Unbeaten Bay claim tournament title

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POVERTY Bay won the Rawleigh Trophy under-13 girls’ hockey tournament in Gisborne yesterday.

They beat Rangitikei 3-1 in the final to remain unbeaten throughout the competition on the LJ Hooker Turf at Harry Barker Reserve. Wellington and Hawke’s Bay shared third place after their third/fourth playoff ended in a nil-all draw. Wairarapa finished fifth, Manawatu sixth and Taranaki seventh.

Poverty Bay started the final as slight favourites, having beaten Rangitikei 1-0 in round-robin play. At the end of a tightly contested first half, the score was 1-1. Madison Savage had scored for the Bay and Olivia Te AweAwe for Rangitikei.

Poverty Bay firingPoverty Bay came out firing for the second half, and Oaklea Bowden-Morris and Summer Takurua scored to give them the 3-1 win.

“We knew they had nothing to lose,” Poverty Bay coach Louise Teneti said. “But we were on our home turf and wanted to win the tournament for our whanau, supporters and, most importantly, for the girls who have been together for years.

“They have all done themselves proud, and I am so proud of them.”

The tournament’s final day’s play started with Wairarapa’s 7-2 victory over Manawatu.

For Wairarapa, Darby Lambert (two), Freja Hughes (two), Charlize Baron, Meg Southy and Jemima Edwards scored goals.

Mackenzie Dempster and Holly Powell scored for a Manawatu team who were valiant in defeat. Hawke’s Bay and Wellington put it all on the line in their scoreless draw.

Both teams had opportunities to score, but the defences fought hard and could take credit from the absence of goals in this match.