Napier festival next for Gisborne champs

SAINTS WENT MARCHING IN: And on to glory for the St Mary’s hockey team who won the inter-primary school years 5 and 6 tournament. Back row (from left): Brandon Rance and Owen Buchanan. Middle: Zeva Pierce, Kalianne Taylor (captain), Janette Boyd (coach), Pae Wilcox-Taylor and Quinn Pihiri-Coutts. Front: Bjorn Raroa-Haraki, Jack McCormack, Marshall Boyd, Aliyah Lardelli and Dougie Wilcox-Taylor. Picture supplied

St Mary’s are not resting on their laurels after winning the Gisborne inter-school years 5 and 6 hockey tournament last week.

An 11-strong St Mary’s Wekas team are heading to Napier next week to compete at the Small Sticks hockey festival.

They will be joined at the tournament by Gisborne schools Makaraka, Matawai and Makauri.

St Mary’s will be competing in the Kiwi Sticks (years 5 and 6) grade featuring 17 teams.

They will go in with a positive mindset enhanced by their success at the Gisborne tournament held on the LJ Hooker Turf.

They were among 10 schools who competed in pool play, followed by playoffs.

St Mary’s had three wins and a draw in pool play. They beat Ormond 5-0, Central 5-1 and Whatatutu 4-0, and drew 0-0 with Makaraka.

They finished on the same points as Makaraka and both had the same differential — 13 — but St Mary’s topped the pool because they scored more goals, 14 to 13.

It put St Mary’s into the playoff for first and second against the other pool winners, Manutuke, which St Mary’s won 3-1.

St Mary’s coach Janette Boyd was delighted.

“There were some very close games throughout the day and it was great to see our young players coming through the ranks with great skills.”