The Howick College premier netball team has risen to new heights, winning the 2023 Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS) competition after an unbeaten week of 10 games.
UNISS is known for its fierce competition, featuring up to 110 schools across four grades. The top six schools in A grade qualify for the prestigious NZ Secondary Schools Netball Nationals, a significant achievement in itself.
Last year, Howick College made it to the final, and this year they took it a step further, clinching the title in a thrilling extra-time match against local rivals Saint Kentigern College, with a score of 42-41.
On the same court in 2015, Howick College won B grade and in 2017 qualified for nationals for the first time and won it.
“From then the school has had the goal to qualify for NZSS and this has been the case,” says Howick College director of sport Adelita Sotutu.
To reach this pinnacle, the side displayed incredible determination, playing two games each day over the five days (August 28 – September 1).
In recognition of their play, Howick’s Lili Tokaduadua, Charlie Lindsay and Unuhia Crosby-Te Whare were named in the A grade tournament team. Tokaduadua also played in the Netball NZ Opens competition last week in Dunedin.
The school also had teacher Catherine Simpson and Year 13 student Kaitlyn Wade umpiring for the week. This season, both umpires have moved up the ranks with Wade being identified as an up-and-coming student umpire.
“We are super grateful for all the support from home and the people that travelled to Hamilton. We also want to thank Manukau Ford for providing us with a van and our number one sponsor Lucca Trailers,” says Sotutu.
The team has now qualified for the NZSS Competition in October, where the top 16 netball schools in New Zealand will battle it out.
While celebrating the success, the team is faced with the challenge of funding its journey to the NZSS, where accommodation, petrol and food costs are significant. The team is actively seeking sponsors to support the journey, offering sponsorship opportunities with a $250 contribution that includes having the sponsor’s name on the back of a warm-up/traveling tops.
The win capped off an outstanding month of sport for Howick College, with the school’s senior girl’s rugby team securing victory in the Auckland Rugby 10s competition after a resounding 82-10 win over James Cook High School.
Many of the girls involved were cross-code athletes, including the impressive netball star Tokaduadua.
This is the second year the girls have won the competition, with many of them now heading into the Auckland representative rugby season.
Howick College UNISS Results:
- VS Tuakau College (W 49-19)
- VS McAuley High School (W 41-17)
- VS Waikato Diocesan (W 38-13)
- VS One Tree Hill College (W 38-31)
- VS Rotorua Girls High School (W 39-26)
- VS Mount Albert Grammar School (W 35-29)
- VS Trident High School (W 32-21)
- VS Saint Kentigern College (W 29-28)
- VS Hamilton Girls High School (W 27-23)
- Final VS St Kentigern’s College (W 42-41)
