Our First XI Hockey players are the new South Island Champions!

The team beat six opponents over five days to finish with a match winning goal from James Nicolson in the dying minutes. It could not have been scripted better on the tail end of a huge week of fierce and exciting competition.

Honoured by the school on Tuesday morning for what they accomplished, were:

Patrick Ward, Jacob Smith, Sammy Johnson, Ocean Allemann, Ben Sowman, Henry King, Hugh Askerud, Chris MacDonald, Adam Greenfield, Harry Mason, James Nicolson, Jack Aubin, Kjell Daufenbach, Joe French, Zac Diehl and Zeke Buschl (Captain)

Winning the South Island title involved beating two teams from the top ten at national level in 2019 (Christchurch Boys’ High School and St Andrew’s College) and also Christ’s College who are currently the top Canterbury team.

The final match against Christchurch Boys’ was an absolute cliffhanger. It was also the last major school tournament for seven of our senior players: Zeke, James, Ocean, Ben, Adam, Chris, and Kjell. The victory was all the more emotional for them; one to sit proudly alongside other defining moments in their King's careers. With the 2019 Rankin Cup exploits, this 2020 achievement will be highly cherished in the future.

To become South Island Champions was a true team effort, in one of the few sports able to go ahead under Covid Alert Level 2. It was also an intense and high pressure tournament resembling the demands faced over many weeks’ play but all condensed into a single week.

While all sixteen players were essential to achieving this success, some need special mention for going 'above and beyond', according to Mr Ross, the coach. Outstanding players were James, Zeke, Patrick, Ocean, and Harry. James was top goal scorer with fifteen. Patrick was the best player on the field in at least four of the games. Harry tackled his heart out all week and was a ‘rock’ at the back (we only conceded four goals all tournament). Ocean was fantastic and had to battle in the last game and a half after his knuckle was smashed playing against St Andrew’s (and so not able to hold his stick properly). The leadership of Zeke as Captain was paramount. He led strongly by example. His leadership combined with the experience and sagacity of Mr Ross, to steer the team’s performance superbly; it was one of a few winning combinations.

Sport is where the spirit of King's is often at its most obvious and thrilling. We love sport at King’s. We see huge value in sport. We have acute awareness of how sport can give so much to high quality education; how it can be at the heart of Personal Excellence - in being better than before. Sport is a place we can all look to if wanting a gauge on King’s character and excellence outside the classroom. Our First XI Hockey team is a stirring example of this character and excellence. Well done.

The team was honoured with a moving Haka from fellow Hockey players and the First XV Rugby squad in the special assembly.

King's Hockey continues to be on the rise; likely to be boosted even more when our new high-spec King's Turf becomes available to the boys going into 2021, as a partnership with the Dunedin City Council and Otago Hockey.

Mā te Wā

Nick McIvor

Thank you to Melissa Purnell who took some great photos over the week which you can see below.