YMP, GMC setting benchmark

THC’s Henry Mohi (left) and Gisborne Boys’ High School’s Ethan Hannah contest possession in Poverty Bay men’s senior hockey on the LJ Hooker Turf at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. THC won the game 12-1. Picture by Liam Clayton

Paikea and YMP A fought out the closest match in Poverty Bay club hockey at the weekend, with blowout scores in all the other games and two matches defaulted.

JNL Paikea lost 5-0 to defending women’s champions YMP A on Saturday evening but it was a good fight.

“We know that YMP and GMC Green are the benchmark teams in the women’s competition,” Paikea’s Amber Church said.

“We lost the game, but we can see the bigger picture, and we’re still happy with how we played.

“We are still working on our structures.”

Hockey commentator Tony Scragg said Paikea did well.

“YMP scored twice early on and it seemed the floodgates might open, but to Paikea’s credit they defended their hearts out.”

THC went on a scoring rampage against Gisborne Boys’ High School, winning 12-1.

Tamanay Tuhou scored four goals, Chris Fox, three, and Mason O’Dwyer, two.

“It’s become the Tuhou and Fox show for them — what a strong team!” Scragg said.

“The students faced their first real test and they have a bit of homework to do.”

YMP A went on the rampage against Lytton Old Boys Masters, too, scoring nine goals, but — to the Masters’ credit — they found their way through the YMP defence twice, themselves.

“Most of the YMP scoring was from field goals,” Scragg said.

“In the first half, they had a lot of penalty corners that the Masters were able to keep out.

“The boys were pretty happy to score a couple of goals against them,” said Scragg, who played at fullback in the Masters game.

GMC Green demolished clubmates GMC Gold 10-1 in a women’s match.

“The score could have been even higher; the Green Machine backs had a run up front in the second half,” Scragg said.

Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa had a solid 8-2 win against YMP B.

“It was a total team performance by the girls in the first three quarters, but they took the pressure off in the final period,” Ngatapa co-coach Scragg said.

“It was so pleasing to see fullback Jessie Bourke get on the scoring sheet for the first time in a decade.

“I’m sure her dad Tony will believe it now he has read it in the paper.”

Two match results were affected by players being incorrectly registered.

In the men’s competition, YMP B defaulted to LOB B for that reason.

A game in the women’s competition was affected, too.

Both Te Aowera and Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School fielded incorrectly registered players, so neither side took any points.

Scoring details — Men: THC 12 (Tamanay Tuhou 4, Chris Fox 3, Mason O’Dwyer 2, Hylam Tuhariri, Aorangi Tuhou, Hanoa Morete) GBHS 1 (Brett Hockey); YMP A 9 (Jarrod Carter 3, Jereme Taylor 2, Dylan Taylor 2, Kohere Tupara, Andrew Carter) LOB Masters 2 (Jed Skuse, Richard Searle).

Senior women: GMC Green 10 (Kelsey Teneti 3, Cory Campbell 2, Amy England 2, Jade Stafford 2, Trish Hina) GMC Gold 1 (Andrea Hills); YMP A 5 (Courtney Onekawa 3, Nancy-Rae Tarawa, Maia Rickard) JNL Paikea 0; Ben Holden Ngatapa 8 (Jamie Humphries 4, Emily Willock 2, Jessie Bourke, Harriet Roil) YMP B 2 (Cynthia Fleming, Mel Knight).