For the second year running the Manawanui Collegiate Red team are the proud winners of the ANZ Collegiate Challenge after proving too strong for Pizza Barn BBC Waipu in the final.
Manawanui Collegiate Red have been on form throughout the championship, which as a result has seen them promoted topremier reserve in the Saturday competition, with the rookie and lower graded BBC Waipu team up against it as they went down 33-20.
Both teams started well in Friday night's clash, matching each other through court with Manawanui Collegiate only leading by three goals at the end of the first quarter. Before the Manawanui Collegiate team increased this lead to six goals by half time.
BBC Waipu were forced to make changes in the mid court, with Jamie Newton going to centre, Tivaan Doak Smith to goal shoot and Anna Worthington to goal defence.
These changes proved worthy, with the respective players leading their areas on court creating turnovers and making attacking opportunities to convert these into points.
However, Manawanui Collegiate were too strong and continued with consistent, skilled play and they proved the winners on the day.
For Manawanui Collegiate Red, Kaea Robinson in defence did some brilliant work in and around the goal circle. Robinson was also strong in getting rebounds. In the mid court, Kapua Otene Harris playing up from the Manawanui Collegiate White team at wing defence was tenacious and consistently contested for the ball. In the shooting circle, Raiha Turuwhenua at goal shoot gained in confidence throughout the game and she put up some accurate shots at goal.
Following the final a presentation of trophies was made including all the players of Manawanui Collegiate Red receiving individual medals.
In the third and fourth play-off, Huanui College defaulted to Whangarei Girls' High School 2 which meant Girls' High took out the third place gong. A friendly game between Girls' High and Kamo High was played as the lead up game to the Collegiate final. Girls' High won 27-18.
