HOCKEY: Upset win pushes WGHS up ladder

Two second-half goals by Kelsey Dunn saw Whangarei Girls' High School defeat women's premier hockey leaders Maungakaramea for the first time this season.
The 2-1 win puts Girls' High level with Old Girls in second place in the competition _ 10 points behind Maungakaramea - but the delight on the students' faces after winning on Saturday showed what the result meant to them.
In a promising start, both sides had early chances but Luana Telfer's scratchy goal after 10 minutes put Maungakaramea ahead.
The goal had two consequences: It motivated Girls High to attack more and sent Maungakaramea into their shells, leaving them seemingly intent on defence only.
The students dominated the rest of the spell but the Maungakaramea defence was solid with keeper Tracey Martin making a couple of good saves.
At halftime Alana Millington moved to right half from the centre with the switch allowing Girls High more opportunities to attack along the flank.
Dunn's smacked her first goal home within five minutes of the restart, from a penalty corner earned by interplay between sisters Sam and Charlotte Harrison.
Maungakaramea responded with more attacks but they struggled to control possession for any sustained periods with Jasmin McQuinn, Dunn and Helen Slade defending in some style for Girls High with keeper Injoo Prentice cleaning up the scraps.
Dunn's second goal with 14 minutes to go was almost identical to the first and at last Maungakaramea fired up with Kerry Linklater creating more pressure on the Girls High defence.
They might have grabbed a late equaliser but the students were too fired up to drop their guards and they finished the game elated.
There was plenty of excitement in the early game between Hikurangi-Parihaka and Old Girls but the match ended in a 2-2 draw leaving both teams frustrated.
Hikurangi were perhaps unfortunate not to have won.
They did enough to put Old Girls off their game but in the end either team might have nicked it.
Old Girl's Rebecca Batten opened the scoring in the first spell.
But the lead was shortlived with Toni Mason carving through the defence with a fine run, to set up a Jesse McQuinn equaliser within a minute of the goal.
McQuinn was in good touch throughout the match and added another goal before the break.
Tarannah Vette got Old Girls back on level terms shortly after the break and then it it was all on, with both sides having chances.
Hikurangi hit the post to go closest but it would have been a disaster for them if their keeper Nicky McLeod hadn't pulled off a double save from Old Girls' Laura Douglas just before the final whistle.
In the men's competition Maungakaramea have established a break at the top of the competition after defeating Bream Bay 4-0 on Saturday.
Two Sam Webb penalty corner drag flicks put them ahead 2-0 at half time with Fidel Nicholsen and Nick Breslan adding goals in the second spell to secure the win.
Mangapai were upset 3-2 by third-placed Springfield making it two losses in a row and giving Maungakaramea a lead of seven points in the premier division.
Mangapai had more circle penetrations, more shots, and more penalty corners but Springfield in the end had more luck. Rowen Vendt put them ahead but Mangapai levelled before halftime and took the lead in the second spell.
But it wasn't enough and Springfield's Bevan Gibbs equalised and Vendt scored the winner.