Coach Matt Marsh, back left, with his unbeaten Te Matau a Maui under-21 men's touch team.
Put this feat down as a significant addition to the history of Te Matau a Maui and Hawke's Bay touch.
"It's the fourth time we've won the under-21 men's title but this is the first time we've won it unbeaten. It has to be the most satisfying of the titles too," coach Matt Marsh said as he reflected on his team's seven wins from as many games at the recent Rotorua-hosted national Maori tournament.
Marsh is in the ideal position to judge as he has coached the team for 15 years including two of the previous three title successes in 2001 and '03.
"This is the most satisfying because six players were unavailable because the national secondary schools Condor Sevens was on in Auckland at the same time and the calibre of our opposition is at an all-time high," Marsh said.
The fact the average age of the Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga-sponsored team is 16 added to the magnitude of the feat. Only two of the squad, Ashton Robinson-Bartlett and Karnek Heremia, will be too old for the squad next year.
At the other end of the age scale, Latrell Ah Kiong and Jordan Thompson-Dunn are both 14.
Marsh's troops beat a Hamilton Boys' High School-dominated Tainui team 4-3 in their final. Among their victories in round robin play were a 6-3 win against Ngati Toa, 10-2 win against Waitakere, 9-3 against Mataatua, 3-2 against Tainui and 11-2 against Ngati Raukawa.
Marsh pointed out the win against Ngati Toa was almost as pleasing as the final win as this side contained the majority of the Wellington team which are the national under-21 champions. Hawks basketballer Mataeus Marsh, who will be focusing on studies in Palmerston North next year, Robinson-Bartlett and Lincoln McClutchie were the key players for the team.
A week later eight of the boys turned out for the Marsh-coached Hastings Boys' High School team which finished third at the national secondary schools tournament in Auckland. HBHS were beaten 4-3 by Hamilton Boys' High School in their semifinal of the 16 team event which saw Rotorua Boys' beat Hamilton Boys' in the final.
HBHS beat North Harbour's Westlake College 10-2 in their playoff for third. On their way to the semifinals HBHS beat Christchurch Boys' 6-2, lost to Hamilton Boys' 8-4, beat Sacred Heart of Auckland 6-3, Palmerston North Boys' High School 6-4, Trident High School of Whakatane 8-3 and lost to Rotorua Boys' High School 6-3.
Mataeus Marsh was the only member of the side to be selected in the tournament team. Coach Marsh said McClutchie was unlucky not to get the nod.
"We were also third last year and second in 2013. When you make the top four regularly eventually you are going to go all the way ... we're hoping that will be next year as we will only lose four players from this year's squad," coach Marsh added.
Five of the HBHS squad will have their third consecutive weekend of touch when they turn out for the Hawke's Bay Under-17 team at a Central Region tournament in Palmerston North this weekend.
-The two squads were:
Te Matau a Maui Under-21s: Ashton Robinson-Bartlett, Peter Hira, Karnek Heremia, Mataeus Marsh, Lincoln McClutchie, Buster Keefe, Pohaitere Ross, Latrell Ah Kiong, Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Dennon Robinson-Bartlett, Roger Paewai.
Hastings Boys' High School: Mataeus Marsh, Hunta Marsh, Lincoln McClutchie, Buster Keefe, Shamara Brookes, Pohaitere Ross, Jacob Stephenson, Rueben Sanders, Latrell Ah Kiong, Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Antonio Mikaele-Tu'u, Roger Paewai, Dennon Robinson-Bartlett, Ivan Hokianga-Renata, Sheldon Mataira.