Whanganui players Rebecca Baker, left, and Sophie Redmayne don the green strip and help Central make the semifinals of the Vantage U18 National Tournament in Wellington.
Both the Central men and women's teams are through to the top four at the Vantage Under-18 National Hockey Tournament in Wellington.
The women's side, featuring Whanganui players Rebecca Baker and Sophie Redmayne, easily qualified top of Pool A with an unbeaten run through pool play. The men's team, featuring
Whanganui's Patrick Madder and Connor Hoskin, had a more nervous journey into the top four.
The Central men needed a solitary point to progress through to a semifinal spot, while Southern needed an outright victory in their final match of pool play late on Tuesday afternoon.
With the score locked at 3-all late in the game Southern managed to edge ahead 4-3, but with just 13 seconds remaining in the match, Central equalised when Daniel Foss (Taranaki) found the back of the net forcing the clash to go to a penalty shootout. Southern won that 3-2, but Central already had the point it needed to go through to the semifinals.
Central gained its much-needed point from the draw at the final whistle. Under the rules an actual outcome either way is required should it need to go to goal difference to find a winner. In is case there was no need, Central's single point was enough.
