● College sport
Nga Wahine Toa take Hurricanes under-18 sevens title on heart and determination
AHastings Girls’ High School trio of Isabella Jenkins, Brooke Murphy and Kate Rowland won the teams title at the recent national secondary schools clay target shooting championships in Christchurch.
The trio had three days of competition during the holidays. The competition was broken down into three sections. On Day 1 the South Island Championships were contested, on Day 2 it was the National Championship and Day 3 saw regional teams compete while the individual skeet shooting championships were also staged.
The standard was high but in ideal weather conditions the HGHS team performed well.
In the South Island champs Murphy finished second in the single barrel event and third in the point score. HGHS were the second best team.
In the nationals Murphy was third in the single rise and Jenkins second in the point score before HGHS won the teams title. Murphy and Jenkins were members of a three-strong North Island team which lost to a South Island trio in the inter-island girls event.
Rowland and Murphy were in shoot-offs but missed top three finishes.
In the regionals teams event Murphy, Rowland and former HGHS student Mikayla Ashforth were third. Rowland was third in the national skeet competition.
“The girls worked really hard to make themselves shine in Christchurch, and throughout the circuit this year. With each girl coming home with a medal, it shows hard work pays off,” HGHS director of sport Bob Morgan said.
HB team claims Canes title
A young and inexperienced Hawke’s Bay Nga Wahine Toa side won the recent Hurricanes under-18 girls sevens tournament in Masterton.
“We had three 16-year-olds, three Year 9 students and three players who were learning to play rugby. We also had players pulled at the last minute to play for an injury hit Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools 15-a-side team . . . but we got there,” a delighted Nga Wahine Toa coach Thomas Te Pou said.
In their first match Nga Wahine Toa beat Manawatu College 24-10. Halfback Kahlia Awa’s superb options and captain and speedster Te Aira Te Pou’s powerful runs featured in the win.
Missed tackles and poor passing proved costly in a 14-10 loss to a big Feilding High School team. This meant Nga Wahine Toa’s final pool game against Wellington’s Queen Margaret College was a must-win.
Queen Margaret College led 10-0 at halftime but stern words from coach Te Pou at halftime sparked a fightback.
Accurate kicking from pivot Renee Karaitiana led to the first try. A blockbusting run from prop Mercy Ili set the platform for the second try and quick hands secured the 15-10 victory and a semifinal berth. A bone rattling tackle from Angela Cameron was another highlight.
Queen Margaret College defaulted their semifinal to Nga Wahine Toa which gave the Bay side a direct path to the final against Feilding High School. While shocking weather conditions and Feilding’s superior size and experience worked in their favour in pool play Nga Wahine Toa got their revenge in the final with a 15-5 victory.
Physical tackles from Aprillia Huata and brutal carries from Amelia Pasikala were inspirational. On October 27 Nga Wahine Toa will tackle the King Country 7s in Taupo. This tournament will be followed by the Bay of Plenty 7s in Tauranga on November 3 and the November 29 and 30 Condor 7s in Auckland.