Gisborne Boys’ High put 8 past LOB in Poverty Bay club hockey

Keeley Smiler heads upfield for Gisborne Girls' High School First XI. Smiler scored in the students' 11-1 loss to defending champions GMC Green in a Poverty Bay women's club hockey game on Saturday. It was only the second goal GMC have conceded this season. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne Boys’ High student Ollie Egan was the goalscoring standout once again as three big wins were posted in Poverty Bay club hockey on Saturday.

The Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI racked up an emphatic 8-1 victory over Lytton Paikea Sports Club LOB Traktion on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve - Egan adding five goals to his staggering collection in 2025.

“Ollie’s great, definitely a stalwart of the team,” Boys’ High coach Wade Manson said. “But it was good to have most of the team back on Saturday.”

Caleb Taewa scored twice and William Matthews got the other in what Mason described as “a good effort ahead of Super 8 [secondary school tournament] in Palmerston North, starting on July 28″.

Boys’ High face five games over two and a half days “so it’s going to be tough”.

Saturday’s victory means the students move ahead of Traktion on goal difference on the points table for round 2.

Both are on six points, but the students are well clear on goal difference, courtesy of their convincing win, +6 to Traktion’s -3.

“That result puts a big stamp on the men’s competition,” Poverty Bay hockey chairman Kohere Tupara said.

“After being short of first-team players in the past couple of weeks, the students came back with a hiss and a roar.”

GBHS play Waituhi this Saturday and look odds-on to take the points again.

Defending champions and competition leaders Laidlaw YMP A had the bye at the weekend, but maintained their lead on the table with a perfect nine points.

Waituhi and LPSC Resene Masters fought out an entertaining match in the other men’s game.

Waituhi won 4-2 to move on to three points on the table while the Masters remain on 0.

“Waituhi would be happy to have come away with the win,” Tupara said. “But the Masters made it difficult for them and credit to them for that. It was a good game.”

A hat-trick to Waituhi’s Henry Mohi was the highlight while David Preddey got a double for the Masters.

In women’s games, reigning champs GMC Green underlined their dominance of the season so far with an 11-1 win over Gisborne Girls’ High School First XI.

The Green Machine marched on to nine points on the table, followed by LPSC Emerre and Hathaway Paikea, who had the bye, on seven.

“They look absolutely unstoppable,” Tupara said. “But I reckon the students would have enjoyed scoring a goal against them.

It was only the second goal GMC have conceded all season.

“GMC’s midfield has been taking control of their games and dominating their opposition when it comes to possession and distribution,” Tupara said.

“That creates more opportunities for their attackers to score.”

Jess Candy whacked in three of the GMC goals. Jade Stafford and Tori Wharepapa got a brace each.

PGG Wrightson Ngatapa scored six times without reply against GMC Kowhai to be sitting in third spot on four points, followed by Gisborne Girls’ High and GMC Kowhai both on one.

Tupara said a Ngatapa bounceback was expected after a loss the previous weekend.

“They needed a good win and they got it. Hopefully they can build again from here.”

Their six goals were shared by six different players.

SCOREBOARD

Men - Gisborne Boys’ High First XI 8 (Ollie Egan 5, Caleb Taewa 2, Williams Matthews) Traktion 1 (Anthony Boyder).

Waituhi 4 (Henry Mohi 3, Jake Swann) LPSC Resene Masters 2 (David Preddey 2).

Women - GMC Green 11 (Jess Candy 3, Jade Stafford 2, Tori Wharepapa 2, Maia Brown, Jade Martin, Bree Thompson, Caitlin Waide) Gisborne Girls’ High First XI (Keeley Smiler).

PGG Wrightson Ngatapa 6 (Briar Robb, Elise Levy, Kate Pahina, Lulu Parker, Jaz Hickling, Leigh Twigley) GMC Kowhai 0.