LEVIN SCHOOL WINS NOAD SHIELD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3835, 23 August 1928, Page 1

LEVIN SCHOOL WINS NOAD SHIELD.

ANNUAL SEVEN-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT. The second contest for the handsome silver shield presented last year by Mr. W. Noad, then a resident of Levin, for competition at an annual seven-a-side tournament by Rugby representatives of^the primary schools of the district, was held on the Levin Park Domain on Saturday afternoon. Last year the trophy was won by Foxton, who defeated Shannon in the final by eight points to nil. The tourney on Saturday resulted in the Shield passing into the possession of the Levin District High School, whose A team defeated Foxton by eight points to nil in the final. The tournament was held in delightful weather, on a fast ground, and in the presence of a large number of spectators. Six teams were entered —three from Levin DTPS., two from Foxton D.H.S., and one from the Levin Convent School. In the first round Levin B met Convent, and the latter won by 11 points to nil. The next game was between Levin C and Foxton B, and when time was sounded the score was three all, K. Eyes having obtained a try for file home team and Easton a try for the visitors.. An extra spell was played till the first force-down, which was by Levin, and the Foxton boys were declared the winners. Mr. Rori King! refereed. The first semi-final was between Levin A and Convent, and the former had all the best of the game, which they won by 16 points to nil. The contest between the Foxton A *and B team was a walk-over for the former side, who scored 30 points —ls in each spell while their opponents failed to obtain a score. Tries were gained by J. Chrystall,' K. Matthews, B. Coley (2), and Walls (2). Matthews converted three and Coley three. Mr. A. McDonald was in charge.

The final, between Levin A and Foxton A, was a well-played game. The home team were obviously the better of the two, possessing both combination and speed; but the visiting players put up a plucky defence and maintained their spirit to the finish. The Levin boys were early on the attack, and for the greater part of the first spell play was in Eoxton’s territory, the local men showing them points in the handling of the ball. Eollowing a. combined rush, the ball was kicked over the Foxton line, and Williams fell on it. Kingsbeer converted in good style. Levin s—Foxton5 —Foxton 0. Half-time sounded shortly afterwards. Soon after the change over, Levin got into a good position by punting and following up. Crisp obtained possession near the scoring area and passed to Procter, who scored. Williams took the kick successfully from a sharp angle Levin B—Foxton 0. The visiting boys rallied, but did not progress far. Coley made a couple of attempts to reach the line, but when he was tackled support was lacking. Mr. Tvingi controlled the game. PRESENTATION OF THE SHIELD. The result was hailed with great enthusiasm by local supporters, and both teams were loudly cheered when returning from the field. The presentation of the Shield then took place, in front of the grandstand. Mr. W. Hannan, president of the Horowhenua Rugby District Council, apologised for the absence of Mr. Noad, who was in town earlier in the day, but was unable to remain long enough to see the tournament. He had, however, expressed the hope, which he asked Mr. flannan to convey to the boys, that the best side would win. The President congratulated the winners, also the losers, on the game that both sides had played. He then asked the Mayor (Mr. T. Hobson) to present the Sliield. In handing the trophy to Mr. R. J. Foss, headmaster of the Levin District High School, His Worship complimented him and congratulated the boys on their meritorious win. He thought that nobody could say that the best team had not won. He felt rather sorry for the losers; seeing that they had played so well in the past, there was a tinge of regret that they had to part with this handsome trophy, and he felt with them, hut he kuew that they would take the loss in the manner expected of them by the donor of the Shield. His Worship expressed the hope that the winners would not hold the shield too long, because such trophies had to go round with the object of fostering the spirit of football in the district. Therefore, after every year or two the shield should come into the possession of a different school in the district. The Mayor called for three hearty cheers for the winners, and there was a ready response.

Mr. Foss thanked the Mayor for the kindly sentiments he had expressed, and, in taking delivery of the Shield, said that he did so with a very great deal of pride —pride in the interest shown in the national game in this district, and in the form which the boys had exhibited. It did not matter very much whether Levlin, Foxton or any particular school was the holder of the Shield for the time being, provided that the holding of it did not carry with it anything that would mar the further progress of the game in the district. If there was one thing that competition of this sort should foster, it was a manly game, conducted in a proper way, irrespective of vho should win it. The acquisition of the Shield should be an incentive to the boys of the Levin school to continue, to the best of their ability, to play the game as it should be played. Mr. Noad, if he could have seen the contest, would have said that the senior players of the future in this district would be well forward in regard to efficiency and the proper conduct of the game. He would also have said that there were fine forwards and ►backs in the district, and that they had been very efficiently coached by the respective masters in charge of school sport. Mr. Foss added that he would like to pay his tribute to the hard work put in, not only by Mr. C. Procter, of the Foxton school staff, \?ho was the coach for the runnersup, but also by Mr. H. McDonald, to whom might be wholly attributed lhe success that had come to the Levin school ,on this occasion. It was only those who knew the out-of-school time that a coach surrendered in the interests of the sport and of his lads that could appreciate the hard work done by Mr. Procter and Mr. McDonald and the others responsible for the development of primary school football in this district. He trusted that the result of the Shield being in the Levin school’s charge for a year would be that it would continue to make for the progress of the national game. If the sport was fos-. tcred in the various districts of New Zealand to-day, then in the years to come the representatives of the Dominion as a whole would continue to advance the status of Rugby football in this country. After formally thanking the President and the Mayor for the delivery of the shield, the Headmaster called on the Levin hoys to stand and give three jolly good cheers for the teams to whom success did not come, and three more for their coach. A rousing volley of cheers came from the boys, bringing an interesting function to a close.