Tuesday 8 September 2026
Held in Kumeu, our Boys' 1st XI Football team played across five days at the 2026 Rex Dawkins Tournament.
Staff attending: Harry Trethowan and Robyn Wright
Day One
Game One
The tournament couldn’t have started any worse for King’s. Seven minutes gone and we were 2-0 down. Not the start we were hoping for against Liston College.
Leading into half-time, a red card for the opposition gave us a numerical advantage. To be fair to the boys, they really took advantage of it in the second half. Three goals in 10 minutes turned the game on its head. Lucca Stredder (Year 13, Parnell) and Dylan Naicker (Year 13, Parnell) were the goal scorers as we walked away with a 3-2 victory and three points in the bag.
Final score: King's 3 vs 2 Liston College
Game Two
Arguably our second toughest game of the group, with Game One being the toughest. Another sluggish start from King’s saw Botany Downs Secondary College score with their first shot on goal.
Captain fantastic Josh Motion (Year 13, Parnell) got us back into the game just before half time. Unfortunately, despite peppering the opposition’s goal, we couldn’t find the breakthrough.
Final score: King's 1 vs 1 Botany Downs Secondary College
Four points from the first two games wasn’t bad, but we did feel disappointed not to have two wins from two.
Day Two
Game Three
What looked like a routine fixture on paper, the King’s boys made harder work of it than we should have.
Thankfully, two of the young pups helped us through. A first-half strike from Kalani Mowbray (Year 10, Selwyn) and a second-half goal from Will Vyle (Year 11, Selwyn) saw us run out 2-0 winners!
Final score: King's 2 vs 0 Papatoetoe High School
Game Four
A win would all but guarantee top spot. Aotea College knew a draw would keep them in with a fighting chance of pushing for a top-two finish.
For 60 minutes, Aotea put all 11 players behind the ball and looked to frustrate us. Tired legs and tired minds meant King’s couldn’t break them down.
From here, we knew that second place was in the bag, but top spot was now out of our hands.
Final score: King's 0 vs 0 Aotea College
Day Three
Game Five
The scenario was simple; King’s had to win by 10 goals, with the mercy rule stopping the score at 10.
Botany had to win by less than three.
Not too much to say about the King’s game. Nine-nil up at half time. At 10-0, we took a player off. At 11-0, we took another player off. At 12-0, we took another player off.
With eight players on the pitch, and restrictions put on the players, King’s scored five more before the referee called a halt to the game 10 minutes early.
Final score: King's 17 (10) vs 0 Pinehurst School
Now we had to wait for the score in the Botany game to see our fate.
But first, a list of the scorers:
Josh Motion: 3
Sammy Bamford (Year 13, Major): 3
Lucca Stredder
Connor Sigley (Year 13, Greenbank)
Will Vyle
Own Goal: 2
Alex Young (Year 12, Major)
Angus Birchenough (Year 13, Marsden)
Jack Kelly (Year 11, Parnell)
Isaac Stredder (Year 12, Parnell)
Jaxon Allan (Year 11, School)
Charlie Barron (Year 12, Marsden)
Now to Botany Downs Secondary College.
If they won by three goals, they would pip us to top spot on goal difference. If they won by two goals, we would be tied on goal difference, but King’s would edge them on goals scored.
Whilst eating some lovely pies, news filtered through that Botany had won 2-0…
Meaning King’s took out the top spot!
What that means is a quarter-final draw against Waitakere College. The highest-ranked team we have played so far, and a team that we have both beaten and lost to this season...
Day Four
Game Six
Our toughest game (on paper) in the tournament, against a team that we have had mixed results against over the past couple of years — Waitakere College.
A brilliant header from Jack Kelly set us on our way to the semi-final. The second half really showed how important squad rotation has been, with King’s putting their foot on the gas.
Two goals from Lucca Stredder put the game to bed and King’s were into the semi-final!
Final score: King's 3 vs 0 Waitakere College
Game Seven
Another semi-final for King’s… another semi-final against Rangitoto College.
Up to this point, Rangitoto had won all of their games in the competition and were most certainly out for revenge.
They came out firing and were on top early on, but a brilliant finish from Alex Young had King’s going into the break 1-0 up.
King’s could smell the final, but with 15 minutes remaining, a dangerous free kick from Rangitoto was met by the head of an attacker and the scores were level.
Neither team could break the deadlock, with both sides putting up a valiant fight. Unfortunately, the game was to be decided in the cruellest of ways… a penalty shootout.
England fans can feel the tension already.
After two massive saves from Ben Daly (Year 11, Major), the honours came down to Henry Artrip (Year 12, Peart), who saw his shot smash against the post…
…and roll across the line and into the back of the net!
King’s had made the final!!!
Final score: King's 1(4) vs 1(2) Rangitoto College
A brilliant effort from all 17 players who have chipped in along the way.
30 goals scored, 13 different goal-scorers, 4 goals conceded. Every player appearing in at least four games so far.
A true testament to the squad and the effort everyone has put in. Now to face our old friends Northcote College, who we haven’t beaten in our last 5 meetings!
Day Five
The boys headed to Fred Taylor Park as ever-so-slight underdogs, but certainly went into the game without fear.
A tense opening 15 minutes meant neither team really dominated, but it was Northcote College who broke the deadlock. A slide pass through our defence allowed their striker to run through and finish into the bottom corner.
This woke King’s up, and we were on top for the rest of the half. We came inches away from equalising when a Henry Artrip header hit the crossbar. Half-time saw King's at 0 to Northcote 1.
The second half began in similar fashion, with King’s pushing for an equaliser. A great chance from six yards couldn’t be converted, but the boys kept pushing.
With just under 10 minutes to go, and King’s continuing to push for a goal, a harsh refereeing decision altered the momentum of the game. Artrip was adjudged to have committed a handball and, with his second foul of the game, was shown a second yellow and his marching orders.
Shortly after, a speculative shot from Northcote College looped over the head of Ben Daly, and the game was put to bed.
Final score: King’s 0 vs 2 Northcote College
A tough one to take, as we felt we had done enough during the game to at least take it to extra time, if not win the game. But, on the day, it was Northcote who took their chances and came away as worthy winners of the Rex Dawkins Trophy.
A brilliant week from the lads, who have shown professionalism, maturity and quality throughout.