NZSS Five Medal Haul for HBHS Wrestlers
HBHS was represented by 13 wrestlers at the 2011 NZSS Wrestling Championships, held in Hamilton on 9 April. As you would expect at a National championship, the competition was a notch above what the boys had previously encountered at the Auckland Secondary Schools and North Island Secondary Schools tournaments. That said, all of our wrestlers showed improvement. They had clearly learnt a great deal and gained valuable experience in those lead-up tournaments.
Team Captain, Matiu Pouri-Lane (Junior 58 kg) won gold. He beat two times National Champ, Kawana Tokona (East Otago High school) in his first match, and again in the final. Dylan Marshall earned a well-deserved silver medal in the Junior 54 kg weight class. Jordan Marshall finished with a bronze medal also in the Junior 54 kg. Teo Pouri-Lane (Junior 48 kg) and Hone Karaka (Junior 69 kg) also won bronze medals, giving the HBHS team a credible five medal haul.
Retimana Karaka (4th in Senior 85 kg) was awarded the Currie Cup for Senior Boys Fair Play. Selectors noted great sportsmanship from him and in particular that he always helped his opponents to their feet after the whistle, regardless of how the match was going. Matiu Pouri-Lane was named in the NZSS Wrestling Team to compete in Australia in July. Overall, HBHS finished second in the team standings – an excellent result for what is largely a novice team.
Only one injury was sustained at the tournament – Teo Pouri-Lane dislocating his elbow giving a passionate performance of the school haka during the prizegiving.
I was assisted in the week’s leading up to the Nationals by Wrestling NZ Director of Technical and NZ’s highest qualified referee, Malcolm McBeth, and former NZ representative, David McBeth. David served as corner coach on the junior mat for this tournament. At the end of the tournament, Malcolm told the team that in all his years of involvement, he’d never seen a novice team take so well to wrestling in such a short time.
All of our medals were won by juniors, an indication of how tough it is for novices to compete in the senior division where their opponents often have many years of experience. This year’s HBHS wrestling squad comprised of 13 wrestlers who will still be available in 2012, eight of whom are juniors. I am extremely excited by this potential for future development. The challenge now is to keep the momentum going.
On behalf of the team and coaching staff, I thank HBHS management, staff, senior students and whanau who came to support us on the day. I know the boys were lifted by their presence. In particular we would also like to thank Murray McKenzie for his support and assistance in putting together a wrestling programme, and we look forward to developing wrestling at HBHS even further.
Pete Pouri-Lane
Coach
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