This weekend saw three of our four Senior Teams take to the water with games at both NAC and Diocesan. The Senior B Women had there 5th/6th play off on Thursday along with the Senior A Women playing off in the Final of Auckland League. Saturday saw both our Senior Men andWomen play their final game in Prelims of National League. See below for match reports;

NH B vs Mountfort Park 18-4

The game started by the NH girls creating a clear lead of 0-6 at the end of the first quarter with goals scored from Hannah (1), Ema (1), Stacey (2) and Jess (2). Another great quarter of strong defense took NH to a great position of 10-0 at half time. Mountfort stepped up in the second half, scoring 2 goals in each of the last quarters, but still unable to keep up with the NH counters wining the game 18-4 in the end. Special thanks to Amy Brotherton (born 2001) for stepping up for the game and scoring 3 goals in contribution to the win. Congratulations to Jasmine Hibbert who had an amazing game defensively playing her last ever game of water polo. What a great way to end Auckland League.

Top goal scorer - Jess Marsden

NH CBS Women v Marist

The CBS women had a tough game on Thursday night against defending champs Marist. The girls had a tough start and went down by 3 goals quick in the first quarter.

Some stern words from coach Matt Payne and some strong defence saw the girls defend the goal well in the second quarter with Marist not being able to put one in the back of the net. Unfortunately the same could also be said for our North Harbour Girls.

The girls stayed in the game until the fourth quarter where some silly mistakes lead Marist to pull away and take the lead to 9-6 for the final whistle.

Goal Scorers: Nicholson (2), Myles (1)

North Harbour CBS Women v Waitakere Women

The girls prepped themselves up and came ready to fight on Saturday when they came up against Waitakere in their final prelim round of National League.

The girls got off to a quick start with Dance netting a goal from Center Forward. Waitakere were fast to respond with two goals within a minute to take the lead 2-1. Perry managed to find the back of the net off a 6-5 attack but the girls could not keep Waitakere out which lead to the quarter ending in 3 goals each.

The second quarter was much the same with Dance and Perry again slotting one goal each. Half time score being 5 -5.

The girls knew they were not quite playing to their full pontential and decided that the second half was going to be their half. Two quick goals by Landry and Myles in the first 30sec of the third quarter saw the girls take control of the game and some big saves from goalie Alsiha Winstanley and some impressive CF and counter attack goals saw the girls take the lead to 12-5 at third quarter break.

The girls were hard to stop again in the fourth scoring another massive 6 goals to finish the game off with a win 18 - 6.

Goal Scorers; Perry (4), Dance (4), Myles (3), Landry (2), Nicholson (2), Geary (1), Carevic (1), Sheehan (1)

North Harbour Wizard Turtles v Waitakere Blue devils

Saturday 21st of May 2016 was the date… New Zealand’s National Aquatic Centre was the venue… And North Harbour Water Polo Club we’re the out and out winners!

The day began with phenomenal u12 polo and the clubs new mascot Thomas the Turtle being unveiled to a packed house of animated North Harbour fans.

After a real exhibition, it was time for the main event; The final round of the 2016 national league, with the 2016 minor premier NH Wizard Electrical Turtles taking on the defending national league champions, the Waitakere Blue Devils in what is to also be the match up for next weekends league semi final.

The game started at an uncharacteristically tepid pace. The usually deadly sharp shooters from Harbour struggled to find their rhythm and the quarter ended 2-1 in the Devils favour. Fortunately, Dylan Smith and Donny Clarke had strong defensive showings, limiting any further damage.

The beginning of the second began with a phenomenal display of teamwork with a won swim off leading to instant offence and a wonderful pass to centre from Tamati Harris for the text book finish from non other than Tyler “Kev” Vao.

With the pig and confidence back on the turtles’ backs, the second quarter exploded into life with two more quick goals from Owen Chambers and a fourth from Ricky Thompson.

The B squad bench boys had made their mark and registered a 4-1 quarter leaving the half time numbers check at a more respectable 5-3 advantage to the turtles and their new mascot.

Following the half, the momentum didn’t shift and the team kept up a pacey 3rd quarter with slick counters and long passes linking Nick Grieve and Anton Sunde.

Tamati Harris Continued the show time passes to centre and the Turtles were rewarded with four extra man plays in the quarter alone. The numerical advantage on attack gave them a chance to really take a blade to the throat of the devils and finish the quarter 5-3 winners and 10-6 up heading into the fourth and final.

Glucose supplements, strategic chat and Maori proverbs were shared prior to the beginning of the fourth in the hope the turtles could really drive home a psychological advantage over their semi final opponents.

On the offensive end, the turtles continued to play devils advocate to Waitakere’s defence and piled on a further five. Gorgeous post up play from the Slick Rick, Ricky Thompson, ice cold connections between Finn Lowery and Owen Chambers during the man up and dominant isolation tactics from Anton Sunde meant the turtles scored 15 throughout the game are looking good offensively heading into the post season.

Disappointingly however, the fourth also saw for the second time in the last two games a defensive collapse and four goals being conceded. This left the score of the quarter a much closer 5-4 and the result at the end of the game an unflattering yet chalked up victory to the Turtles: 15-10.

The Turtles now head into the final week of the season both minor premiers and shield holders having not lost a game since the trip to Rotorua.

Final Score: North Harbour 15 – Owen Chambers (4), Anton Sunde (3), Ricky Thompson (3), Dave Couper (2), Tyler Vao (2), Scott Logan (1). Waitakere 10.

Our Senior Men and Women are both in the National League Semi Finals this Saturday at the National Aquatic centre. The women play first at 2:00pm against Wellington and the men are straight after at 3:30pm against Waitakere. Finals will be played on Sunday dependant on how the teams go.

Be sure to head down to the pool as the players would love to have as much support as possible as this will be their final games for the year.