Tough competition in schools' tourneys

BOTTOMED OUT: Wanganui Collegiate girls 1st XI team. The team are in the bottom 16 play-offs in the Marie Fry Trophy in Tauranga. PHOTO/SUPPLIED 010915WCSUP02

The Wanganui Collegiate and Wanganui High School 1st XI hockey teams have experienced the highs and lows of competition over the past week.

The two sides played off for third and fourth in the Manawatu Secondary School Division 1 competition last week with WCS claiming the podium spot after defeating WHS 3-0.

However, both have struggled during secondary schools tournament week competing in the restructured Federation Cup and Marie Fry Trophy tournament in Tauranga. This is a first and second tier competition which WHS gained promotion to last year.

However, after being convincingly beaten 11-3 by Rangi Ruru earlier this week and then 9-1 by Whangarei Girls' High, WCS was relegated to the bottom tier competition for the Marie Fry Trophy.

While WHS had a 1-nil victory over Epsom Girls' Grammar, its two losses against Rangitoto (4-0) and St Hilda's Collegiate (3-1), mean it too is now in the bottom 16.

A further six teams will be dropped by the end of competition this weekend, although the second tier teams will know their fate tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in Palmerston North, the WCS boys hockey team started the week with two wins followed by a 4-2 loss against Pukekohe. They then beat Paraparaumu College 2-0 and drew with old foes Francis Douglas 1-1.

The WHS boys football lost 0-1 against Mt Aspiring and were playing off for 9-16. The WHS U15 rugby side had two games on Tuesday with a loss against Rongotai College 34-7, but came back firing with a huge win against Inglewood 63-7. Tom Healy scored four tries.

The WHS junior basketball boys played their final game on Tuesday and came out with a win against St Johns 84-56. Player of the match was Jerone Hiri-Gush with 42 points. The team finished the tournament 11th out of 16 teams.

WHS sport co-ordinator Lisa Murphy has been posting daily results on the school's Facebook sport page each evening and praised the badminton team:

"Our badminton boys had a long day today with games going all day and into the evening. The Boys' 2 team lost to Hutt Valley 5-1, Hauraki Plains 4-2 and Palmerston Nth Boys' 6-0, but the Boys' 1 team beat Bethlehem 6-0 and beat Tauranga Boys' on a number of games to 21. Match score was 3-3. They had 4 wins from 4," Murphy said online.

Results of the many other sports Wanganui schools are involved in around the country during tournament week are expected to start rolling in late this week.