Celebrating Our Term 2 Progress and Looking Ahead to Term 3
As we reach the halfway point of the season, it is a great time to reflect on the progress of our Boys Football program. Across all grades, our teams have shown dedication, resilience, and a commitment to development. Below is a summary of how each team is tracking as we look ahead to an exciting Term 3.
1st XI Boys
Coaches: Mr. Michael Groom and Mr. Luke Ashby
The 1st XI Boys have had a challenging start to the season, playing against some of the best 1st XI boys’ schools in the country, including Tauranga Boys’ High School and Hamilton Boys’ High School, during the qualifying stage of the National Tournament.
Despite some tough results in the first half of the season, Term 2 ended with an impressive 3-2 victory over St. Peter’s College from Cambridge. This win creates exciting momentum leading into our Term 3 fixtures. Mr. Michael Groom praised the squad’s recent performance:
“The victory over St. Peter’s was a triumph for the team’s commitment to the principles of playing with a ‘joga bonito’ mentality and their attitude to training, which has been as zealous as it has been zestful. There is a sense of optimism that the team can produce some historical performances throughout Term 3 with their two-touch tempo and Ronaldinho-inspired style of play.”
Senior Boys Development
Coach: Farij Aqil Changezi
Farij has continued his amazing coaching support for the school following a great Futsal season with the Junior Boys Futsal Premier team. The Senior Development Squad currently sits at the top of their league, though their focus remains firmly on development over points.
“The Senior Development Squad has had a bit of everything this season—wins, draws, and losses. The squad is made up of players from Years 11, 12, and 13, creating a great mix of experienced and inexperienced players. That combination has made the team incredibly competitive. The scorecards don’t truly reflect the way this team has dominated games or the quality of football they’ve played, and that’s the beauty of development football. There’s no pressure to prove anything through results or league position… what matters most is how much these players have developed throughout the season. They’ve shown great development as footballers and athletes, and their progress has been amazing.”
Senior Boys Gold
Coach: Mark Cooper
The Hillcrest Senior Boys Gold team has had a highly positive start to the year. The team continues to get stronger defensively each week and is playing some very entertaining football. As they look ahead to the next round, they are in a fantastic position. Coach Mark Cooper shares:
“The team has been steadily improving all season thanks to a dedicated group committed to training. At the halfway stage of the season, the team is in a very strong position to challenge for our group, finding ourselves just 3 points behind the leader, St. Paul’s, whom we are due to play in the next round.”
Senior Boys Navy
Coach: Mr. John Ward
Mr. John Ward continues his incredible contribution to coaching at Hillcrest High School. This tight-knit group, primarily made up of Year 13 students balancing study and work commitments, has maintained a fantastic team spirit and welcomed new players seamlessly.
“In the matches to date, we have shown that we are a very competitive team. The results have not always reflected how we have been the stronger team in some games but came away with no points. The team accepts that is the nature of sport and is determined to get themselves on the right side of that fine line between success and failure for the remainder of the season.”
Junior Boys Premier
Coach: Alex Eaglestone
Coach Alex Eaglestone has continued his connection to Hillcrest High School after coaching the Senior Girls Premier Futsal team. The Junior Boys Premier team started the season exceptionally well, winning two out of three grading games to qualify for Division 1—a significant achievement, as this is the first time a Hillcrest Premier Junior Boys team has reached Division 1 in several years.
While the team has faced challenges in league play (drawing one match 8-8 and dropping the others), there is plenty to be optimistic about.
“As the old adage goes, ‘You learn more from defeat than you do from victory.’ So, with a few losses, the second half of the season should be exciting. Looking ahead to the Hillsdene Tournament in September, the squad will be more familiar with each other, sharing a greater understanding of our unique playing style and team identity.”
Standout Performers: Cadel Hampton, Alexander Mills, and Paulo Regnier. Each of them turns up to training every week willing to learn and striving to put their best foot forward. They work hard, play with belief and passion, and give their all for the team.
Junior Boys Development
Coaches: Jasper Waters and Jesse Alderton (Senior Development Players)
The Junior Boys Development team continues to make excellent strides as the season progresses. Benefitting from the guidance of two student coaches, as well as the support of several parents and staff, the boys are thoroughly enjoying their Saturday football.
“We began with two tough defeats during our grading, but our team’s results turned around after that, going on to win 4-2 in Te Awamutu, a 5-0 win against St. Paul’s in the Knockout Cup, and a 3-0 win against Rototuna. This winning streak unfortunately came to an end against a different Te Awamutu team with a very close 2-1 loss. As a whole, there is lots of promise with this group of boys.”
Standout Performers: James: A reliable attacking presence who has been scoring regularly. Alex: The team captain, who has shown excellent skill and leadership on and off the pitch.
Junior Boys Navy
Coach: Nathanael Hollings
After a challenging grading campaign, Junior Boys Navy has shown remarkable development throughout the first half of the season. The team responded strongly upon entering Division 7, going unbeaten in their last three league matches with two convincing wins and a draw.
Their confidence and teamwork have grown week by week, highlighted by a massive 14–3 victory during grading and a solid 4–0 win over HCS JB Development. The boys have demonstrated great resilience, a highly positive attitude, and a real willingness to learn. They look forward to building on this momentum in the second half of the season and are eagerly anticipating their upcoming Knockout Cup fixture against Raglan JB.
