07/06/2026
WAIKATO U17 BOYS - 8TH PLACE
Congratulations to the Waikato U17 Boys team on a strong campaign at the NZ Interprovincial Championships, finishing 8th overall after a tough and highly competitive tournament.
The boys got their tournament off to an excellent start on Day 1, opening pool play with a convincing 3-0 victory over Harbour B. They backed that performance up with another impressive 3-0 win against MAVA, showing confidence, teamwork, and composure throughout both matches.
Their final pool match against Tasman proved to be one of the toughest contests of the tournament. In a hard-fought five-set battle, the boys pushed Tasman all the way before being edged out 3-2. Despite the result, Waikato had done enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals, where they faced a strong Canterbury side.
Day 2 saw Waikato take on Canterbury in the quarter-finals. The boys competed hard and never stopped fighting, but Canterbury proved too strong on the day, taking the match 3-0. Waikato then faced WECA in another thrilling five-set encounter. Once again, the boys showed tremendous determination and resilience but narrowly lost 3-2 in a match that could have gone either way.
In their final match for 7th and 8th placing, Waikato came up against Wellington. It was yet another five-set battle, with the boys leaving everything on the court and competing right until the final whistle. Although they were unable to get across the line, their effort, commitment, and fighting spirit were evident throughout the match.
While the results did not always fall in Waikato's favour during the latter stages of the tournament, what stood out most was the character of this group. The boys continued to support one another, remained positive through adversity, and represented Waikato with pride both on and off the court. Three of their four losses came in five-set matches, highlighting just how competitive they were against some of the strongest teams in the country.
We are incredibly proud of the growth shown by this group throughout the tournament. They embraced every challenge, competed with heart, and represented their families, and the Waikato region with pride and dignity. The experience gained this from this tournament will serve them well as they continue their volleyball journeys.
Lastly, we would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Nic Tomu, Mila Gandeza, and Bernidette Tomu for their time, commitment, and dedication in coaching, managing, and supporting the athletes throughout the IPC season. Your efforts behind the scenes played a significant role in helping these young men develop not only as volleyball players but also as individuals.
We extend our thanks to our funders The Lion Foundation and Trillion for their generosity and helping our teams get to tournament this season.