and some narrow loses. Throughout the season, the team played good hockey, showing improving skills, ability and teamwork. The boys also showed the ability to work to the game plans and plays that coach Nichlos Lidstone was setting. The team had 10 different goal scorers in an attack spearheaded by Lucca Wiseman and Nate Ovendale, who were top scorers. The defensive end was lead by Zach Adams, who showed very good goalie prowess and was well supported by Matthew Munro and Hugh Duston later in the season. The team as a whole connected well, playing expansive and attacking hockey and enjoyed what they did each week on the turf. College won four games, drew three and lost four, making the play-off for 3rd and 4th. Unfortunately, post-lockdown and with a short preparation, College did not quite click back into the great hockey period, going down to the Cashmere High School 1st XI. Overall, the side had some great success, and enjoyed plenty of development.
Sam did for the team and wish him well in his future endeavours. A big thank you to the parents who supported the team week in, week out, braving cold and miserable nights at times and also a big thanks to Nicholas Lidstone, who took on the coaching role and brought his knowledge, skills, energy and enthusiasm and looked to help the boys improve and develop, as well as inspiring them to try to be the best player they could be. Matt Thatcher Manager 3RD XI HOCKEY Manager: Monique Ellis-Martin Coach: Josh Nelson Team: Jake Abbiss, Freddy Backhouse, Liam Cassidy, Bruce Chen, Thomas Currie, Lawson Davey, Yusef Elnahas, Scott Gregan, Timothy Hansen, Richard Harnett, Christian Higgins, Arthur Mahon, Harry Penter, William Pryor, Guy Roadley, Digby Sheild, Charlie Stanley The 2021 season started off a bit like a roller-coaster. One week the boys would put together a really good performance, showing great defence and turning it into an attack, and the next week, it would be anything but. After the first round, College was 4th on the table. The league was split into two, with an A division and a B division. This placing meant College stayed in the top four of Division 3. In the second half of the season, the boys improved dramatically. Previously, they had shown glimpses but now they were putting it all together. The new format meant that the dominant Papanui team moved up a grade and a St Andrew’s College team moved down. Between the four teams, a round-robin was played. The first game was against a Christchurch Boys’ High School team that College had previously lost to by four goals. The boys fought hard and played well for most of the game but a few lapses in concentration allowed the opposition to get two soft goals, resulting in a 2–1 loss. In the next game against St Bede’s
College, the boys again played extremely well to win 4–1. In the final game of the round-robin, St Andrew’s College had some towering players. College let the game slip to 1–3 until the final quarter, when Will Prior put one in the back of the net to make it 2–3. College dominated the rest of the game but was unable to find an equaliser. In the play-offs, College faced St Bede’s College for a spot in the semi- final. In a dominant performance, College scored six goals, as well as creating many more opportunities, while the opposition failed to score. The next challenge was St Andrew’s College and a tussle for a place in the final. College came out on top, 3–1, to book a final spot – until Covid-19 hit. In the second half of the season, the boys scored 16 goals and had a goal difference of +9, illustrating the lift in consistency around the park. A big thank you to the boys for their hard work and banter throughout the season, as well as to Monique Ellis-Martin for all the work she did behind the scenes, getting the boys to the games and running the administration. In the final, College played Christchurch Boys’ High School, a team that had previously beaten College, 6–1. After six weeks without hockey, it was game on. College went out strongly in the first quarter and managed to put pressure on the defence. At the end of the first quarter, the scores were locked, 0–0. In the second quarter, Will Pryor took on the goalie to score, taking the lead, 1–0. In the third quarter, Boys’ High picked up its game, taking the lead, 4–1. Freddy Backhouse managed to get another goal in the final quarter, but CBHS also scored, winning 5–1. Monique Ellis-Martin and Josh Nelson Manager and coach COLTS XI HOCKEY Manager: Andrew Levenger Coach: Llewey Heale Team: Charles Beale, James Burt,
Prize-giving Most Improved
Lucca Wiseman got better and better as the season progressed, showing very good skills and goal-scoring ability along the way, and finishing as the top College goal scorer for the season. Worner Award for Spirit and Enthusiasm Zach Adams led from the back of the field as goalie, consistently doing his best for the team and always there to rally the team with encouragement and advice. Most Valuable Player (voted for by the players) Alex Stead always stayed calm and collected in the heat of competition, showing a high skill level. He was always reliable and could be trusted to get the job done. This season, we farewelled Year 13 Sam Kelly, who served Christ’s College hockey and the 2nd XI with great ability. College appreciated all
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