Mahurangi makes it three in a row

Mahurangi College made it three years in a row with a convincing win over Hauraki Plains College in the annual Hauraki Exchange last week.

Teams from Mahu won six out of seven matches in the two-day multisport tournament for senior students, which takes place at each school in alternate years.

The most convincing wins came from the rugby XV, who thrashed the Hauraki Plains by 61 points to 12, and the 99-64 win for the basketball team. In netball, Mahu won by 28 goals to 17, while the boys and girls football teams won 6-0 and 3-1 respectively. The Mahu girls hockey team won 5-0, while in the boys match, Hauraki Plains took their only win, beating Mahu 4-0.

The exchange also includes a dance component, with each school creating a dance that is showcased at the exchange dinner and then a joint dance for both schools is also choreographed and performed.

Sports coordinator Adele Hall said it was good to almost get a clean sweep and it had been a great exchange overall, with well over 250 students and staff taking part from both schools.

“It was the first time in a very long time that we’ve won three years in a row,” she said.

Ball thanked the Mahu sports department, parents, coaches, managers and host families for making the exchange such a success, and said everyone was already looking forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Hauraki Exchange next year.

Most valuable players – netball, Paige Brown; rugby, Tommy D’Urban-Burgees; basketball, Kaitati Robertson; hockey girls, Dakota Corringham; hockey boys, Volaki Meafou; football girls, Cleo Carmichael; football boys, James Elder; dance, Chailise Tolhopf.