A strong week in Tauranga saw OHS earn a top eight finish.

Last week, the OHS Junior 1st XI travelled to Tauranga for the Hillsdene Junior Football Tournament. Coach Finn McCracken reflected on a challenging opening day, with the team facing reigning champions Westlake and difficult windy conditions at Fergusson Park. OHS finished Monday with two points, keeping alive the opportunity to progress into the top eight.

The team responded strongly on Tuesday. A dominant 4–0 win over Gisborne was followed by an important 3–1 victory over Ōtūmoetai. After going 1–0 down, the boys worked their way back into the match and produced an excellent team performance to secure their place in the quarter-finals. For Finn, the Ōtūmoetai game was one of the highlights of the tournament and demonstrated the importance of continuing to compete and work together when a match is not going your way.

In the quarter-final, OHS faced Tauranga Boys’ College and produced a strong performance despite going down 2–0 to the eventual tournament champions. The team then faced two strong Auckland sides in Rutherford and Liston to complete the tournament. A top eight finish was a positive reflection of the football played across the week and another valuable tournament experience for the team.

Tane Jones was named the OHS Tournament MVP after consistently providing an attacking threat while also contributing strongly in defence. Captain Wiremu Barnard played every minute of the tournament and was recognised for his leadership and consistency throughout the week. The tournament was a positive conclusion to the season and provided an excellent experience for a talented group of young OHS footballers.