Francis Douglas Memorial College students win Auckland croquet tournament

Francis Douglas Memorial College Year 11 students Morghan Meldrum and Gus Buhler, both 15, won the School Sport NZ Golf Croquet Tournament in Auckland at the start of the month. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Two Taranaki teens hit the mark at a recent croquet competition.

Francis Douglas Memorial College Year 11 students Morghan Meldrum and Gus Buhler, both 15, won the School Sport NZ Golf Croquet Tournament in Auckland in August this year.

The event was part of the Secondary Schools’ winter tournament week.

For Gus, entering the tournament was a way to ‘help a mate’.

“Morghan asked me if I’d join the tournament with him a few months ago. I had played croquet a couple of years ago but not much since then, still I thought I’d play to help him out.”

He said he didn’t expect to win the tournament.

“I was pretty happy to win. Going into the tournament I was a mix of confident and nervous.”

The tournament had eight teams, with students from Francis Douglas Memorial College, Stratford High School, Kerikeri High School, Whangārei Boys’ High School, Kaitaia College and Taipa Area School.

Gus said the team won their first two games in the round-robin and then advanced through the knockout rounds to the finals.

“The finals were shown on TV and our friends said their classes had put it on for them to watch. Knowing that people were watching at home made me a little nervous.”

Morghan, who joined the Park Croquet Club in Hāwera two years ago, said he was happy to win.

“We had a couple of training sessions but not that many. So to win was pretty cool.”

Morghan was gifted a membership to the club through the Park Croquet Club youth scholarship, created to encourage young people into the sport.

“I do like croquet. It’s fun and strategic and all ages can play.”

The students, who live in Hāwera and board at the New Plymouth School during the week, will join the croquet club next year, with Gus saying he looks forward to competing next year.

“I had a lot of fun and I’d play again.”