Teams have a blast in BoP

GIS INT RUGBY WINNERS — They are, back (from left): Tane Te Aho-Heemi, Naera Keelan-Wyllie, Mahonri Aupouri, Gus Moylan, Joshua Aukuso, Cleveland Hema-August, Wayne Ensor (coach), Ocean Crosbie, Lea'asi Tupou, Enoka Pewhairangi-Nukunuku, Storm De Thier and Arnav Prasad. Front: Koby Perrett, Wynter Hawea, Quinn Pirihi-Coutts, Manawanui Stewart, Isaac Robinson, Anakin Ormsby-Cairns, Darius Kiwara and Charlie Worsnop. Absent: Coen-Theros Brown, Mihaka Maangi and Jerome Tamatea. Pictures supplied

Gis Int teams did themselves proud at the Super 11 Winter Sports Tournament in Tauranga.

The Gisborne Intermediate School winter sports contingent had a blast.

The Wayne Ensor-coached boys' first 15 rugby team and Emily Willock's girls' hockey team were both crowned as champions, while the boys' hockey team and boys' football were placed third and fourth respectively.

The girls' rugby and girls' football both came fifth, while the Year 8 netball placed sixth and Year 7 netball ninth.

Principal Glen Udall is as proud of the good citizenship of the 100-plus party off the field as he is of their on-field, on-turf, on-court play.

“We sent 82 ambassadors for our school and region to the Bay of Plenty,” he said.

“Two of our teams came away as champions but all of the kids are champions as far as we're concerned.

“They were well coached by staff, and supported by parents. These students had an exceptional experience and a rewarding day.”

The first 15 won all five of their games and against Tauranga Intermediate in the final, with his team trailing 15-12 with five minutes to play, Gis Int captain Gus Moylan beat three would-be tacklers and ran 50 metres to score the match-winning try.

After eye-opening encounters with Tauranga and Te Puke, the girls' rugby team under Quentin Mill beat Mokoia 15-5. In their last hit-out, Gis Int scored two of the Super 11 tourney's best tries through Peyton Thomas-Brown and Treci Kahaki-Collins against Otumoetai.

The girls' hockey team conceded no goals in five games and beat Mt Maunganui 5-0 in their final, while the boys' hockey team showed steely resolve to reverse their 2-0 loss to Otumoetai Green first up with a 5-0 win when the teams met in their last outing.

The boys' football team beat Whakatane 2-0 in their opener and were the first team at the tourney to score a goal against a strong Otumoetai outfit (5-1 to Otumoetai).

Jess Hughes's girls' football team produced two wins (against Te Puke 4-0 and Taupo 3-0), the Year 8 netball team — including stand-outs Rhiley Wirihana-Vosaki, Jaz Gardiner and Saige Brown — bounced back from 13-6 and 14-13 losses to Te Puke and Whakatane to beat Otumoetai 11-7 and Mokoia 17-4.

The Year 7 netball team lost a thriller, 14-11 to Te Puke, to begin their campaign, and tested each of their next four opponents without tasting victory. Gis Int went down fighting 18-6 to Otumoetai in the teams' second clash.

Year 8 netball coach Tracey Babbington-Maynard said: “Our captain Samara Beattie and I were pleased with the entire team. We played Ilminster Intermediate for fifth spot and that was the game of the day for our girls, against another team from home, and it was played in good spirit — Ilminster pipped us by one goal!”