Squash: NGHS make history with national title

The Napier Girls' High School squash team which won the national title at the weekend. From left are Libby Dean, Jess Dean, Ally Harding, Sara Dooney and Sam Harding. Photo/Chris Walker

Twelve months ago Hawke's Bay squash coach Mike Willis tipped the Napier Girls' High School team as serious contenders for this year's national title and they delivered.

"I'm so proud of these girls. We had no A graders but we had a good solid team," Willis said as he reflected on the NGHS side's winning of the Susan Devoy Trophy in Palmerston North at the weekend.

It was the first time in the 34-year history of the nationals that a Hawke's Bay school had won either the girls' or boys' titles.

"With two sets of sisters and another player who was a cousin to one of those sets this team operated like a family. It was the perfect swansong for two of our players who are leaving school and another two who are having a break from the sport," Willis added.

After beating Tauranga Girls' College 5-0 and Havelock North High School 4-1 in pool play, the NGHS team of Jess Dean, Sam Harding, Ally Harding, Sara Dooney and Libby Dean advanced to a semifinal against Hamilton Girls' High School.

With the opposition featuring two New Zealand Junior Elite Squad members, including Anika Jackson who at 16 is already an A1 graded player, it loomed as a difficult assignment.

Ultimately it came down to the fifth and final match, with the pressure on No. 3 seed and B1 grader Ally Harding. Last year's NZSS junior representative didn't disappoint, clinching the tie with a 3-0 victory over her B1 graded counterpart.

In the Sunday morning final against Palmerston North Girls' High School No. 4 and B2 grader Dooney and No 3 Ally Harding completed unbeaten tournaments to give NGHS a 2-0 lead. But Palmerston North, who had won the title the three previous years, fought back with a victory to No. 1 Annaleise Faint over the B1 graded Jess Dean. Faint had recently returned from the world junior individual championships in India.

Then No. 5 Rebekah Turner inflicted Libby Dean's only loss of the tournament. It was a miracle Turner was even playing as in mid-May she was flown to Middlemore Hospital in Auckland after being temporarily paralysed from the waist down during a rugby match in Dannevirke.

It was left to NGHS No. 2 Sam Harding to ensure a maiden title. Having lost a thrilling five-game match in the semifinal against a player ranked more than 30 places above her, the 2017 NZSS junior representative fought off fatigue to clinch a 3-0 win and the title.

"I didn't eat breakfast and I almost vomited during the game. Actually I almost died," Sam Harding said with a laugh.

"But it was a game I was expected to win and needed to win. So it was a relief when it finished. Our team has been together for three years, we supported each other hard all weekend. We had great support from our coach Mike and manager Ro [Rowena Kelly], and parents. It was cool to win after finishing second last year and the reaction of the girls when I came off court made almost dying worth it," she added.

Jess Dean and her cousin Dooney are leaving school at the end of the year and the Harding twins are having a spell from squash.

The prizegiving provided further celebration for the NGHS squad with captain Jess Dean rewarded for tenacious performances with selection at No. 4 in the NZSS senior five-girl squad to play in Australia later this month. She also made the squad last year.

Jena Gregory led Havelock North High School to 6th in the 21-team competition, and in doing so the 14-year-old secured A2 grade status. She was later selected as No.1 seed for the NZSS junior five-girl squad to continue her outstanding year.

Hastings Girls' High School won the plate after finishing 9th. Their No 1 and Squash Eastern's top junior Winona-Jo Joyce, also just back from the world championships, was named as No. 1 seed in the NZSS senior squad.

The boys' title was won by Auckland's Westlake Boys' High School for the fourth consecutive year.

Gisborne Boys' High School were the best of the Squash Eastern teams finishing a creditable 9th in the 34-team competition, taking out the tournament's Fair Play Award and contributing A2-graded Wilz Donnelly to the NZSS senior five-boy squad. St John's College finished 26th.