Canoe Polo: Win gives Mitch Graham perfect 21st gift

Lewis Hall from Taradale's Adam and Co team shoots for goal during his team's 5-1 loss to Lindisfare Red during an under-15 grade fixture on Saturday. Photo/Paul Taylor.

Hawke's Bay's New Zealand under-21 men's canoe polo team captain Mitch Graham got the 21st birthday present he was after at the weekend.

Graham and fellow Kiwi reps Alex Lowen and Marty Pearson of Auckland, playing for Waka Soccer, beat an Expose Palmerston North trio of Kiwi reps, Nevan Hadley, Cam Gurney and Luke Dustin by one in a penalty shootout of the open grade final of the Havelock North club's annual 3-a-side tournament yesterday after the score was 4-all at the end of regulation time.

"It was an awesome result and an awesome weekend," Graham said.

With two of the Expose trio among the 40 guests at Graham's birthday party on Saturday night the potential was there for them to put Graham in an unplayable state before yesterday's final.

"It was an entertaining and pretty eventful night but we all stayed in pretty good shape for the next day," Graham said.

His team recorded four wins and one draw during the weekend and in his goalie role Graham made some crucial saves during the penalty shootout. For Graham it was an ideal rehearsal for this weekend's South Island championships where he will be playing for his Burnside club of Christchurch.

The Waka Socer team's prize for winning yesterday's final was free entry for next year's Havelock tournament.

"We'll be back again to try and retain our title," Graham added.

A canoe polo player since the age of 7, Graham, won two New Zealand Secondary School titles and one College Games title while playing for Havelock North High School.

These successes prompted him to make the code his No1 sport and he has represented the New Zealand under-21 side at three international events, including two Oceania Championships, which the Kiwis won. Last year he captained the side, which included fellow Bay players Matt Keong and Liam Barendsen, at the world championships in Poland where the Kiwis unluckily conceded the match-winning goal during the final 20 seconds of their semifinal against France before losing the playoff for third against Germany in extra-time.

Graham and his teammates and the Expose trio were among 20 New Zealand representatives playing in the second annual tournament which is a fundraiser for the Havelock club's youth teams who are travelling to nationals. The only other Hawke's Bay tournament which would attract as many New Zealand representatives is the annual Art Deco tournament.

In the other major final Akina Spartans of Hastings Boys' High School beat Havelock Hoons of Havelock North High School 3-2 in the 15 and under boys division. Drug de KCUFLOL of Hastings Boys' High School and Turveys Turtles of Taradale High School were first and second respectively in the 16-18s division while the Palmerston North Musketeers and the ABCs, a Hawke's Bay under-14 girls selection, were first and second respectively in the primary-intermediate grade.