Kildare, Mater Dei win gold at school water polo after reschedule

After storms last week forced the event to be rescheduled, ten teams from five schools jumped in the pool to battle it out.

Sport convenor Jacob Wiscombe said there was some great talent on display.

In the boys competition, it was Mater Dei Catholic College that emerged as 4-3 victors over Kildare Catholic College, after they finished a goal up in a grand final penalty shootout.

It wasn't the end of the day for Kildare though, with their girl's team dominating all day before smashing TRAC 9-1 in the grand final.

Bridie Gregurke and Isaac Mooney were named player of the final in their respective games.

"We had five of our local schools, the two publics, Wagga High and Kooringal, and TRAC, Mater Dei and Kildare," Wiscombe said.

"It's been fantastic, it'd be good to see all seven schools but there's been a really good turn out."

With competition tight in both the girls and boys competition, Wiscombe said there was some fierce battles in the pool.

While many Wagga Water Polo Association players were scattered throughout the teams, there were also plenty of first time players.

"There's been heaps of games and really good, close matches," he said.

"We've got a lot of girls across the schools that are new to water polo so they're learning as they go and we've got a few really experienced girls getting to show what they've got.

"Then in the boys, it's been pretty competitive all day between the sides, and a real show of strength and ability showed by the boys.

"It's absolutely fantastic to see the engagement we have across all our sports, but particularly a smaller sport like water polo across the schools.

"I know personally I had to go scrounging yesterday and they were all like 'yep, we'll come do it' and they've come and had a great day, it's good to see all the kids getting involved and having fun."

While there's no progression for the winning teams from this competition, Wiscombe said he hopes to see some of the athletes looking to progress into combined high school and catholic college teams.

"It's growing slowly, but I think it is growing, I think they hear water polo and they get a bit frightened about how physical it is but then they get here and they realise it's a really fun day, so hopefully we're slowly growing," he said.