HOCKEY
The region’s top players, rising stars, officials, coaches, administrators and volunteers were recently recognised at the Hockey Wairarapa Annual Awards, which returned after a three-year hiatus.
Black Stick centurion Dane Lett took out the sportsman of the year, while New Zealand Masters international Ana-May Gudsell won the sportswoman category.
National under-18 squad members Cohen Scott and Emma McLeod won their respective male colt and female colt classes, while the under-15 players of the year were Ryan Bengston and Hazel Stewart, and the primary players of the year were won by Lachie Bassett and Macey Bruce.
The Wairarapa U18 Women, who finished seventh at their national tournament, walked away with two awards, winning team of the year, while coaches Scott Kennedy and Ana-May Playle picked up the coach award.
Wairarapa’s leading whistleblower, Peter Sigvertsen, was named the umpire of the year, and Alex Mason was awarded youth umpire.
The Contribution to Wairarapa Hockey was presented to Sherie Pointon and Kiri Playle, the Paul Sargeant Award went to Scott Kennedy, Reon Bengston was named primary volunteer, and Rex and Barbara Playle were spectators of the year.
TIMBER SPORTS
Wairarapa’s Quintin Fawcett has made an incisive start to the timber sports season with some top placings at events in Stratford and Gisborne.
At Stratford, Fawcett was part of a Central area team that defeated South Island and Northern teams in a series of races. In the individual underhand championship, he finished second to world champion Jack Jordan, in doing so, beating three current New Zealand internationals.
On the first day of the recent Gisborne show, Fawcett was first in the underhand championship, springboard tree, and double-hand saw. He was also runner-up in the 275mm standing block and in the single-hand sawing event.
On the second day, Fawcett won the big underhand off a handicap of 41 seconds, the championship springboard, the double hand saw, and the quarter cut, a novelty event in which a large log is cut into quarters and each competitor is required to cut a quarter. He was also third in a small-standing event.
Fawcett’s handicap is likely to increase significantly on the back of those results.
CRICKET
Wairarapa representative Samuel Payne led the way for Wairarapa College with an outstanding double in their 192 drubbing of Onslow College.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat on the superb Waicol pitch, captain Payne smashed 180 from 121 balls and joined in a 142-run second-wicket partnership with Zach Anstis [52] as his side amassed a formidable total of 366.
Payne then snared four wickets for 25 runs, and Anstis picked up 3–23 as the visitors were rolled for 174.
