Interschool success for Nga Uri a Maui

WINNERS: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui won the primary interschool netball final against Te Wharau School. Members of the winning team are, back (from left): Te Huinga Karauria, Tutemakoha Kemp, Bentley Morice-Munro, Riana Rennie and Amorangi Gardner. Front: Peyton Smith, Aaliyah Taukamo-Pohio (captain), Ella-Jay Semmens and Hinerau Cook. Pictures by Paul Rickard

NETBALL

TE Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui won the primary interschool netball competition held during Term 3, besting 17 other schools from across the region.

They won the School Supplies Ltd Champion Trophy after a series of home and away games each Friday lunchtime during the term. It was the third year in a row they had won the competition.

One week’s games were postponed because of Covid-19 restrictions, but the rest were played with schools, parents, players and supporters adhering to the regulations to keep everyone safe.

The school teams were Awapuni, Central, Kaiti, Makaraka, Makauri, Mangapapa, Manutuke, Muriwai, Nga Uri a Maui, Ormond, Riverdale, St Mary’s, Te Karaka, Te Wharau, Wainui, Waerenga-o-Kuri, Waikirikiri, and Whatatutu.

The competition was played in three divisions and then pool crossover games were held to finish off the competition.

“The tournament gave the players an opportunity to play games in front of the students from their own schools, producing a sense of school spirit with classmates cheering them on,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“They also relished the opportunity to visit other schools in the district for competition.”

Nga Uri a Maui, Mangapapa and Te Wharau finished top of their pools.

“Te Wharau completed their pool play with the best goal differential of the three pools, so they went straight through to the final,” Beale said.

“Nga Uri a Maui (NUAM) and Mangapapa played off, NUAM winning 15-2.

“The final, between Te Wharau and Nga Uri a Maui, was played last Thursday at Te Wharau School, with NUAM taking the win 12-9.

“Congratulations to the players, management and supporters of NUAM for the third consecutive year.”