Water Polo: Aquinas dream run ends in tense fight

Aquinas water polo team, tournament coach Joe Bensley (back left), Charlie Wood, Daniel Dennehy, Cayne Dew, George Williams, Hamish Low, Patrick Low. Manager Rachel Dew (front left), Josef Schuler, Sam Wylie, Jim Burtenshaw, Tom Wilson, assistant coach Kellie Low. Photo / Supplied

The dream run has ended for Aquinas College after they went down to Auckland Grammar School 7-4 in the final of the New Zealand Premier Schoolboys' Championships on Tuesday in Wellington.

Aquinas assistant coach Kellie Low said it was a mighty effort from the boys over four days. "This is the first time Aquinas has attended the premier schoolboys' competition, having opted for the division-two championships over the past two years," she said.

"Sam Wylie and George Williams played exceptionally well, with Cayne Dew taking out the MVP trophy for the entire tournament. An amazing team who have gained a lot of respect over the week and an invitation from NZ Water Polo to attend the Trans-Tasman series in December in Sydney."

After two wins against Wellington Regional and Kings College, and a loss to Auckland Grammar, Aquinas reached the quarter-finals against Rangitoto College, who they had lost to at last month's North Island champs.

"This proved to be Aquinas College team's best performance, winning 8-5 in emphatic style," said Low. "The semifinal against St Pat's Town, Wellington, was a nail biter. We were down by two goals with three minutes to play. The boys then scored three unanswered goals to take the lead but let one in moments before the hooter, which meant they would go to a penalty shootout. We won this 5-4 when goalkeeper Patrick Low deflected their final shot."

Aquinas started the final well against Auckland Grammar, racing out to a two-goal lead after just one and a half minutes with goals to Cayne Dew from outside and Daniel Dennehy. Metin Kayicki clawed one back for Grammar. With seconds left in the quarter, Aquinas' goalkeeper Low was excluded, allowing Grammar to shoot on goal without a keeper if they won the second quarter swim-off. They won the race and scored to level 2-2.

The two sides went toe-to-toe in the second quarter, with two goals from Auckland Grammar countered by Dennehy's second for Aquinas making the score 4-3 to Grammar at halftime.

Grammar scored two more goals to race out to a three-goal lead with just five minutes left to play. Dew snuck one past Auckland Grammar's goalie, Chris Downie, on a man-up play to bring Aquinas to within two. Auckland Grammar's Sam Cameron slammed one in to push the scoreline out to the final margin of 7-4.