The Tauranga Boys' College 1st XI hockey team finished a creditable ninth in the Rankin Cup despite losing just one of their six matches.
The side could not overcome a disappointing 6-2 loss against Westlake Boys' High School in the second game of pool play - with Wellington College and Westlake progressing to the top eight despite winning the same number of games as Tauranga Boys'.
It was a wild pool phase for the Tauranga side, who needed a hat-trick from Joseph Lyons on the opening day to overcome Christ's College after being level at 4-4 at halftime.
A 4-3 win against Wellington College was not enough to get out of the group, setting the side on a path of defending their place in the premier secondary school competition. They did so with a 6-0 win over Scots College, a tight 5-3 win against St Kentigern College and a 7-0 thrashing of Christ's College for ninth place overall.
Joseph Lyons was a standout with 10 goals from six matches including four- and three-goal hauls, while Hamish McGeorge added a further six goals for the unlucky side.
