WHS hockey teams win thrillers in stereo
Both the Whanganui High School girls and boys 1st XIs won Manawatu Division 1 titles with successful penalty corners during golden goal overtime in their finals this week.
It took until the first period of overtime for both the Whanganui High School boys and girls 1st XI's to end their pain and finally claim Manawatu Secondary School Division 1 titles at the Twin Turfs this week.
Both WHS teams had been beaten in the finals last year, with the boys also missing out in 2015, while the girls had not had another sniff of the championship in the past five years.
And both sides had to keep their heads up as their opposition managed to score equalising goals inside the last four minutes of regulation time to send the games into sudden death - winning the day with penalty corner conversions.
The boys final was on Wednesday night, as WHS went in as slight favourites, having beaten Feilding High School during the round robin.
They led 1-0 at halftime, and then with the clock running down, Feilding pulled their goal keeper for an extra man and got the equaliser.
Despite that deflating moment and bitter memory of the past two years, WHS manager Steve Rainey said the team did not lose heart.
"The boys hung in there and gave it everything. They ran themselves into the ground."
The match went to overtime with a 9 vs 9 format of no goalies, and WHS nailed the championship-winner inside the first five minutes.
There was a repeat in the 1st XI girls final on Thursday night, except WHS went into the match as underdogs after losing to top qualifier Horowhenua College twice during the round robin.
WHS pulled a goal back to lock up the scores 1-1 at halftime, and then took the lead very early in the second stanza, holding it until four minutes remained when a desperate Horowhenua tied the match 2-2.
Just like 24 hours before, the WHS girls held their nerve with 9 vs 9 overtime, and when they got a penalty corner they made no mistake to set off scenes of pure joy.
Manager Elaine Baker said it was a wonderful way to send off the squad's three Year 13 players with a long-coveted Division 1 title.
By Jared Smith
Wanganui Chronicle 26/8/17
