Boys basketball proved to be the biggest draw card in the exchange, with the match going down to the wire.
Girls football Player of the Day Chloe Billington, left, and her team mates had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Hauraki Plains College came up trumps for the seventh consecutive year at the Hauraki Exchange, but only after sealing victory in the final fixture.
The exchange is an annual competition involving games across different sporting codes played between Mahurangi College and Hauraki on a home-and-away basis.
Mahurangi hosted on July 3 and 4 with rugby, football, netball, basketball, hockey and volleyball all featured.
Mahurangi College sports coordinator Karlie Stanbra says despite a disappointing result overall, the exchange was extremely exciting.
“There was never more than one win between the two schools. The atmosphere was brilliant, with everything coming down to the girls netball in the end,” she says.
“Unfortunately, we just missed out on the title again, which was a bit gutting as on paper prior to the games it looked like this would be our year to take it back.”
Day one of the competition kicked off with Mahurangi boys rugby continuing their dominant form this season, with a 43-17 win, while the girls basketball suffered a heavy defeat 68-17.
The boys football team continued their good form with a comfortable 4-0 win, before girls hockey drew 1-1 and boys hockey went down 6-2.
“The boys hockey was really disappointing as the team didn’t connect as well as they usually do.
“We had also hoped that girls hockey would come away with a win, but in the end they were fortunate to secure a draw.”
The drama peaked on day two after the Mahurangi mixed volleyball side was successful and the boys basketball was neck and neck right to the finish, with Hauraki winning 64-61.
“The basketball was the highlight of the exchange. Everyone was packed in to the gym holding their breath for a buzzer beater at the end.
“We haven’t competed well in that sport in recent years, so for the boys to hang in there the whole way was a huge achievement, despite the end result.”
Girls football finished in a 0-0 draw, leaving girls netball as the decider. Hauraki clinched it with a 47-27 win.
“It was unfortunate for our girls to lose, especially by so much, as the difference was just four points going into the fourth quarter.”
Mahurangi Player of the Day awards were as follows: boys rugby, Kade Banks; boys football, Robbie Ennis; girls football, Chloe Billington; boys hockey, Theo Neumann; girls hockey, Shar Illingworth; girls netball, Coco Bone; boys basketball, Tamatea Winiana; girls basketball, Sasha Curin; mixed volleyball, Eric Beenata.
