HIGH SCHOOLS COMPETE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 19 August 1926, Page 3

HIGH SCHOOLS COMPETE.

FOR SARGENT GUP. STRATFORD (15) v. HAW BRA (8). The first match in the competition for the handsome silver challenge football cup presented by Air C. H. Sargent, of Hawera, was played on the '.showgrounds yesterday afternoon. 'Conditions were favourable lor an exhibition of last, open football, the ground being dry and springy and there was no wind. Playing across the field neither .side had any advantage ,so far as the sun was concerned. The class of Rugby usually presented by the boys attending secondary schools was expected and the really good assemblage of spectators was not- disappointed in this respect. THE CUP. The trophy presented by Mr. Sargent is a handsome, two-handled silver cup, standing a. good 12 inches' in height, exclusive of the ebony plinth, which raises the cup another three inches. Ample scope is provided for the inscription of dates mid names of winning teams for many years to come. Being a challenge trophy the cup cannot be won outright, but will be held for on© year by each winning team. With such an incentive as that so generously provided by Mr. Sargent, secondary school football has received a. fillip which will unquestionably be increasingly reflected' year by year in the boys’ play. Competition will be confined to three, the Feilding, Hawera, and Stratford High Schools. SPARKLING RUGBY. The *teams were :

Stratford (black). —Edwards (fullback), Boon, Kilpatrick, Bone, Dingwall, G. Sangster, O. Sangster, Coonibridge, Sullivan. Mills, Herdman (lock), Thompson, Walker, Wieksteiad, Yandle (rover). Hawera (red and blue). —'McDonald (full-back), Standish, Peterson, Dymond, Murdoch, Walshe, Morrissey, Nicholas, Wright, Gower, Clement, Okure.li (lock), Wills, Sargent, Ngaia (rover). Stratford kicked off and immediately took the game to' the home-quarters and only over-eagerness on the part, of Boon, Kilpatrick and Herdman kept the Stratford' boys out-. A smart interception on the part of Hawera’s left wing-threeqnarter transferred operations to the opposite end and a series of hot attacks by Hawera, were frustrated by the visitors’ backs, Dingwall being prominent. The Blacks worked the ball down field and Boon, kicking too hard, forced the home; team. McDonald cleared to, half-way whence his forwards carried play to l the twentyfive. McDonald here essayed a pot. the ball going wide. Murdoch islhort-punt-ed and Dymond, following fast, secured and looked like scoring, but the defence held good. He immediately after took lai cross-kick from; Morrissey and threw away an opportunity by kicking over the line. A fine piece of combined 'work saw Walsh© in possession and he sent on to Wills, who .scored the first try of the game. Peterson converted with a great kick.

Hawera 5 Stratford 0 _ Stung by this reverse the Reds became aggressive and the home forwards led by Peterson cleared to the visitors territory with a brilliant rush. The fortunes of the game .swayed' from; end to. end, the passing rushes of the opposing sets of backs being good to watch. Peterson. and Standish/ gave promise of topping off a spirited rush by the Rlscls, but expectations were not realised, the latter being forced out. Murdoch, penalised in front of bis goal, gave Kilpotrick a chance in which lie failed and play returned to the opposite end. A good cross-kick by Bone was anticipated by Dymond in the open field and his mark checked the Blacks’ progress. The latter were not to be denied, for with the best combined movement of the day, play centred on the home line and Yandle went over. Kilpatrick coverted and the scores were five all. The half-time whistle sounded soon after with play at the, centre. Hawera’s kick off was well returned by Bone. From the line-out Walshe set his backs in motion and Stratford’s end was invaded. Edwards failed to field a, high kick and almost let the opposition in. Fast, open football was now the order of the day. Walshe in possession and, after a; tricky run, passed at the right moment to Standish. whose weight carried him over in a, good position. The kick failed. Hawera 8 Stratford 5 On resumption, Stratford made valiant efforts, to equalise, but. despite the well-meant intentions of Boon, Dingwall, Bone and Kilpatrick, were unable to, improve. Twice in rapid l succession the Black backs by .splendid concerted passing bouts, got to within .striking distance, Edwards on each occasion nullifying the advantage by fruitlessly attempting to drop a goal. Undaunted by the latter’s failure, however, Kilpatrick took a hand in this style of play and kicked .a, beautiful field goal, making the scores:

Stratford 9 Hawera 8 - The visitors’ efforts to maintain their lead and Bawera’s equally strong desire to reduce it was productive of football of the keenest description, though without the faintest trace of roughness. Stratford: Iliad much the better of these exchanges, their persistence being finally rewarded bv ft try to the credit of G. gangster. His own kick failed. Stratford 12 • Hawera. 8 Perhaps the most exciting phases of the game were here enacted, and the leaders were hard put to it to stem the tide of attack set by the home forwards and Walshe, Morrissey, Staudish and Peterson. From a penalty near the twenty-fiee yards touch-line Peterson made magnificent attempt at goal, the ball striking the exosK-biar. A rapid change of venue saw the whole of the Stratford backs in action, and Ya.ndle, taking a neat pass from Dingwall, added another try. Kilpatrick’s kick failed. Stratford 15 Hawera 8

The concluding few minutes of the game were occupied by attractive attacking movements, which, - however, failed to increase the tally of eitfier team. No side was called with play at centre fiqld. Mr H. G. Whittington controlled the game. At the conclusion of the. match the cup was presented to the Stratford boys by the donor (Mr. Sargent), who, in: a short speech, congratulated them on iheir success and commended both tXams on the excellent spirit displayed throughout the game. He hoped this was the forerunner of many such games and he would count himself well repaid if ill is gift had the effect of improving the standard of secondary school football. Mr. Sargent's remarks were greeted with hearty cheers. Messrs A. Gray and F. Bowler, on behalf of the Hawera and Stratford

schools respectively, returned thanks to Mr. Sargent and their calls for cheers were vigorously responded to. - SCHOOLS’ JUNIOR MATCH. ' STR ATFORD B (20) v HAWERA B (8) Prior t-qji the senior match reported above the junior tea ins of Stratford . and Hawera High Schools tried conclusions. Playing crisp, clean football, the former established a commanding lead in the first- half, F. Young, R. Grubb, B. McMillan and S. Edwards securing tries, one of which was converted by Young. Hawera.’s only try was scored by J. Herbert and converted by T. Guy. At half-time the -scores were 14 to ;> in favour of Stratford.-'; Mr. F. Bowler was referee for'the first half of the game. In the second spell F. Young andßL Ross contributed tries for Stratford, while Nicholson added one try for Hawera. Neither of these were converted. Mr. N. Thomas controlled the second spell.