Netball: For first time in 19 years a Hamilton school team has won UNISS tournament

wmn050922sp01 The Hamilton Girls High School team that won the Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS) tournament. Photo / Supplied

The Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS) tournament was held at Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre from Monday, August 29 until Friday, September 2.

One hundred and thirteen teams were entered from schools across the North Island.

The teams were ranked into four grades, A, B, C and D grade based on 2019 results. Unfortunately, due to Covid, this competition was not held in 2020 or 2021. A, B and C grades all had 32 teams entered with each grade split into eight pools of four teams. D grade had 17 teams split into two pools of six teams and one pool of five teams.

Stage one of the tournament involved pool play to determine the ranking of each pool. Stage two took the top and bottom 16 across each grade and there was cross-section play.

Stage three took the top eight and bottom eight of the previous stage and there was cross-over play. Stage four was the semifinals and stage five was the finals. For D grade stage two involved taking the top, middle and bottom six teams and stage three were finals.

At the end of the tournament, the bottom five placings were relegated from A, B and C grades and the top five placings from B, C and D grades were promoted for 2023.

From Trust Waikato Hamilton City Netball Centre three school teams from the Thursday night Kirk Roberts Consulting premier indoor netball competition were among those attending the week-long tournament. These included Hamilton Girls High School (HGHS), St Peter's School, and Waikato Diocesan School for Girls.

In pool play, HGHS had wins over the other teams in their pool including Pukekohe, Rotorua Girls, Baradene and Rangitoto. On days three and four they continued to have wins, including a close game against St Peter's school with only two goals the difference. In the semifinal, they met Avondale and they won this game 42 goals to 27.

Unbeaten throughout the tournament, in the final they played Howick and they won this game 26 goals to 16. This is an outstanding achievement for the team.

It's been 19 years since a Hamilton school team won UNISS, the last team being Hillcrest High School in 2003 which had the great Laura Langman in the team. HGHS were driven and dominant from the outset, and having not been to NZ Secondary School Championships since 2018 and only one other time before that in the school's history, this was their goal and absolute focus.

Being one of the shorter teams in the top six, HGHS played some wonderful collective netball, with their trademark relentless defence making it difficult for the opposition to move the ball freely.

In 2019 St Peter's School ended up second place in the A grade for UNISS when this competition was last held. They were placed fifth at the end of this tournament which is a great result. Waikato Diocesan for Girls was placed 15th in A grade. Both Hamilton Girls High School and St Peter's School will attend NZ Secondary School Championships from October 11-14 in Porirua.

Liza Ball from Hamilton Girls High School was named A grade Most Valuable Player for the final and the following players were named in the A grade tournament team – Sera Taei, Shaqualyah Mahakitau-Monschau, Anne Falelogi-Kirikiri, Savannah Samson-Tuinukuafe, Taiana Day (St Peter's School) and Arikinoa Shortland, Kaiya Kepa, Amarnee Shepherd and Mila Graham (Hamilton Girls High School).

Overall, a highly successful result for all teams and something the Hamilton City Netball Centre and the schools involved can be proud of. This is another great event with a large team of volunteers including coaches, managers and umpires attending. It is also a key stepping stone for players and umpires along the development pathway.