From Dunedin to Cromwell — and Oamaru and Invercargill and Nelson and Napier — hundreds of secondary school athletes have gathered for winter tournament week.
You might have spotted the minibuses or the youngsters in tracksuits.
The biggest show in town is the South Island secondary schools netball tournament, which has the Edgar Centre bulging at the seams with hundreds of players, coaches and supporters.
Dunedin is also hosting the South Island secondary schools ice hockey championships, which started at the Dunedin Ice Stadium yesterday and feature 10 teams across two grades.
Hockey has a well-established, multiple-tier school tournament system, and there are four events being hosted by southern venues.
The Coaches Cup (boys fourth tier) is in Cromwell, the Kate Trolove Cup (girls fourth tier) is in Dunedin, the Jenny MacDonald Cup (girls fourth tier) is in Invercargill, and the Galletly Cup (boys fourth tier) is in Oamaru.
The only southern schools playing in the top tier are John McGlashan, Otago Boys’ and Southland Boys’, all of whom are at the Rankin Cup/India Shield in Auckland.
Charlie Falconer scored twice for McGlashan in their 5-4 loss to Lindisfarne yesterday, while Otago Boys’ slipped to a 6-0 loss to Westlake Boys’, and Southland Boys’ were beaten 6-1 by Palmerston North Boys’.
Columba College started their campaign at the third-tier Jenny Hair tournament in Napier with a 4-0 win, including two Pippa Paterson goals, over Onslow College.
Millie Meder scored a hat-trick to lead St Hilda’s to an 11-0 win over Waimea College on the opening day of the third-tier Audrey Timlin tournament in Nelson, while Southland Girls’ (4-1 to Cashmere), Dunstan (2-1 to Rolleston) and Waitaki Girls’ (4-1 to Rangiora) started with losses.
Otago Boys’ opened their campaign at the premier secondary schoolboys football tournament in Palmerston North with a 2-1 loss to Wellington College.
Columba College (2-2 v Takapuna Grammar, and 1-0 v Samuel Marsden) and Queen’s (3-0 v Glendowie) are chasing glory at the premier secondary school girls football tournament in Taupo.
Several southern schools are playing at the Linwood Cup boys tournament in Invercargill, while Timaru is hosting the equivalent girls event.
Basketball is the biggest of the other sports in action this week.
The Zone 4 AA tournament starts in Nelson tomorrow, and the South Island A premiership (for smaller schools) begins in Invercargill the same day.
