Wairarapa College retains schools hockey title

The Oldfields-sponsored Wairarapa College first XI boys hockey team have retained the Wellington Secondary Schools Championship Cup with a convincing 5-2 win over Hutt International Boys School in the premier one final played at the National Hockey Stadium last Friday night.
But St Matthe3w's Collegiate just failed to make it a double for Wairarapa, losing the premier one girls final 1-0 to Samuel Marsden College.
It is the third year in a row that Wairarapa College have dominated the premier one boys grade, losing only once on their march to the title.
The first half of the final was a tightly-contested affair with HIBS playing a very defensive style of hockey and relying on the fast break. Wairarapa College had to be patient in their efforts to counter this and they look the lead in the 12 th minute when Thomas Annear scored with a crisply struck shot.
HIBS replied almost immediately with a goal from a drag flick after a penalty corner and a somewhat scrappy first half ended with the scores level at 1-1.
Deetermined to show they were capable of playing flowing hockey Wairarapa College upped their tempo in the second spell and were more expansive in their approach.
Two minutes into this half Tobyn Yeo slotted the ball home from close range and when Benedict van Woerkomj made it 3-1 in the 17 th minute Wairarapa College were clearly in control.
Annear then took his tally of goals to the season to 23 in the 20 th minute and not to be outdone Yeo chalked up number 20 for him with a sublime reverse shot from a very acute angle to put Wairarapa College 5-1 up. HIBS finished the scoring in the final minutes from a quickly-taken free hit but for them it was a case of too little, too late.
The strike power of the Wairarapa College squad is evidenced by them scoring 97 goals in 15 outings.Apart from Annear and Yeao others to contribute significantly to their total were Aaron Oakley (10), Ryan Pauling (10), Shane Hodgkiss (9), captain Dane Lett (8), Tonnie ten Hove (8) and Benedict van Woerkom (5).
Equally impressive was their defensive record. Debutante goalkeeper Luke Edwards proved himself to be a quick learner and he and his team of fullbacks (Isacc Berry, Daniel van Woerkom and Sean Needham) conceded only 23 goals in all.
Midfielders Trent Lett, Sam Hull, Bryden Henson and Nicholas Finlayson complete what was a very talented group of players, ably coached by Andy Wilson.
The Wairarapa College first XI girls team ended their season with a resounding 9-1 thumping of Wellington Girls College to finish third in the Wellington premier one girls competition.
Coach Lance Hare was left rueing what might have been after they were beaten in a sudden death penalty shootout in their semi-final with eventual title holders Samuel Marsden College. Cruelly that was Wairarapa College's second loss of the season and they scored a total of 72 goals while conceding just nine.
Senior students Lily and Meagan Parker, Jo Priest, Rebecca Mills and captain Tara Hall,all of whom were playing their last game of college hockey, stood out in the playoff for third and fourth with Hall scoring four of the nine goals, giving her 24 for the season.
St Matthew's Collegiate also had a battle royal with Samuel Marsden in the competition decider with the latter scoring the only goal of a gamje which could easily have gone the other way.
Meanwhile a number of special awards went to players or administrators with strong Wairarapa College connections when Wairarapa Hockey held their break-up on Sunday.
Dane Lett, who is currently playing for Central Mavericks in the national men's league, was named Sportsman of the Year, Trent Lett and Chloe Stevens were jointly named Young Achiever of the Year, Lance Hare was named Coach/Administrator of the Year, Bernard Lett was named Supporter of the Year, Meagan Parker was named Colt of the Year for girls, Rowan Yeo was named Colt of the Year for boys and Suzannah van Woerkom received the award for Contribution to Coaching.