Hockey triumph highlights sports week

Marlborough secondary school sportsmen and women showed their talents across the country when the annual winter sport week took place over the past week.

Nine teams from both Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges were involved, along with three Queen Charlotte College sides.

Marlborough played host to three events, the southern cycling tour, the third tier Johnson Cup boys hockey tournament and the SI cyclocross champs.

Neve McKenzie, a former MGC student now representing St Kentigern, was a standout in the cycle tour, taking overall honours.

The Johnson Cup was won by Mount Roskill, who beat Fielding Ag in a thrilling decider on Friday, scoring the winner from a PC after the final buzzer had sounded.

The cyclocross champs also produced plenty of thrills and spills, with Marlborough colleges and Bohally Intermediate riders eligible for titles. The Bohally duo of Honor McKenzie and Poppy Stocker both claimed age group titles on Saturday.

Marlborough Boys’ College

The college’s First XI hockey team finished the Rankin Cup/India Shield tournament in Auckland, the nation’s premier secondary school hockey event, with a flourish to claim the prestigious India Shield and retain the college’s position among the top echelon of hockey-playing schools.

After 37 years, the Shield returned to Marlborough, the MBC lads winning the final over Napier Boys High 4-0.

Led superbly by captain Jock Flanagan, the boys showed grit, determination, and skill to get the job done on the biggest stage. Adding to the occasion, several of the lads brought up the incredible milestone of 100 caps for the team, a true mark of loyalty and commitment.

In the preliminary rounds they lost 4-1 to Hamilton, lost 4-1 to St Kentigern then beat Rangiora 2-1.

This relegated them to the India Shield section, where they beat Cambridge 3-1, then John McGlashan 2-1 in a quarterfinal clash. In the Shield semifinal they downed St Pauls Collegiate 1-0 before producing a dominant effort in the final.

The 2nd XI hockey team were based in Oamaru, at the Galletly Cup. They lost to Palmerston North 3-0, lost to Wellington 2-1, beat Otago 2-1, beat John McGlashan 2-0 in the semis then went down 1-0 to Otago in the battle for fifth and sixth position.

The under-15 rugby team finished a meritorious fourth in the South Island tournament in Dunedin. They lost to Timaru 14-12, beat Kings 27-20, beat Christ’s 19-12, then beat St Andrew’s 24-0 to reach the semifinals. A 22-12 loss to Nelson saw them end up in a battle for 3rd/4th, losing to Southland 25-17.

The senior A basketball team took part in the AA schools zone four tournament in Nelson, winning two of their eight games, against Burnside and Ashburton, and finishing 22nd of the 24 sides competing.

The junior A basketball team picked up a bronze medal at their SISS tournament in Nelson, the highest-placed finish for an MBC side at this event. The junior B team also performed creditably against some handy opposition.

The First XI football side attended the premier tournament in Palmerston North and, despite some narrow results, failed to win a game. They lost 1-0 to St Bede’s, 7-0 to St Kentigern, 5-1 to PNBHS, 1-0 to Christ’s, 2-0 to Sacred Heart, 1-0 to NPBHS and 6-0 to St Bede’s.

Marlborough Girls’ College

The senior A netball team travelled south to Dunedin for the South Island secondary schools’ tournament. They competed in A grade and, despite losing two key players with injuries on day one, ended up in 22nd place among the 32 teams. They played eight games, managing four wins and four losses. Results: lost to Rangi Ruru 28-23, beat Waimea 33-30, lost to Columba 41-24, lost to Avonside 29-24, beat Roncalli 36-21, beat Craighead 26-24, beat St Kevins 34-24, lost to Ashburton College 38-31.

The senior hockey team found the going tough at the top tier Federation/Marie Fry tournament in Wellington.

Results: lost 5-2 to St Paul’s, lost 8-0 to St Cuthberts, drew 2-2 with Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Raumata, lost 3-0 to Rangitoto, lost 2-1 to Marion College, lost 1-0 Villa Maria, lost 0-0 (2-1 in shootout) to John Paul College.

Queen Charlotte College

The senior netball team competed at the SISS tournament in Dunedin, finishing 24th in B grade. They lost to Timaru 38-28, lost to Mt Hutt 40-19, lost to Menzies 32-21, beat Cromwell 36-24, beat Aparima 23-20, lost to Verdon 28-27, lost to Trinity 27-26, lost to Fiordland 33-27.