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Warkworth Hockey Club finished the season in style last month with both men’s and women’s teams winning their grand final matches at the National Hockey Centre in Rosedale.
The men’s Division 2 team defeated Hibiscus Dairy Flat 5-0, while the women’s Division 1 side beat Takapuna in a nail-biting match that went down to a penalty shoot-out.
Senior player Monique Hatfull said the win against Takapuna was all the sweeter because Warkworth hadn’t managed to beat them all season.
“We’d lost to them in the first round 3-2, drew in the second 1-1 and drew in the third 0-0,” she said. “It was another very close game and we ended up drawing 1-1, then won the shoot-out 4-2.
“It was very cool, we had a massive crowd, and the support from the spectators around the turf was absolutely unreal.”
She said while the whole team played brilliantly, goalie Lauren Harvey had done particularly well and ended up winning Player of the Day.
Club president Graham Buchs said the men’s win was just as sweet, as it coincided with getting promotion to Division 1 next year. Normally, the team would have had to play a promotion/relegation match against the bottom team in Division 1, but due to team structure reorganisation at Harbour Hockey, a promotional spot had opened up for the Division 2 champions.
He said it was the perfect end to a great year for the team, which was only formed this year.
“We had hockey trials in January and decided we had enough numbers for a second team, and it’s been a real success story, they managed to click and gel really well,” he said.
“It’s been a real whirlwind and it’s been a pleasure to be part of it. We’ve got a great committee and had great feedback from other clubs.”
Being in Division 1 will mean a change from Saturday games to Sunday, but Buchs is hoping most of this year’s squad will be able to return for the 2023 season.
He added that the club hoped to develop a second women’s team next year as well.
