Rugby
It was a day of upsets in the Citizens Shield on Saturday. Competition leader Old Boys had to bow to second-placed Kurow 19-12, cellar dweller Excelsior, with only one win to its credit, handed out a 73-7 hiding to a depleted Athletic Marist and Maheno came from 10-6 down at halftime to beat Valley 30-15.
In a hard physical encounter, Kurow took the game to Old Boys right from the start.
Outstanding Kurow prop Petelo Houhila opened the scoring with a powerhouse drive through the defence.
Old Boys fullback Antony Ngongo used his pace to race 50m to score five minutes later.
Sale Pi’i used his power and pace to put Old Boys out to 12-7 lead after Inoke Naufahu added a conversion.
Kurow maintained its aggressive defence and, four minutes from halftime, lock Braden Barnes tied it up at 12-12 at halftime with an unconverted try.
The only scoring in the second spell came in the 52nd minute when Kurow fullback Sam McDonald scored a subtle blindside try which he converted to put his side ahead 19-12. Kurow hung on for the win.
Valley could not retain its 10-6 halftime lead as Maheno piled on 24 second-half points and dominated the match.
Maheno captain Hayden Tisdall scored a converted try to give his side the lead and a try from flanker Marcus Balchin took Maheno out to 20-10.
Levi Emery kicked a penalty midway through the second spell and then added a try and a conversion to give Maheno a 30-10 lead.
Excelsior scored 11 tries in its win, nine converted by Hamish Slater. It led 52-0 at halftime but took the foot off the pedal in the second half.
Netball
St Kevin’s College continued its winning streak in premier grade netball beating Valley Silver 39-26. Valley Silver started well but a strong second quarter from St Kevin’s pushed it ahead to 19-12 going into halftime.
Kara Cox came on for Silver in the third quarter, lifting the attack end and slowing the schoolgirls down. Molly Kay was in fine form at goal attack for St Kevin’s, leading the attack end well and disrupting play on defence. Laura Preston and Georgia Oakaes worked well together with both creating good turnover ball at centre and wing defence.
St Kevin’s led 7-5 at quarter time and by seven shots at halftime.
The highlight of premier netball on Saturday was the presence of the very talented Taniesha Fifita in action at goal keep for Waitaki Lightning Strike against Maheno.
Fifita’s ability was not enough, however, as Maheno took the game 26-20. It took Maheno a while to adapt to feeding its shoots to negate her height in the circle but their players got their heads around it by the second quarter. Maheno shooters Shannon Vince and Suzy Oakes really stepped up to the physical challenge of playing against Fifita. Waitaki Girls wing attack Jazz Hunter played a disciplined game in feeding goal shoot Maikale Fifita.
Athletic Maroon fought off a strong challenge from promoted Kurow. Players to stand out for Athletic were goal keep Morgan Tangney and goal defence Blayze Rooney.
Athletic extended its lead to seven goals at three-quarter time and won 29-22.
Valley Gold had a strong game against Waitaki Girls Wildfire, racing out to a 13-5 lead after the first quarter and an eight-goal lead at halftime before winning 50-24.
Hockey
In the South Canterbury League, Northern Hearts built up a 3-1 halftime lead over Tainui before taking the game 4-2. Logan Lory scored a goal in the first half for Tainui and Tom Wouters added another.
Shane Emerson produced a brace of goals as Pirata Blue beat Waitaki Boys 5-0 in senior hockey. Caleb Jopson scored five goals and Katie Allan two as Pirata Black beat Waitaki Girls Development 9-0 while St Kevin’s Girls First XI beat St Kevin’s Girls Development XI 7-1. Amber Cunningham grabbed four goals and Tess McAtamney two.
Football
In the South Canterbury League, it was a bleak day for Meadowbank whose first X1 lost 5-0 to Thistle 5-0 and its second XI lost 7-1 to Thistle Reserves.
- Terry O'Neill
