One goal short in successful year

PRIDE OF LYTTON: The Lytton High School under-15 team who reached the top four of the National Secondary Schools Condor tournament, are pictured with the Ngati Porou East Coast 12-15-a side competition. They are, back row from left: Amoe Tarsau (manager/trainer), Phoenix Ngarimu, Anahera Whaanga-Smith, Kelsey Teneti, Jasmine Ward, Rhythm Monika, Trish Hina (coach). Front: Shaniqua Kepa-Casey, Tatiana Collier, Jody-Miria Walters, Taley-Jade Kemp, Amoe Wharehinga, Reremoana Bartlett-Tamatea. Absent: Georgia Teneti (captain). Picture supplied

LYTTON High School under-15 girls sevens team achieved one of their two goals when they made the top four in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Condor tournament in Auckland.

“The first goal was to make the top four, which we did, but we also went there with the aim of winning the tournament,” said fitness trainer/manager Amoe Tarsau.

“At the end of the day we’ll take top four and be proud of that achievement.

“We also had Gabby Wainohu and Kelsey Teneti picked for the tournament team and two more shortlisted, Anahera Whaanga-Smith and Rhythm Monika.”

Coach Trish Hina said Wainohu and Teneti, who have represented New Zealand in waka ama (Gabby) and hockey (Kelsey) “had amazing tournaments”.

“Gabby and Kelsey’s selections, plus the team coming third out of 16 teams, is a huge achievement for a small region such as ours.

“But more important — not only are the girls talented sportswoman, they are great ambassadors on and off the field for the school and Tairawhiti.

Lytton won their three pool games on day one, with speedster Wainohu, a national waka ama representative, scoring seven tries.

“Kelsey and Jody Walters worked exceptionally hard in the middle creating opportunities for themselves or their teammates,” said Hina.

Southland Girls’ High School were next on the Lytton hit list, with Lytton winning 14-7.

“The team played with a lot of heart and worked hard for each other in that game.”

Then came a semifinal clash with Hamilton Girls’ High, which Lytton lost 32-7.

“When you play top teams like Hamilton, to have any chance of winning, you need to be at your best for the whole game and we just weren’t ready for them this year,” Hina said.

“We’ve no excuses. Hamilton were the better team, as the scoreline suggests.

“However, the girls used that game as a learning experience for next year. Unfortunately, we will lose the majority of this year’s team, who move up to play in the open division.”

Hamilton went down Kerikeri High School in the final, with no game for third and fourth played.

Tarsau said the team went into the tournament well prepared, having won the North Island under-15 development grade tournament in Rotorua and the Ngati Porou East Coast u-18 competition.