Kiwis Win Tasmania Cup

KIHL Kiwi Te Rā and Kiwi Manaia Teams have won their respective age grades at Tasmania Cup in Hobart, Australia. 

Kiwi Teams made their way across the ditch on Wednesday the 22nd of January as part of the opportunity to represent KIHL at the Tasmania Cup.

 Teams began playing on Thursday with both Kiwi Te Rā and Kiwi Manaia showing strength in their opening day. Both Kiwi teams showed composure as they continued their sharp form throughout the tournament.

 Kiwi Te Rā showed dominance in both the 13U and 16U Divisions. Going unbeaten in the 13U Division and finished 4th Overall in the 16U Division after playing in a round robin format. Kiwi Manaia spoiling the party for Kiwi Te Rā in their 16U Semi Finals knocking the 13U Team out.

 However Kiwi Te Rā went into the 13U Finals as the hot Favourites taking the Van Diemen’s Green down 12 - 0 to win the 13U Tasmania Cup. Kiwi Te Rā Captain Walter Blair announced as the 13U Tasmania Cup Most Valuable Player. 

Kiwi Manaia went unbeaten through round-robin in the 16U grade and pool play in Division 2. They would find themselves as the hot favorites across both Divisions. 

They would meet KIHL Katipō General Manager Nathan Lovell and the Bulls who would test the Kiwis. Bulls took an early lead but the Kiwis continued to apply pressure and managed to draw Level before full-time pushing the game into overtime.

Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be as Nathan Lovell took the opportunity to score the game winner and complete the Hat-trick in the process ending the Kiwis hopes of a Division 2 Final.

However the Kiwis Manaia would have to shift focus to their 16U Finals where they faced Van Diemen’s Purple that also featured KIHL Sharks Cooper Beck and Wasps Mia Bliss. The Van Diemen’s Devils took an early lead going up 2 - 0 in the early stages of the match and the Kiwis struggled to penetrate the locals defense. However the Kiwis getting on the board late in the first half. 

After the halftime break the Kiwi team turned up the volume and unleashed waves of pressure, but the Devils defense held. The Kiwis then began to tire their opponents and eventually drew Level 2- 2. A late Jackson McDowell game winning goal before the Kiwis added another two goals completing their objective and Winning the Tasmania Cup. Kiwi Manaia Captain Benoît Keast awarded 16U Most Valuable Player.