Whanganui triumph at squash nationals

No 4 seeds go through torney undefeated!

The Whanganui D Grade squash team travelled to Blenheim to participate in the National D Grade teams nationals, joined by seven other teams from throughout the country.

Games started on Wednesday, September 23, culminating with the finals day being played on Saturday. Whanganui's team consisted of youth and experience with a 36-year age gap between the oldest and the youngest.

Seeded fourth, they started their competition on Wednesday night, playing fifth seed North Shore.

Michael O'Connor, playing at number 5, found his opponent tough, losing 3/0. Next up was 17-year-old Samson Power whose father Matt was also in the team. Sam made easy work of his opponent, dispatching him in 3.

Former Whanganui rugby fullback Shandon Scott was playing number one for Whanganui and he too made easy work of his North Shore opponent, winning 3/0.

Next up was Hector Hetherington who had only played his first competition game in June: his was a tough match but he managed to do enough again to win in 3. The tie was won with one match to go, Lee Tuiwhai playing number 4 also winning 3/0.

Games finished at 11pm and it was a quick turnaround as the team was up at 6am preparing to play at 8.30am Thursday.

This game was against number 8 seeds Pleasant Point from Timaru, who were no match for the Whanganui Boys with Matt Power joining the team as Tuiwhai was rested, Whanganui taking the tie 5/0.

An hour and a half after winning that match the team were back on court against number one seeds Greymouth: this would turn out to be a tough match with wins to Scott, Sam Power and Hetherington and losses to O'Connor and Vance Wilson, making his first appearance of the tournament.

Whanganui had made the semifinals and would be playing Mercury Bay Squash Club from the Coromandel on Friday evening. This was always going to be a tough match and in some ways a little more worthy of a final.

Tuiwhai was back in the team after being rested on Wednesday and was first to play. After winning the first two games, Tuiwhai's opponent came back to take the next two and it all came down to the 5th game. Tuiwhai had been struggling with injury but dug deep to get the team off to a great start.

O'Connor playing at number 5 encountered a much stronger opponent and the tie was locked at 1 match all. Scott, who had been unbeaten all week, came across a player who was rising through the ranks after starting the year in E Grade. He played this as a C1 player. Scott found himself down in the first and second, came back to win the third but his Mercury Bay opponent was too strong, winning in 4.

It was now left to Hetherington and Power Jnr to bring the tie home and have Whanganui make the final, and they did just that, both winning easily in 3.

The final was against Greymouth, a team we had played before in round robin and had won 3/2. The team for the final would be Scott, Power Jnr, Hetherington, Tuiwhai and Wilson.

**Power Jnr was outstanding all week showing calmness and maturity beyond his years: he got the tie off perfectly with a 3/0 win. **

Tuiwhai, who was a little sore from the day before, fought to the end in his match which Greymouth would take out. It was 1-all. Scott had beaten his opponent already this tournament and comfortably but after winning the first found himself 6/0 down in the second. He rallied longer and was able to claw his way back into the game, eventually winning 15/8.

The third was a little easy and Whanganui were back in the lead 2/1. Wilson, who was a part of the Whanganui E grade team who won nationals in 2014, could seal the title with a win. He lost the first, came close to winning the second and would eventually lose in 3.

It was down to Hetherington who was cool, calm and collected against an opponent who was the complete opposite, who would throw a fist pump even when he was 5 points down. Hetherington was too good and finished the match with a racket drop and the Tawa Cup was Whanganui's for the first time since 2012.

The Ohakune girls also made the trip south where they played five other teams in a round robin competition and were within a whisker of bringing the title back to the Ruapehu. If they could beat Hutt City in their final game the title would be theirs. They were unlucky and would have to settle for second.

The team was Laurin Griffin, Nicky Schrafft, Amoa Hawira, Emma Burnard, Kristin Thompson and Saygey Wikohika, manager Ray Double and coach Te Marie Hawira.

Dave Campbell
Whanganui Midweek 14/10/20