Monday 24 August 2026
On Wednesday 19 August our Boys’ Hockey XI took out the Auckland Premier Championship after a penalty shootout win against Westlake Boys’ High School. With the scores locked at 2-2 after the final whistle the team won the shootout 3-0 with goalkeeper Ben Woodhams (Year 13, Selwyn) producing some outstanding saves.
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Perfect conditions at Lloyd Elsmore Park and a good crowd in attendance fitting for a match of this stature. Eager to bounce back from the loss to Sacred Heart the previous week the mental attitude of the team was a lot more focused on finals hockey. However, with injury and illness the depth of the squad was once again going to be tested.
Westlake had a good amount of possession in the first quarter and opened the scoring in the 13th minute after much pressure on the King’s circle. King’s did have chances but either put missed the target or failed to get a touch on the final pass. Early in the third quarter King’s drew level with a superb individual goal from Charlie Middleton (Year 13, Averill) who received the ball just inside the Westlake half and beat three defenders before a clinical reverse stick shot from the top of the circle. Not to be deterred, Westlake regained the lead late in the third quarter and again were more dominant in the possession stats.
The fourth quarter was frenetic as King’s put pressure on the Westlake circle, desperate for an equaliser which eventually came in the 6th minute when Oliver Stewart (Year 12, Marsden) pounced on a ball close to the goal and calmly put it in the net. At the end of full time with the score at 2-2 the game went to a shootout. As with last year’s 3rd place playoff against Auckland Grammar School there was a lot of experience in these pressure situations. Goalkeeper Ben Woodhams kept the first three Westlake takers scoreless after some superb goalkeeping and this took the pressure off the King’s takers.
Tarquin Johnson (Year 13, School), Charlie Middleton and Oliver Stewart all converted their opportunities which meant that King’s won the shootout 3-0. Again we didn’t play to the level we are capable of but it was a great result for the side after an excellent domestic season.
On Sunday 30 August the team will head to Dunedin for the Rankin Cup where they will compete for the National Championship.