FORWARD: Ellie McWilliams on the attack for Wairarapa College against St Matthew's Collegiate.
FORWARD: Ellie McWilliams on the attack for Wairarapa College against St Matthew's Collegiate.
THE Wairarapa College first XI girls football team are about to complete a stunningly successful debut season in the Manawatu secondary schoolgirls division one competition.
With just one round of matches to be played Wairarapa College already have the title in safe keeping, their 37 points from 12 wins andone draw in 13 games placing them 11 points clear of their arch rivals, St Matthew's Collegiate. Then come St Peter's College 25, Palmerston North Girls High seconds 24, Feilding High l 17, Horowhenua College 16, Freyberg High School 12, Nga Tawa Diocesan 9 and Tararua College 0.
The idea of playing in the Manawatu league was born out of a perceived need for the talented Wairarapa College line-up to enhance their skills by experiencing the greater physicality which comes with tougher competition.
As their results show they have responded in brilliant fashion for coach Dave "Tubs" Wright, something exemplified by stats which show them having scored 63 goals while conceding only six. Their leading goal-scorers are Alison Andrews-Paul and Annie Jones, both of whom were also part of the Wairarapa United team who made a one-horse race of Capital Football's first division women's competition.
Next week will provide the Wairarapa College team with their toughest assignment yet when they contest the premier secondary schoolgirls football tournament in the country in Taupo. It is understood this will be the first time they have appeared in the very top grade but judging by results against an always powerful Palmerston North Girls first XI, who are seeded seventh in the country, they could be equal to the task. Matches with them have produced a win apiece.
Coach Wright is understandably happy with the progress made by his side. He is big on teamwork and said the fact his squad had been struck by the flu bug this season had been a good test for their depth, something which will be essential during tournament week.
Wright is taking a realistic approach to his side's prospects in Taupo, saying it would be a huge challenge which would be embraced on a game by game basis. "It would be nice to think we could make it into the top 16, that would be a really significant achievement," he said.
