Tuesday 1 April 2025
The King’s Premier Water Polo team has made history, securing our first-ever Premier tournament gold medal with a thrilling 8-6 victory over Hamilton Boys' High School in the North Island Championship final.
Thursday
Game 1: The road to gold was anything but easy. The team opened the tournament with a 13-6 loss to Rangitoto College in a frustrating match where missed opportunities and a standout performance from the opposition goalkeeper proved costly. Despite a promising start, we found ourselves down 6-4 at halftime and as frustration grew, struggled to regain control. The loss was a wake-up call - an early reality check that would set the stage for a remarkable turnaround.
Game 2: Determined to respond, the team took on Sacred Heart College (SHC) A2 in the second game of the day. This match was a one-sided affair, with King’s dominating from start to finish in a 17-6 victory. SHC A2 provided little resistance, and King’s took full advantage, capitalising on numerous mistakes to secure a top-eight qualification spot.
Friday
Game 3: The crossover stage on Friday saw King’s rise to the challenge, starting with an 11-8 victory over Westlake Boys’ High School. A strong 9-4 lead heading into the fourth quarter allowed the bench to close out the game, with Westlake only managing to narrow the margin in the final minutes.
Game 4: The second match of the day against Tauranga Boys’ College was arguably one of the team's best performances of the season. Tauranga were one of the tournament favourites, known for their aggressive and physical defensive style. We, however, played with composure and precision, dismantling our opponent in a 12-5 victory. The match saw multiple power-play opportunities, all executed flawlessly, proving that we were not just in the tournament but in serious contention for the title.
Saturday
Game 5: With a semi-final spot already secured, the final pool match against Saint Kentigern College (SKC) was seen as an opportunity to manage energy levels for the upcoming knockout stage. Despite racing out to an early 4-0 lead, the team rotated heavily, allowing key players like Harry Irwin (Year 13, Parnell), Max Norwell (Year 12, Greenbank), Zach Gleeson (Year 11, Averill) and Charlie Middleton (Year 12, Averill) to get some much-needed rest. SKC clawed back to 4-4, prompting the starters to return and grind out a 6-5 victory - just enough to stay sharp without expending too much energy ahead of the crucial semi-final.
Semi-final: The semi-final clash against Rangitoto College was a rematch of the opening-day defeat, and King’s was determined to make amends. The game started in Rangitoto’s favour, as they took an early two-goal lead. However, we responded with three quarters of dominant play, storming ahead to a 10-5 advantage heading into the final quarter.
But just as it seemed like we had the game under control, chaos unfolded. Rangitoto staged a dramatic five-goal comeback, tying the game 10-10 with just two minutes remaining. With the game on the line, George Crawford (Year 13, Peart) stepped up - in what would be his first live-action goal of the season - delivering a superb lob shot to retake the lead. Two strong defensive stands, capped by a crucial steal from Harry Irwin, secured an 11-10 victory and King’s place in their first-ever Premier final.
Sunday
Final: Facing Hamilton Boys’ High School (HBHS) in the North Island Championship final, the team knew they were up against a disciplined and physical opponent. HBHS started strong, scoring off low-percentage perimeter shots, taking a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. Zach Gleeson equalised, but HBHS quickly responded, maintaining a narrow lead. A missed penalty from Harry Irwin left us struggling to break through, and by halftime, they were down 5-3.
At half-time, the team regrouped and refocused, shifting their strategy to target the HBHS goalkeeper’s weaknesses. The adjustment worked, as Harry Irwin struck first, followed by a clinical back cross-cage finish from Jonty Le Roux (Year 11, School), levelling the game at 5-5.
Momentum shifted entirely in our favour when Charlie Middleton scored twice, putting us ahead 7-5. A late HBHS goal narrowed the lead to 7-6 heading into the final quarter.
The final period was a battle of endurance and composure. Both teams fought hard, with neither managing to break through until Harry Irwin intercepted a crucial pass with just under three minutes remaining, sprinting forward to score on the counterattack, securing an 8-6 lead. From there, the King’s defence held firm, with goalkeeper Emre Soydinc (Year 13, Averill) delivering an essential save in the dying seconds to seal the historic victory.
As the final whistle blew, history was made - for the first time ever, we were crowned North Island Champions in Premier Water Polo.
This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the tireless support of coaches, staff, parents and supporters.
Thank you also to Mr Baker, Mrs Lethbridge (and Teddy), Mr Simunic, Mr Rattray, Mr Rifle, Mr Robinson, Mr Putt, and Mr Wichman for their presence and encouragement during the final.
Congratulations to our North Island Water Polo Champions!