Katikati College were proud to send five 1st teams all over the North Island for NZ Secondary Schools Winter Tournament week from 28 August to 2 September. Senior Prem Netball played at UNISS in Pakuranga, 1st XI Boys Football played at the Trident Tournament in Whanganui, 1st XI Girls Football at the Grant Jarvis Cup in Palmerston North, 1st XI Boys Hockey and 1st XI Girls Hockey were both in Carterton at the Woolaston Trophy and the Kate Trolove Cup respectively. It was a simply awesome week for all teams, a wonderful chance to represent the College, play their best sport and make life-long connections within their teams. 

Netball had an extremely tough time in Division 2 at UNISS with a young team but played amazing netball all week, really gutsy stuff improving all the time and finishing 32nd in Division 2 (119 teams). 

Boys Football played some incredible football, really showcasing their talents at the tough Trident competition. With 2 wins and 2 losses in pool play they ended up playing off for 9-16th. A hard loss in penalty shoot out to Mt Maunganui and a narrow defeat against Horowhenua left them facing Aquinas College for 15/16 which they were stoked to win 1-0. 

The 1st XI Boys Hockey had a terrific week, finishing second in their pool on goal difference. This meant a hard road to the final facing top flight Fielding College in the semi, who beat them 0-5, but the boys were stoked to be in the Bronze medal match against Tawa College. This was a huge game and though they went down 1-3 played out of the skins every minute of the game. Lucas Moka getting the final say with the last goal.

The final two teams both came home with medals. The 1st XI Girls Football team playing on heavy Palmy fields put in a massive effort to win 5 from 5 in the first 3 days (3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 1-0, 2-0). It was a tight pool with action at both ends. The quarter-final was against Samuel Marsden Collegiate and the team never looked in doubt, winning 4-1. The semi was against Woodford and was a brutal slog with neither team able to convert. With time up at 0-0 it was penalty shoot outs to decide the finalists and they just missed losing 4-5.

The Bronze medal match was an epic nail biter with Onslow College. With a massive 420 minutes of football in the legs the girls fought hard all game but once again had to face PSO's to find the winner. With Kara McCormick stepping up for her second stint in goal, the penalty takers Bella Bryant, Charlotte Tanner, Jessie Christie and Meg Harray converted their goals and Kara saved 3 from 5 for the win 4-2 and the Bronze Medal. Fantastic football on display from senior players Bryant, Christie and Harray as well as Isla Willacy, Leah Harrison & Mackenzie Walter made it a very successful week. Great work up front from the youthful Tanner and Sam Free as well as strong work from Danni McCormick, Mia Giacon and Bayley Salmon in defence.

Finally the 1s XI Girls Hockey team were playing in the Kate Trolove Cup in Wairarapa. The team started well with two strong wins in pool play before facing second seed Samuel Marsden Collegiate. This was a very tight and at times fraught match with umpires getting involved and cards being shown. KKC prevailed 2-1 with Aylish Dunlop & Destinee Benge getting the goals. This put them straight through to semi-finals and facing the very strong Tawa College. Meghann Fraser scored early to put KKC ahead, but Tawa fought back and by half time were 1-2 up. KKC dug deep desperately looking for the equalizer, and it was their Captain, Dunlop who came through to get the crucial goal to push the game to PSO's. This meant Eva Freeman stepping up as goalkeeper. The first round of 5 was a clean sheet for both goalies so it went to sudden death. Katikati scored through Whai Pine, Aylish Dunlop and Destinee Benge before Freeman decided she'd had enough and cleverly played the final Tawa strikers ball right onto her foot for the win. It was utter scenes as KKC realised they were through to the final. 

The final was against old foe Samuel Marsden who had beaten the very good Whanganui Collegiate Girls and were fizzing to take KKC on again. KKC were relaxed and happy going in to the final and the game was played in excellent spirits though no less competitive. Fraser sunk two beautiful tomma's in the second quarter to put KKC in the lead at half time, but SM fought back to 2-1 with a stroke, before Dunlop delivered another amazing goal to take the team out to 3-1. SM managed a final goal but ran out of time to win giving Katikati College a historic victory in the Kate Trolove tournament. 

Meghann Fraser was top goal scorer for the tournament on 10 goals, with Aylish Dunlop second and Destinee Benge fifth equal. Aylish was also voted Player of the Tournament by the opposition. KKC would like to say well done and thanks for your service to all our Year 13s who attended tournament. We hope you take away wonderful memories of your time away with your team.

See photos below:

Girls Hockey photo atached - winners

Coach Juliet Dunlop-Fraser, Whai Pine, Meghann Fraser, Grace Farrell, Makaylah Hull, Addison Rogers, Tayla Frith, Matija Ford, Mikaela Salmon, Sue Groenewald ManagerAshar Pine, Gemma Groenewald, Destinee Benge, Daisy Bryant, Eva Freeman, Aylish Dunlop, Marie Dobbs, Anthea Bowden

Girls football photo attached - bronze

Isla Willacy, Jessie Christie, Kara McCormick, Mackenzie Walter, Sam Free, Charlotte Tanner, Meg Harray, Bella Bryant, Mia Giacon, Leah Harrison, Bailey Salmon, Danni McCormick, Coby Taylor, Kyla Allen-Boyd, Mackenzie Tyrrell