Tuesday 25 November 2025
Our Junior A Water Polo team concluded a challenging and successful North Island Cup weekend, ultimately securing the silver medal following a hard-fought campaign.
Photo Credit: @thinker.stills
The team demonstrated significant growth, resilience, and depth throughout the competition, proving their place among the top teams in the region.
The tournament began with strong momentum, securing decisive wins in pool play. The team consistently showcased outstanding defensive strength, culminating in an impressive 7-0 shutout victory against Saint Kentigern College. This disciplined approach was key to topping Pool B, highlighted by a dominant 9-3 win over rivals Rangitoto College in the final round robin match. This excellent form was built on a collective effort, with the entire squad contributing to both attack and defence. We were particularly impressed with our bench players during this phase, who have shown great improvement over the season to be able to increasingly prevent the opposition from scoring on them, allowing our starters to gain valuable rest time.
The semi-final proved to be the team's toughest challenge of the season, facing Rosmini College in a tense comeback performance. After trailing in the first half - a rare occurrence this year - the King’s team showcased remarkable mental fortitude. An epic defensive effort in the second half, which successfully kept Rosmini scoreless, paved the way for a crucial 5-3 victory and secured the team's spot in the final.
Photo Credit: @thinker.stills
The final against Sacred Heart College was intensely competitive, testing the fitness of our starters who did not see much time on the bench. Although we managed to hold the opposition to a 2-2 draw at half-time, the pressure of the occasion neutralised our usually potent attack and we went down 5-2 in the end.
While our boys were disappointed in the result, the broader achievement is substantial. Reaching the final and competing for gold is a testament to the significant progress of the King’s Water Polo programme and bodes well for the future.
Despite a heart-breaking loss in the final, the team can boast an outstanding 14-game winning streak this season, which has confirmed the team's status as a leading contender. Our final game for the year is the upcoming Auckland gold medal match where the boys have the opportunity to channel their frustrations and learn from their mistakes, sending our Year 10 students off in style.
Congratulations to the team on an outstanding tournament performance and thank you to our Head Coach Mr Ben Goodwin, ably supported by assistant coaches Mr Ben Simperingham and Mr Jasmin Kolasinac.
Lauren Lethbridge - Team Manager