Unleashing the tomahawk

Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High player Madison Savage about to let fly with the tomahawk or reverse stick strike as GMC Green’s Maika Akroyd challenges in a Poverty Bay women’s club hockey game on the LJ Hooker Turf. Akroyd was among the goalscorers in a 3-1 win in the final round 1 games. The nine teams have split into top-five, bottom four — the top five playing each other twice and the bottom four meeting three times before the playoffs. The top five are YMP A, GMC Green, Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa, JNL Paikea and GGHS. The bottom four are GMC Kowhai, GMC Gold, YMP B and Te Aowera.Picture by Paul Rickard

Close scores highlighted men’s and women’s hockey matches at the weekend, with kudos to Gisborne Girls’ High School and Ngatapa for the way they fronted up to more fancied opposition.

Amber Dental Girls’ High pushed GMC Green all the way and the 4-3 scoreline was a reflection of just how tight the contest was.

“Girls’ High led 2-1 at halftime and then GMC scored three really quick goals just after the break,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“It looked like the Green Machine were going to cruise on after that, but to the students’ credit they held them out, then scored one more of their own.”

Scragg said it was one of the best performances of the season by Girls’ High.

Likewise, Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa produced a fine fighting effort in a 3-1 loss to defending women’s champions YMP A.

“Ngatapa held them out till two minutes before halftime, when YMP scored their first goal,” Scragg said.

“Then the game went to 2-1 in YMP’s favour for a fair margin in the second period, until they were able to score their third.

“It was a fantastic game of hockey and I think if that’s an indication of what the top five has to offer I cannot wait to see week-in, week-out what happens in that top women’s grade.

YMP B pulled off something of a surprise when they downed Gisborne Boys’ High School 4-3 in the men’s games.

“That scoreline came as a bit of a shock,” Scragg said.

“Well done, YMP B. It was a big boost for them to have Michael Bond playing for them instead of for the A team.”

Lytton Old Boys A gave defending men’s champions THC a good run for the money in their clash, won by THC 4-2.

“Early on, LOB had opportunities that they missed, but they really made THC work hard for the three competition points,” Scragg said.

“Either THC were a bit rusty or Lytton Old Boys A are starting to find the form they are capable of.”

The close scores continued in the LOB B clash with LOB Masters, with just two goals in it. The B team won 3-1.

“They led 2-1 for a fair while and we in the Masters team thought a draw could have been on the cards.

“LOB stalwart Dave Fox scored the decider near the end.”

In one of the two blow-out results, GMC Kowhai racked up seven goals against YMP B.

“Kowhai looked good, and finally produced a performance to be proud of,” Scragg said.

“They should be the dominant force in the women’s bottom four.”

In the other higher-scoring game, JNL Paikea were too good for Te Aowera, winning 6-0.

Scores — Men: LOB B 3 (Herman Fourie, David Fox, Oscar Ruston) LOB Masters 1 (Jed Skuse); THC 4 (Piri Orotaunga 2, Hoera Mohi, Tamanay Tuhou) LOB A 2 (Jayden McKay, Derek Peach); YMP B 4 (Michael Bond 3, Stu Priest) Gisborne Boys’ High School 3 (Brett Hockey 2, Harry Allen).

Women: GMC Green 4 (Amy England 2, Maika Akroyd, Kelsey Teneti) Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School 3 (Mollie Clarke 2, Ngahuia Wilson); JNL Paikea 6 (Joanne Cumming 3, Bronwyn O’Reilly, Kate Muir, Maija-lee Gooch) Te Aowera 0; GMC Kowhai 7 (Megan Allen 2, Sacha Burns, Karyn Egan, Jordan Oliver, Christine Popata-Tibble, Juliarna Mitchell) YMP B 1 (Mihi Hannah); YMP A 3 (Courtney Onekawa, Maia Rickard, Roschelle Koia) Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa 1 (Briar Hunter).