Hikurangi-Parihaka remain on top of the Northland women's premier hockey competition with a solid win over Kamo High School on Saturday. Hikurangi started poorly and Kamo initially were the sharper side but slowly the more experienced team began to gain the upper hand.
Missing their regular keeper Kamo had dispensation to
play Renee Kippenburger who played well in her first premier game.
But after 15 minutes Jessie McQuinn scored and then was on the scoresheet again before the break. Futher goals to Jo McQueen, Carlene Smith and Meredith McInnes completed the scoring for Hikurangi while Lee Purdie replied with two for Kamo.
Whangarei Girls High School remained just one point behind Hikurangi with a 6-2 defeat of Old Girls in the other premier match.
Whangarei Girls shot out to a 3-0 lead at halftime and despite a more organised resistance by their opposition with two goals to Tarannah Vette and Tessa Fitzgibbon, the students still doubled their total in the second half.
Kelsey Dunn scored a hat-trick while Charlotte Harrison scored two and Hannah Child the other.
In the men's competition Maungakaramea and Springfield remained on course for a memorable clash this Saturday, with both teams recording big wins over the weekend. Maungakaramea handed out a 7-1 defeat of Bream Bay on Friday night under lights.
Bream Bay started well and scored from a penalty corner to take the lead after 10 minutes. John Child equalised shortly afterward but Maungakaramea had to wait until just before the break to go ahead with a goal by Vaughan Gillingham.
The second-placed team began to find more space in the second spell and quickly began to dominate. Further goals to Gillingham, Fidel Nicholson, Sam Webb and two to Nathan Lugtigheid completed the scoring.
Springfield beat Mangapai 5-2 with inside-right Brent Markwick in particularly good touch with stand-in keeper Martin Gudert also standing out.
Mark McLeod and Dion Watts scored in the first half for Springfield to lead at the break before Wiremu Reid, Rowan Vendt and Dion Watts netted in the second half. Mangapai's two goals were scored by Dean Gibson and Carlo Aprea and were good reward for the team's persistence throughout the match.
