WHHS 1st XI win national final

Western Heights High School will have their fingers crossed for a trifecta of wins across different codes when their Senior A team takes to the netball courts on Saturday.

On Friday the school's 1st XI won the New Zealand Secondary Schools Football Trident Tournament and on Saturday the 1st XV were victorious in the Bay of Plenty Secondary School Rugby Championship.

The 1st XI started off their tournament slowly, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes against Waitakere College. Coach Shane Davis said they saved their best to last.

The Trident Tournament involved 24 secondary schools from throughout New Zealand and was played in Papakura. Previously Western Heights have played in the Lotto Premier tournament and Davis said "for some reason" they missed out this year.

"Some [of the players] weren't too happy about it but this tournament was pretty strong anyway - there were Auckland schools who missed out too."

Western Heights headed into the quarter-finals and semifinals unbeaten, conceding only three goals which highlighted the strength of their defence led by Brad Collier-Baker, Callum Waller and Daniel Cronshaw-Hunt, along with Gavin Gilbert in midfield.

Davis said the final was a nervous occasion for his team.

"In the first 15 minutes we were under that much pressure we let a goal in," he said.

"I think that was a bit to do with the nerves on the field. They weren't used to experiencing a final."

Heights turned the tables on Waitakere and were rewarded with striker Jordan Stone finding the net with a hat-trick and game-winning performance, giving Heights a 3-1 lead at halftime.

Western Heights dominated in the second-half from the outset and held possession and territory for much of the spell. A light breeze was an advantage to Heights as Simon Te Kiri, Travis Cornwall, and Joe O'Donoghue all scored goals following solid combinations that stretched from one end of the field to the opposition goal-mouth. Te Kiri's goal came from a free kick some 40 metres out as he hit a smashing ball high and right of the goal only to curve into the top-right of the net.

Goal keeper Ruebin Parker made some exceptional saves in the second half. Travis Cornwall was awarded the Golden Boot with nine goals while Cronshaw-Hunt was named Most Valuable Player by the opposition teams.

"They were fully capable of winning it," Davis said. "We have a solid team and the majority play together at Ngongotaha so they know each other. It's a great win for Heights football."

Western Heights High School 1st XI: Ruebin Parker, Whetu Anderson, Brad Collier-Baker, Callum Waller, Daniel Cronshaw-Hunt, Simon Te Kiri, Eamon O'Donoghue, Joe O'Donoghue (captain), Andy O'Donoghue, Gavin Gilbert, Travis Cornwall, Jordan Stone, Daniel Freeman, Simon Fleming, Joshua Donn, Jacob Davis. Coach: Shane Davis; Manager: Mike Gibbons. Results: Waitakere 0 WHHS 2; Kamo 0 WHHS 2; Matamata 0 WHHS 4; WHHS 5 Aquinas 0; St Johns (Hamilton) 1 WHHS 2; quarter-final: Glenfield 1 WHHS 2; semifinal: Western Springs 1 WHHS 2; final: Waitakere 1 WHHS 6.