MAGS, Manukura and St Hilda’s win netball tournaments

St Hilda’s Collegiate after their 44-40 win over three-time defending champions St Margaret’s College. The team went on to win their maiden South Island title, beating Marlborough Girls’ College in the final. Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/SHCScourtside/?hc_ref=SEARCH

Mount Albert Grammar School (Upper North Island), Manukura (Lower North Island) and St Hilda’s Collegiate (South Island) are this year’s Winter Tournament Week netball competiton A Grade winners and top seeds from their respective divisions for the NZSS Nationals in Lower Hutt in early October. Brief round-ups from the three tournaments this week are below.

Upper North Island tournament – Papakura
Mount Albert Grammar School won the Upper North Island tournament held at Papakura all this week.

MAGS beat Auckland rivals St Kentigern College 23-22 in the final on Friday afternoon.

MAGS turned the tables on St Kent’s who beat them last week in the Auckland final. Their win was their 10th straight triumph in this tournament.

On Friday morning, MAGS defeated Rotorua Girls’ High School 35-18 in one semi-final and St Kentigern College defeated Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 40-22.

In two crucial matches to decide the fifth and sixth spots for nationals, Baradene College beat Hillcrest High School 32-21 and Aorere College beat Long Bay College 38-37.

One Tree Hill won the B Grade Final, beating Mt Maunganui 35-30, Green Bay College won the C Grade Final, beating Opotiki College 33-24. McAuley High School won the D Grade Final, beating Otahuhu College 41-23.

The top six schools from this tournament that have qualified for the NZSS National are:

1. MAGS
2. St Kentigern College
3. Rotorua Girls’ High School
4. Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
5. Aorere College
6.Baradene College

Lower North Island tournament - Wanganui
Manukura defeated St Mary’s College 27-24 in the A Grade final to win the 2016 Lower North Island tournament.

Wellington East Girls’ College beat Palmerston North Girls’ High School 34-27 in the third v fourth match and Wellington Girls’ College edged Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt, in the all-important fifth v sixth match.

The top five finishing teams that will attend nationals are:
1. Manukura
2. St Mary’s College
3. Wellington East Girls’ College
4. Palmerston North Girls’ High School
5. Wellington Girls’ College

The Lower North Island Tournament team is:

Montel Vaiao Aki (Wanganui High School)
Grace McLean (Queen Margaret College)
Emily Autagavaia (Manukura)
Dana-Jayne Mills (St Mary’s)
Ainsleyana Puleiata St Mary’s)
Ruhia Tamati (Wanganui High School
Hinepounamu Apanui-Barr (Wellington Girls College
Diahn Strickland (Manukura
Braxton Te Rini (Manukura
Jade-Mary Poi (Napier Girls High School)
Kahurangi Sturmey (Wanganui High School)
Renee Savaiinaea (St Mary’s)
Lyric Faleafaga (St Mary’s)
Jessica Fagan-Pease (Palmerston North Girls High)
Jade Fox (Wellington Girls College)
Seasons Turahui-Uawiri (Manukura)

South Island tournament – Nelson
St Hilda’s Collegiate defeated Marlborough Girls’ College 38-37 in the South Island final.

St Hilda’s – with just two Year 13 players in their squad -  clinched victory in the dying moments, to win this tournament for the first time ever. It’s also the first time ever they have reached the top five of this tournament and made the NZSS tournament.

In reaching the final, they had knocked out three-time defending champions St Margaret’s College 44-40 in the second round of pool play and had then defeated Southland Girls’ High School 42-40 in their semi-final.

St Andrew’s College defeated Southland Girls’ High School 35-31 in the playoff for third and fourth.
Defending champions St Margaret’s College finished fifth, ahead of Christchurch school Villa Maria College.  

St Kevin's College beat Westland High 40-36 in the B Grade final and Golden bay High School beat Queen Charlotte College 39-25 in the C Grade final.

The top five finishing teams that will attend nationals are:
1. St Hilda’s Collegiate
2. Marlborough Girls' College
3. St Andrew's College
4. Southland Girls’ High School
 5 St Margaret's College

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