boys' B grade final.
Hockey: Hockey was the other team to bring home a win for Mount College over the weekend with our second XI boys team beating Mount 1st XI 2-1.
