WHS would like to host Ranby again
Whanganui High School would like to host Ranby again.
The Wanganui High School 1st XV ran into a Tawa College side at the peak of their powers in the final of the Mark Ranby Invitational on Wednesday afternoon.
After beating Freyberg High School 12-5 in the semifinals, WHS was shut out in the trophy game 44-0.
"We were beaten by their size, to be honest," said coach Danny Tamehana.
"They were big boys, good carries and finishing off the front foot."
The tournament was still a success for WHS, who stepped in at the 11th hour to act as the hosts after trophy holders Kapiti College pulled out.
Deputy principal Chris Friedel put the five-team tournament together in less than a fortnight, and Tamehana said hopefully the school had put its hand up to show they would be worthy of doing it again.
"Chris was pretty keen to set a high standard with the short window of opportunity.
"It's definitely a worthwhile tournament for development."
Tamehana and a number of his WHS players will now look forward to tomorrow's HYRC Series game as Display Associates Wanganui Under-18 take on Poverty Bay U18 in the 12.30pm curtain-raiser to the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship match-up.
Wanganui drew 20-all with Wairarapa Bush last weekend in Masterton after the letting the home side back into the match.
The team is predominantly WHS and Wanganui Collegiate players, with a handful from the other local schools who contested the Wanganui Open competition.
Tournaments continued for nine other WHS teams playing at venues around the North Island and two representatives at the Pool For School nationals in Christchurch.
It has been a tough week for the boys' footballers down at St Pats Silverstream, as they lost to the locals 4-0 on Wednesday and were trailing by a large score in their first 9th-16th playoff game yesterday.
At the girls' hockey in Palmerston North, WHS had a 3-0 win over Macleans College on Wednesday to make the semifinals against New Plymouth Girls' High.
The A1 netballers competing in New Plymouth beat locals Sacred Heart 40-28 then lost to St Mary's Wellington 50-37 on Wednesday afternoon, heading into a playoff for ninth with Inglewood.
In Napier, the badminton team had Wednesday victories over Takapuna and Hastings Boys.
The Under-15 rugby team started their Hurricanes region tournament in Wellington with a 22-10 loss to Francis Douglas, ahead of two games yesterday.
By Jared Smith
Wanganui Chronicle 9/9/17