2022 Central North Island Area Schools Kī-o-Rahi

Central North Island Area Schools Team: L-R Roera Hartley (Coach), Kerah Tauroa Wall (Te Kura o Hirangi), Dani Irihei (Te Kura o Te Koutu), Jezania Pine (Te Kura o Hirangi), Waiora Lewis (Te Kura o Manutūkē), Destiny Kenworthy (Ngata Memorial College), Ella August (TKKM o Nga Uri a Maui), Warren Albert (Tongariro School), Reina Reweti (Tongariro School), Morehu Ferris-Bretherton (Tongariro School), Ziah Senior (Te Wharekura O Te Kaokaoroa O Patetere), Kaleb Snowden (Te Wharekura O Te Kaokaoroa O Patetere), Bailey Barbarich-Cameron (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hawaiki Hou), Tama Roberts (Te Kura o Hirangi) Absent - Harmony Tawhi-Amopiu (Te Wharekura O Te Kaokaoroa O Patetere)

Once every year, students from Area schools located all around the Central North Island zone (Hicks Bay down to Taihape across to Whanganui and up to Whitianga and Onewhero) come together for 3 days to participate and compete for spots in the Central North Island team in whatever sport that may be (rugby, netball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, kiorahi). From here teams head on to compete at Area School Nationals.

This year we had 60 students sign up to play but on average we had 30 people over our 4 sessions with our 2nd session getting 50 people there (as students are able to double code). It has also been one where a lot of the players are really young mostly year 10s. I think this is the most students we’ve ever had turn up to Kī-o-Rahi which made my task of selecting 1 team very hard.

This also meant some very good players had to miss out. We were able to cut down our 60 players to 2 teams of 12 to play against Rakaumanga.

CNIAS vs RAKAUMANGA

For the first time that I’ve been at Area schools we’ve been able to organise a game for our team before nationals and what better way to do it than against the national champions. We played 6 quarters so our 2 teams played 3 quarters each.

Game 1: The first team did really well at holding Rakz Kioma out in the first quarter and were able to restrict them to 3 points. The second quarter our Kioma wasn’t able to break through Rakz defence at first as they were on point but once they got flowing they were able to score a couple of tries and led the game going into the last quarter.

This last quarter showed why Rakz are national champs and they showed up on Kioma and swept them off the field.

Final Score 17- 4 Rakz

Game 2:It was our second teams turn now to play Rakz. The first quarter went very well for the CNIAS team as they were able to pull away with a 7-1 lead going into the second quarter with some moments of magic to slice through Rakz defence and a breakdown in communication. As the sun set we were lucky to have been set up under the lights so the last 2 quarters were played under the lights which was pretty cool.

The second quarter Rakz hit back right away in the same fashion the CNIAS had did to them only moments before in the first quarter to bring the scores to 7-6 heading into the final quarter. The final quarter was a tight affair with both teams not budging on attack and defence only letting slip through 1 2pt try and 1 Tupu hit for the final score being 9-7 to CNIAS.

Big mihi to Ora and Rakaumanga for coming all the way to Te Awamutu to play us means a lot for our rangatahi that we’re involved and they get a taste of what it’s like playing against the best so too much!

Trials day: Our 2 teams that played against Rakz the night before then had a trial game against each other to make their claim for the CNIAS Kiorahi team to go away to nationals. After being together for 3 days and bringing out the best in each other, the players were able to perform at their peak which made the game an awesome one to watch. So much talent was on display this year and lots of potential. Like I said earlier some very good players had to miss out but I guess that’s just how fortunate we are to have these players in our area. Lastly big shout out to Pirimi Roberts for coming in last minute to help me run the kiorahi without you it would’ve turned to mud so chur!

Nā Roera Hartley