Collegiate's Jacobie Absolom tries to thread the ball through the needle-eye gap between Alexander Hill (right) and his Rathkeale College teammate during the traditional school sports exchange in Whanganui on Wednesday. Photo / Bevan Conley
Collegiate's Jacobie Absolom tries to thread the ball through the needle-eye gap between Alexander Hill (right) and his Rathkeale College teammate during the traditional school sports exchange in Whanganui on Wednesday. Photo / Bevan Conley
School sport
The long-running traditional sporting exchange between Whanganui Collegiate School and Wairarapa-based Rathkeale College ended predictably.
As history dictates, hosts WCS won the hockey and rugby, while the visitors dominated the football at Collegiate on Wednesday.
WCS director of sport Barry Touzel said the traditional Rathkeale exchange was their biggest exchange and was usually combined with Rathkeale's sister college St Matthews.
"However this year, with all the disruptions, they were separated and our girls hosted St Matts last week with great success winning all but one of the games played across the football, hockey and netball codes," Touzel said.
"Similar size schools usually offer a close exchange across all the sports and this year WCS took out the rugby and the hockey and Rathkeale the football."
Touzel, who coaches the WCS U15 rugby XV, said the first XV won an error-riddled fixture comfortably 22-0, while the second XV lost in the last minutes of play 24–22. His U15 team put together a good second half to run out comfortable 43-10 winners.
Collegiate's Jonty Gresham is taken down in a textbook tackle during his second XV encounter with Rathkeale College in Whanganui on Wednesday. Photo / Bevan Conley
The first X1 hockey proved a good battle resulting in a 2-all draw, while the WCS boy's colts beat their Rathkeale counterparts 2-1.
As expected, Rathkeale proved too strong on the day with a 6-0 win in the first X1 football clash, while the Rathkeale colts followed through with 3-1 win over their WCS counterparts.
The Netball Whanganui premier championship proved a night for upsets on Monday - both of last year's finalists were beaten.
Kaiwhaiki A1 were just too strong for 2019 runners-up Phillips Electrical Whanganui High School A1. Kaiwhaiki led from the outset, progressively increasing their lead throughout the game to come away with a 51-37 victory.
Meanwhile, on the other court, newcomers Whanganui High School Old Girls showed they were real championship contenders.
They came out firing from the outset, leading at every quarter break and taking out the game 53-45 from 2019 champions Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau A1.
More exciting match ups are carded on Monday with Kaiwhaiki A1 taking on Nga Tawa, Kaierau A1 facing off against Kaierau A2 and High School Old Girls coming up against High School A1.
Senior hockey
In senior hockey, the Wanganui men posted their first win of the Manawatu Premier A grade competition with a scrappy 3-2 victory over Massey Premier Reserves last weekend.
Player/coach Craig Ritani said it was great to get that first scalp on the way to scoring a top six spot.
"It was a scrappy game where we played down to their level, but it was great to get the win," Ritani said.
"We have two more games while we are divided into these small four-team divisions. We play Levin/Horowhenua again this weekend and win would secure us a place in the top six competition. If we lose then we still have Palmerston North Boys' High the following week and on paper we should beat them."
Meanwhile, the Massey Premier Women - including Whanganui players - defeated Marist Hawke's Bay 6-1 last weekend and they tackle College Development on Saturday.
GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic continued their winning streak with a 2-1 win over third-placed Palmerston North Marist last Friday night.
Athletic still lead the Lotto Federation League with 21 points after winning seven of the eight games played so far, two points clear of New Plymouth Rangers on 19.
Athletic play their first home game at Wembley Park on Saturday against sixth-placed Massey University at 2.45pm.
Versatile Wanganui City lead the YORB Horizons Premiership competition after a decisive 6-0 drubbing of Breakers RSM Reserves last weekend. City lead the premiership with 25 points, five clear of PNBHS first XI, although most other sides have a game in hand.
GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic Reserves sit third in the Horizons Premiership after beating Takaro firsts 3-1 last weekend. Athletic play Breakers RSM Reserves away fixture this weekend.
