Four games in action with Nelson College Boarders

It was a busy start to Term 4 with four our of team in action in the Matt Gunter Memorial Sports Exchange against Nelson College Boarders on Friday 21st October.

We played host to the 1st XI Football, Senior Basketball, U15 Rugby and 1st XV Rugby which is the 10th Year of this exchange between the two schools to celebrate a life that was taken far too soon - Matt Gunter was a West Coast lad who went through schooling on the Coast and attended Nelson College for secondary school, however his life was sadly cut short due to a medical incident during routine surgery. As the Gunter Family say we don't want to be here playing these games in Matt's name, but we will with honor and pride for Matt and his family.

We had some great photographers on hand to capture the action at the rugby, thank you!

Russie Photos - U15 Rugby - 1st XV Rugby

Bill Phillips - 1st XV Rugby

Football

An exciting game of football for both sides, and it was great for our young school team to have the opportunity to play together again as they are building towards great things for 2023. A couple of great goals saw GHS get on the board well with Ray Wate locking in the first goal and Callum Brown getting the second. NCB capitalised with some more experienced players taking the win in the second half by two goals. Thank you to Coach Tangney and Referee Terry Parle for helping have this game come together.

Final score Greymouth HS 2 - 4 Nelson College Boarders

Basketball

Nelson College Boarders only have six players on the scoresheet after a busy tour in which Greymouth is the last stop on the way home. The NCB team has some fantastic sharp shooters putting our team on the back foot very quickly with a huge 29 point opening quarter for NCB. Our boys kept on fighting putting together some great phases of play which was great to see. NCB was just too strong and wasn't missing from anywhere on the court!

Thank you to referees Mr Robinson and Miko Ginivan-Barrow for officiating, fantastic to have these people without our school to support these sporting events.

First quarter 17 - 29; Second Quarter 14 - 21; Third Quarter 16 - 25; Final Quarter 6 - 23

Final Score Greymouth HS 53 - 98 Nelson College Boarders

U15 Rugby

We had a couple of John Paul II players on the roster for the U15 Boys to help boost numbers and boy were they great fill ins to have! Thank you John Paul II for having these players pull on the GHS jersey for this game.

First Half: GHS opening the scoring for the game with Antonio Verhoeven (JPII) breaking through a few tackles and dove over the line. NCB hit back with some slick running and broke through the defense palming off some tackles to go in under the posts and they added the extras with an easy conversion. GHS were in a great attacking place within the NCB 22, a well worked line out set the tone for this try, the team moved the ball through the hands well and with patience, Cooper Wilson was on the wing and went in untouched after a great move from the team. GHS went in again quickly this time through Payton Guthrie (JPII) after the restart from NCB, he turned on the speed and went in under the posts making for an easy conversion for Isaac Harrington. Verhoeven was once again causing problems for NCB slicing through the defensive line and touched down for his second try of the game, Guthrie converted with a great kick. The final say of the half was from NCB, they were in a good position on the field from a penalty and quickly put GHS under pressure to bring the score to 24 - 12 to Greymouth HS at the break.

Second Half: Verhoeven is proving his worth and being a very hard players to get on the deck for NCB, he got in for a hat trick and added the extras himself. NCB continue to fight throughout the game and had their own speedy player break away to score as excellent individual try under the post. Harrington got his name on the scoresheet with a try of his own after some more good patient play from our side. Verhoeven got in for not one but two more tries in the game taking his individual total to five tries! What a talented athlete who is leading by example of how to get over that line, Guthrie converted one and Verhoeven got the other. The final points of the game came for Guthrie getting a double in the game showing some very impressive speed and wasn't touched to score under the posts making for another easy conversion for himself.

Final Score: Greymouth HS 55 - 24 Nelson College Boarders

Thank you to Coach McGirr and Coach Belcher for doing great things with our U15 team for 2022.

Thank you to the young referee of Daniel Williams for taking control of this game, great to see young officials coming through the ranks having opportunities to officiate games like this.

1st XV Rugby

Both schools knew the importance of this big game for everyone involved and it was very touching to have both schools perform hakas setting the tone for the event in front of a full crow with the whole school coming over to watch the game - this created excellent pride among the players and students supporting each other.

First Half: Nelson College opened the scoring with very powerful running bumping off some of our players to get in under the posts, making an easy conversion. NCB showed some great skill holding onto the ball for a sustained amount of time, building up phases that saw NCB capitalise and go in at the corner for their second try of the game. Some of the big hard running players from NCB are proving tough to contain for our team who are tackling with a lot of heart and NCB notch up their third try of the half. The huge #8 for NCB is a player to watch for the future with light feet for a big man, peered with excellent strength busting through tackles to go under the posts. GHS got on the board in the first half after having some good time with the ball to build up phases, we were under penalty advantage and Declyn King muscled over the line for our first points, Griffin Thomas on the tee added the extras. In the last play of the half NCB made the most of their speed from their #10, putting doubt in our last defenders minds, running inside and out to get in for another try. Half time: GHS 7 - 29 NCB

Second Half: NCB opened up the scoring in the second half continuing to build on their solid first half effort. GHS put some great pressure on NCB from the restart and we forced a mistake putting us in a great attacking position within 10m of the try line. A great line out gave a good base for the backline to move the ball through the hands and Marty Rochford slide over the line for our first points of the second half. Our team are working extremely well in the second half with again building up phases of play putting NCB under the pump and Aston Wilson (JPII) cut through the defense getting in for his first of the game, Rochford added the extras from the tee. GHS were in again for the third try in a row eating away at NCB lead, this time Harrison Whittaker made the most of a good team try keeping the ball moving, Thomas back on the tee slotted another conversion. NCB were not out of the challenge continuing to work hard after a high scoring first half and they got in for their second try of the half. NCB were quick to get on the board again for their try of the half making for some very exciting rugby. GHS had the final say of the game with Wilson once again turning on the speed slicing through the defensive line for a fantastic individual try.

Final score: Greymouth HS 29 - 46 Nelson College Boarders

Thank you to Coach McTaggart for his coaching efforts throughout the year, great to have you on board seeing this team going strength to strength.

Also thank you to our referee of Colin van der Geest and assistances for officiating this game.