By TBHS | Posted: Thursday September 24, 2015
For only the 2nd time in TBHS History the Hockey 1st XI are the India Shield champions. Twenty years ago in 1995 was the last time it was won.
The team had a difficult pool to determine if they would be in either the Rankin or India shield knock out tournaments. The lost all three games in pool play (3-0 to STAC, 2-1 to New Plymouth Boys and 1-0 to Auckland Grammar). This placed them 4th in the pool and into the India Shield event.
From this point in the knock out stages the team did not concede a single goal due to a very strong defence and wide attack style of play. The results and route to the final were as follows: 1-0 win over Otago Boys, 2-0 win over Waitaki Boys (1/4 final) and 3-0 win over St. Bedes (semi-final).
In the final they faced Auckland Grammar again determined to reverse the pool play result. Jort Korz scored a great field goal and the stout defence of Nick Thatchet, Wyatt McAughtrie and Dylan Robertson saw the score at 1-0 to TBHS at ½ time.
Late in the 2nd ½ a penalty corner by Shaun Coles forced a penalty stroke. Sam Taylor calmly converted this with 5 minutes to go. The final result of 2-0 to TBHS was well deserved after a calm team effort throughout the match.
Six of the squad (Shaun Coles, Sam Sharp, Ethan Mitchell, Jack Leslie, Nick Thatcher and George Foster) have all played over 100 games in their time at TBHS. George Foster has played 141 games.
This result makes TBHS the 17th ranked team in New Zealand.
