Bay softballers eye top four finish
Hawke's Bay senior men's softball team's player-coach Luke Woon is adamant he has the ammunition to gain a top four finish at this week's North Harbour-hosted National Fastpitch Championship.
"We're looking good. Obviously the main goal is to get us back in the competition and to be competitive. But we've got a good shot at the top four," Woon said after his troops final training session on Tuesday night.
It has been nine years since Hawke's Bay has played at the show piece of the national softball scene. This long absence and the unavailability of former Black Sox utility Jovaan Hanley and his Mets teammates Curtis Huata and Josh Gettins could work against the Bay lads but player-coach Woon remains optimistic.
"Yes it would have been good to have the likes of Jovaan but I'm happy with the squad I have," Woon said.
His squad will rely heavily on his brother and Black Sox training squad pitcher Adam Woon who knows some top displays in the eight team-tournament will enhance his chances of Black Sox and New Zealand under-23 team selection.
Coach Woon pointed out three of his squad were secured through the draft. Catcher Tobias Makisi is from the Miramar club in Wellington.
Infielder Huw Davies is from Auckland. Both are in the New Zealand under-23 team's training squad along with pitcher Adam Woon. Coach Woon said pitcher Brodie Boyce was also secured through the draft from Counties-Manukau even though he is Hawke's Bay-based playing for the Saints club and intends to remain in the Bay long-term.
Hawke's Bay's draw is:
Thursday: 9am v Hutt Valley, 1pm v Counties-Manukau/Waikato.
Friday: 9am v Canterbury, 1pm v Wellington, 5pm v North Harbour.
Saturday: 12noon v Southern Pride, 4pm v Auckland.
Sunday: Playoffs.
The full Hawke's Bay squad is:
Adam Woon, Jordan Waterhouse, Brodie Boyce, Luke Woon, Jacob Zurcher, Hoani Crawford, Horowai Puketapu, Daniel Green, Elijah Mataira, Jason Kelleher, Liam Udy-Johns, Sam Coldicutt, Te Rangi Chadwick, Tobias Makisi, Huw Davies.
