Stop Press – Friday July 7
Cambridge High School finished ninth out of 15 teams beating John McGlashan twice (2-1 each time), Christ’s College 3-1 and Palmerston North Boys 2-1.
It was a very tough pool witnessed by the 0-1 loss to Auckland Grammar in Cambridge’s second game. They eventually finished fourth.
And Cambridge lost 3-0 to the eventual winners, New Plymouth Boys’ High School, in the third pool game.
Those results put Cambridge out of contention for the top eight.
Stop Press – Sunday July 2.
Cambridge High School’s U15A hockey team made history today, winning its first game at the Tanner Cup at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton. The team beat Dunedin’s John McGlashan College 2-1 conceding a goal in the second quarter but fighting their way back with goals from Maz McIndoe and Patrick Gordon.
Tanner Cup games are being played at Hamilton Boys’ High School and St Paul’s Collegiate School, where 15 teams will battle it out from today to Wednesday.
Cambridge plays Auckland Grammar at Hamilton Boys’ High School tomorrow (Monday) at 8.45am and later at 3.05pm, take on New Plymouth Boys’ High School at St Paul’s.
The tournament was named after old collegian and fellow of St Paul’s Collegiate School – Jon Tanner. Jon has been on the Board of NZ Hockey and the founder and chairman of Midland Hockey and the Hockey Foundation. He is now a life member of Hockey NZ.
Cambridge High School hockey player Alfie Stowell-Sneyd (centre) takes on players from John McGlashan College at the Tanner Cup in Hamilton watched by Benn Judge (far left).
Photos below are by Steph Bell-Jenkins.
Earlier story Saturday July 1
Theo Goodwin in action.
Cambridge High School’s hockey success story continues as its boys’ U15A players prepare to take on the cream of their age group at the prestigious Tanner Cup tournament in Hamilton from July 2-5.
“Cambridge High hasn’t historically been a hockey school and we’re playing against kids from schools where hockey has always been one of their main sports,” U15A boys’ team manager Karen Hills said.
“I think hockey is still emerging at Cambridge High and it’s emerging at a very fast and furious pace.”
The Tanner Cup is an annual invitational tournament for New Zealand’s top boys’ U15 hockey teams.
Cambridge High, which won the Waikato boys’ U15A grade last year, was first invited to take part in 2022 and is the only public co-ed school in New Zealand competing this year.
“It’s a massive privilege and really exciting for Cambridge High,” Hills said.
She said player numbers at the school had tripled since 2018, representing a 204 per cent increase over five years. Most growth was concentrated in U15 age groups.
“The growth is next level,” she said.
“We’re now the second largest hockey school in the Waikato, behind Waikato Dio, and the largest co-ed school. It’s just unreal.”
Hills attributed the player surge to Cambridge High School 1st XI coach Cam Bichan and teacher in charge of hockey Glenys Bichan, and the effort that had been put into getting primary and middle school students into the sport.
“It’s created a real buzz around hockey,” she said. “And a lot of kids have seen that Cambridge High is successful in hockey, which also helps to attract good players.”
Bichan, who also manages the school library, said Cambridge High was the only school competing in the Tanner Cup that didn’t have its own turf.
“For Cambridge hockey to develop to its full potential we need to see a hockey turf in our town that will support our players,” she said.
“We look forward to that project happening at some stage and the hockey community of Cambridge will be in force to support its construction.”
Tanner Cup games will be played at Hamilton Boys’ High School and St Paul’s Collegiate School, where 15 teams will battle it out from Sunday to Wednesday.
Squad members are: Andrew Coutts, Blake Urbahn, Quinlan McCarthy, Flynn Jenkins, Riley Jenkins, Flynn Parker, Heath Rogerson, Theo Goodwin, Patrick Gordon, Winter Froger, Oliver Lee, Benn Judge, Robert van Heerden, Alfie Stowell-Sneyd, James Rouse and Maz McIndoe.
“It’ll be a really tough competition,” Karen said.
“It’s as tough as it gets, but it’ll be amazing for the boys’ growth and development.”
Earlier this year Cambridge High’s 1st XI boys’ hockey team celebrated an historic victory after beating St Paul’s Collegiate School for the first time since 1957 to win the Bartholomew Cup.
At the time, 1st XI boys’ manager Michelle Butler said Cambridge High was building and starting to make a name for itself alongside other “traditionally talented hockey schools”.
