Players battle in the NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Championships

Morehu Tangaere of Te Waiu o Ngati Porou tries to evade Miracle Kahukiwa of Linwood College. Pictures by Paul Rickard

KI O RAHI

Secondary schools from throughout the country are in Gisborne for the New Zealand Secondary School Ki o Rahi Championships.

The preliminary round of competition began yesterday with 23 teams entered.

The final rounds are under way today with three local schools featured in the championship finals — Turanga Wahine Turanga Tane (Gisborne Boys’ High and Gisborne Girls’ High), Lytton High School and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Horouta Wananga.

Horouta Wananga finished at the top of their pool yesterday, while Lytton edged out their old foes and current regional champs TWTT in their pool.

Lytton and TWTT are both past winners of the national competition.

The plate finals feature East Coast schools TKKM o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti from Te Araroa, TKKM o Te Waiu o Ngati Porou from Ruatoria, and Tolaga Bay Area School.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui will play off in the bowl finals.

The competition wraps up today with all games being played on the Rectory field.