Football: Rotorua ninth graders win Cup

While the coach was away, the boys played.

Rotorua's ninth grade football rep team won the annual Waibop under-9 Championship Cup in Taupo, with the support of assistant coach John Meredith.

Team coach Tony Broadhead is overseas competing in the Rarotonga Marathon, which meant he had to miss the season's final football tournament. Before he left Broadhead coached the team to win all three of their matches at the Tauranga tournament on August 21. Beating EBOP B, WBOP B, and Waikato B, the Rotorua team was placed in the top play offs for the Taupo tournament. Broadhead was not so sure the boys could win against the stronger Waikato A and Western Bay of Plenty A teams.

So team players Robbie Meredith (Eastlake), Daniel Marsden (Eastlake), Luke Whitwell (Otonga), Kyle August (Otonga), Stanley Rust (Otonga), Nick Beamish (Otonga), Nkosi Mtetwa (Otonga), Tommy Poone (Rotorua City), Javier Browne (Westbrook), and Aidan Tonge (Otonga), knew they had to use all the skills their coach had taught them over the season and play as a team.

Meredith said a lot of the team's success at the weekend was because of the support of the parents.

"It was a bit stressful being the man in charge at a major tournament and having to fill Tony's shoes, but the other parents were really helpful and the boys played hard the whole way, so I am ecstatic they won."

Competition was tough, with Rotorua's first game against Western Bay of Plenty A ending in a 2-all draw. However their next game against Waikato B was a bit easier, giving the Rotorua team a 3-1 win. Then finding out Western Bay of Plenty A and Waikato A had also tied for a draw, meant it was all on as decider for the final game against Waikato A.

Team supporter Chris Browne said both teams had good opportunities to win the cup.

"The pressure was on the young fellas in the last game, and they knew it was the difference between first and third. It was nerve-racking on the sideline."

The assistant coach said it was important for the team to get an early lead and keep their defence tight, which they did scoring the only goal after four minutes.

Both teams were hungry and Waikato A fought hard the whole way but were unable to crack Rotorua's defence.

Player of the tournament was Stanley Rust, who chased everything that moved.