Gisborne Girls' High were too strong for GMC Kowhai in their clash on Saturday, winning 7-2. Kowhai's Charlie Brown (left) looks set to challenge Girls High's Keeley Smiler for the ball. Photo / Paul Rickard
HOCKEY
Gisborne Boys’ High School went close to pulling off the upset of the season in men’s Premier-grade hockey in their clash with YMP A on Saturday.
The final game of the weekend lived up to all expectations as a great contest.
Gisborne Boys’ High (GBHS) started the scoring early and had YMP on the back foot.
But the leading attacking team in the men’s competition equalised in the 39th minute.
A second goal in the second half could have easily dented their confidence, but the schoolboys used that as motivation and locked the scores up with 10 minutes to go.
GBHS dominated the final stages and were close to grabbing the winner, but the YMP defensive backs kept them at bay and the game finished with the crowd cheering for both teams at the 2-2 result.
Waituhi and LPSC Traktion left everything they could on the turf on Friday night and a first-half goal to Waituhi’s Tegan Brown gave the men in green a narrow 1-0 lead at the break.
Traktion’s Aiden Scragg locked the scores up in the third quarter and then a Gareth Yaxley special broke the deadlock.
Traktion defended strongly to end the game with a 2-1 win, which might be the turnaround they have been searching for.
YMP B and LPSC Resene Masters put on a display that kept the supporters on the edge of their seats, which is a good sign for when they clash next time this season.
The Masters led the way with goals to Matt Skuse and Aaron Eastwood and looked like they might have been grabbing maximum points.
But second-half possession evened up and YMP B captain Andrew Carter and Jeremy Taylor locked the scores at 2-2 – and that’s how it stayed at fulltime.
The YMP A Women’s side kept their unbeaten run intact with solid attacking raids and a 7-0 win over PPG Wrightsons Ngātapa.
YMP’s Maia led the way with four goals and teammate, captain Courtney Onekawa bagged a double and Lucy McHugh rounded it out with a single goal.
Gisborne Girls’ High First XI sealed fifth place on the women’s table with an impressive 7-2 win over GMC Kowhai.
Mya Carrington led the way with two goals for Girls’ High, while the other five goals were shared among five individual efforts.
Kowhai’s Jo Sim and Amie Waiwai made sure no whitewash was on the cards.
The result will give Gisborne Girls’ a massive confidence boost before the second round.
LPSC Paikea were presented a new player strip from sponsors Emerre and Hataway and past Paikea players before their clash with GMC Green, but any celebrations were left off the turf as the Green Machine kept themselves outright second with a solid 7-1 victory.
Their win was led by Shannon Williams with a hat-trick of goals.
Paikea’s lone goal to captain Jo Cumming lifted the spirits of the ladies in pink.
Armed police stood guard as the patched members were led out in handcuffs.