HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 September 1924, Page 8

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

MOASCAR CUP

RETAINED BY NEW PLYMOUTH

Despite most unfavourable weather conditions, a large crowd of interested spectators was present on Saturday at tne Park in l\ew Plymouth on the occasion of the challenge match between Mount Albert Grammar School and i\ew Plymouth High School. The wet ball and the slippery ground naturally affected the play, but even with those adverse features excellent form was shown, the boys on both sides handling the ball with rare precision, both in taking from kicks and in passing rushes. The result was a contest which throughout- was a fine display ol good football, and provided a. keen straggle for possession of the Moasca-r Cup. The teams took the field as below

Mt. Albert Grammar (light blue). — Butler (11.8), Ash (10.5), Monk (11.0), Kirkpatrick (11.0), Wilson (10.0), "Jenkin (capt., 10. 3), Pier it (9.10), Fiwen (10.7), Kinnear (10.2), Gardner (11.7), Moses (10.13), Park (11.2), Brownlee (9.12), Henderson (9.12). New Plymouth Boys’ High School (black and white). —Petty (10.11). Mackay (11.12), Lovericige (11.12), Crawford (9.11), K. Fookes (10.4), Alexander (10.6), Mason (9.6), Paterson (capt., 10.5), Bellringer (10.4), Tiplady (9.9), S. Fookes (11.7), Bleakley (12.7), Read (10.7), Ennis (10.7), Gibson (10.10). THE PLAY. Auckland kicked off and at once took play downfield till Petty cliecked them with a fine save. New' Plymouth replied with a great dash to the opposing territory, where from a free kick Mackay drew first score with an excellent, well-judged kick. High School 3, Grammar 0. They maintained the attack vigorously despite good defence, and after some nice interchanges among the backs the visitors were again penalised, and once more Mackay converted. It was a good performance. High School 6, Grammar 0.

Grammar at once set up a vigorous attack, and carried play right to their opponents’ quarters. Back came School, and Leveridge, with a fine dash, took play , to the opposing 25 and sent out to Mackay,. wno uist failed to get across at the corner. Then in a fine riisn the Auckland backs, Jeiikin, Wilson, Monk and Kirkpatrick, went downfield and the defence of the local boys was severely tested. Petty saved in a dangerous situation, and sent them back. Then the ball came from a scrum and Mason sent it out to Alexander, who, feinting cleverly, got past three opponents, and then sent on to K. Fookes, who, after a nice dash, transferred to Leveridge. He ran clean round the wing man and scored a good try. The kick failed. High School'9, Grammar 0.

Play was keen from the kick out, and both sides had alternately the advantage. Monk got away ana looked likely to score, when K. Fookes, coming across, took him well. Then, after some good plqy on both sides, Petty brilliantly took from a long kick, and rushing up evaded the opposition, and almost scored a try, being taken j ust o-n. the. line. In the second spell Auckland backs got in some fine passing rushes, as the result of which School were penned on tlieir line for some time. Just after a penalty was given against the local boys for off-side play, and Monk, with a fine kick, placed a goal. High School 9, Grammar 3.

From’ the kick oat Hign School attacked stiongly, their ionvaids getting the. mill better and enabling the backs to get into action. The ball came out to Alexander, and the clever little fiveeighths' went away downfield. Changing his direction, he set sail for the other side. When, blocked, after a brilliant run, he sent the ball out toMackey, ana the latter just failed to get over the line. Just arter Grammar forced. Then they attacked, Kirkpatrick making a nice dash and being well collared by Pett5 T . A good rush by Paterson and Crawford relieved their side. Grammar were playing a fine game, and had school fuliy extended, Monk, Kirkpatrick and Butler being noticeable for sterling play. Ash made a. great run downfield and got nearly through, hurdling Alexander as the latter went low to collar him. Pirlit, Jenkin, Wilson and Monk, in a great rush, - went away, and only sound tackling saved the score. Then Petty came through, and a dribbling rush took play well downfield. Back came Auckland, and Kirkpatrick almost got over the Hue. Just on time the travelled along the line of backs to ball, came out to Mason and travelled along the line of backs to Mackey, who, with fine dash, got clean away to score a brilliant try in the corner. His own kick failed, and time .was called immediately, with the scores High School 12, Grammar 3. Mr E. Gilmc.nr was referee.

FOURTH GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP THE! FINAL.. A GREAT CONTEST. The finalists in the fourth grade. New Plymouth High School and Plawera Technical High School, met on Saturday at New Plymouth, and after a match in which the play was really good and excellent form was shown on both sides, the former won by a fair margin. The teams were pretty evenly matched, and the scores do not give a fair indication of the relative strength of the teams. Hawera backs were, on the whole, better than their opponents, but the forwards hardly matched New Plymouth, whose loose rushes were, under the conditions, most effective. Their backs, too, Avere very sound in -defence. The teams were as follows: Hawera. Technical High School.— Full-bark, R . Oheevers; three-quarters, r. Bailev, K. Skiellerup. S. Yates; five-eighths. F. Owen, T. Nicholas; half, Y. Walshe: forwards. G. Surgenr ><. I. Rfi-hop, W. Phillip, P. Keegan, M. L. McDonnell, C. Allen, A. Harris, P. Coleman.

New Plymouth Boys’ High School. — li’nil-bnrk. T/. Penny; three-quarters, C Collins H. Brown, J. Medlev; fiveeighths. K. Riley. J. Oailhraith; half. K. Fookes; forwards. T. Crawford. D. Rbbertso n,C. Strombom, E. Arnold, E. McCillum, G. Bayly, W. Penman. J. Abraham.

THE PLAY. From the kick-off New Plymouth set mi a .strong attack, and after some r.lav in the centre, the forwards went down-field in a great rush and Arnold got across and scored a good trv. Crawford, with a fine kick, added the major points. New Plymouth o Hawera 0 Then Hawera backs got going, all handling well in a good rush, but the defence was sound. ■ The ball came out to Walshe and he sent it on to Owen. who. cutting in, made a. good opening and sent on to Failey. who was collared lust on the line. Then New Plymouth retaliated, and from a great forward rush the hall came to

Gailbraith, who beat the opposition and scored a nice try. The kick failed. New r Plymouth s Hawera n

Hawera- pressed tlieir opponents hard, and having much the better of the play went downfield in a fine passing rush. The forwards went over the line but lost the ball. Not to be denied, however, Walshe securing sent the ball out to Nicholas, and in”faultless style it went along the chain of backs, and Bailey finished the movement by scoring a capital try'. Yates goalerl with a fine kick. New Plymouth g Hawera 5 In the second spell play was keen and fast, and New Plymouth Avere forced as the result of a loose forward rush. Owen, securing from the kick out. cut in and passed to Bailey when in a good position, but he failed to hold'awl a fine opportunity was lost. Then New Plymouth . attacked, and after a good forward dash Fookes made a. brilliant run through the opposing bac-ks and sent the ball to Robertson, who was collared near the line. Just after, Collins secured from the loose and dived across. The kick was ’ unsuccessful. New Plymouth II Hawera 5

Hawera forwards attacked from the kick out, but Penny relieved, and near half-way Riley made a brilliant run, and kicking over the line he followed up.hard and scored the.-try. Crawford converted. New Plymouth 16 * Hawera 5

Hawera, fighting hard to equalise, made a strong attack. New Plymouth came back in a great passing rush and Hawera. forced. From this till the end of the ‘game Hawera still made strenuous efforts to score and put in a lot of nice passing rushes, and on several occasions had hard luck in not scoring. No further score, however, resulted-, and the match ended: New Plymouth 16 Hawera o Mr. F. Webb was referee.