College Sport: Mitchell balances busy life for tilt at Games glory

Briana Mitchell trains at the North Shore Events Centre. Photo / Steven McNichol

The school holidays were anything but restful for St Cuthbert's College's Briana Mitchell.

While her schoolmates were doing "holiday things" Mitchell was hard at work honing her gymnastic skills in continuing her build-up to October's New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

From the time she first went to her local recreation centre in Howick as a 5-year-old, Mitchell has poured her energies into her chosen sport. Selection for the Commonwealth Games, and the follow-up trip to the World Championships in Rotterdam, has made all the hard work worthwhile.

Mitchell, 17, is in the four-strong women's team selected for India.

She won the New Zealand SS artistic championship last year and last month won silver and two bronze medals at the seventh Singapore Open Championships.

She was second on the beam (along with the bar) her favoured discipline and won bronze on the uneven bars and in the all-round final.

How does she juggle her arduous training schedule with schoolwork?

"I try my best at school," said Mitchell, as she prepared to head to Christchurch for another competition. "I get through pretty well."

Which takes some doing as she lives in Howick, goes to school in Epsom and trains on the North Shore under Russian coach Alexandra Koudinova.

Despite her hectic four-hours-a-day schedule, Mitchell still finds time to coach younger gymnasts which earned her a Bronze Service Award in 2008 and a Silver Award last year. She has won numerous other awards including Sports Colours with Distinction for the past three years.

Mitchell will defend her NZ SS artistic title in September but will miss next week's Auckland championships because of other commitments.

BASKETBALL

Top dogs WBHS crushed Dilworth 118-65. Jumping out to a 31-9 lead by the end of the first quarter, Westlake maintained that pressure throughout to take a massive 63-26 halftime lead.

Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson led all scorers with 30 points.

AGS and Avondale ended the 11th round sharing second place four points back. Avondale had to fight all the way to edge Rangitoto 65-63, but there were no such worries for AGS who romped home 109-47 over struggling MAGS.

HOCKEY

King's made it two-from-two in inter-city boy's grade-one action with a comfortable 7-1 win over Pakuranga. At the other end of the table AGS slumped to their second loss as Pukekohe HS defended stoutly and made the most of their opportunities to win 2-0.

King's turned in a solid team effort with Kim Kingstone leading the way with a hat-trick. Nick Sissons scored two and Michael Ritchie and Alex Hannon one each.

Field goals from Fraser Stobie and Jendrik Sielaff got WBHS home 2-0 over old rivals Rangitoto.

In girl's grade-one action Kristin made the most of the new auto pass rule to catch Diocesan off guard at times but it was not enough as Diocesan won 4-2.

Auckland schools continued their domination over North Harbour rivals with St Cuthbert's beating a depleted Rangitoto 4-1. Julia King led the way with a hat-trick.

Pukekohe drew 2-2 at home with Takapuna Grammar.

RUGBY

Auckland:

The pressure will be on MAGS when they run out in front of their home crowd for Saturday's final round-robin match against De La Salle.

MAGS have won 10-from-10 thus far this season, with four-try bonus points in every game. They beat Tamaki 31-5 after getting a hurry-up in the early stages.

Elsewhere King's booked their spot in the top four with a hard-fought 22-20 win over St Peter's in "The Cage" while Kelston bounced back from two narrow losses before the holiday break to beat De La Salle 36-9 away.

That win assured KBHS of a top-four finish and probably a home semifinal against third-placed King's.

Auckland Girls: A last-ditch rally proved decisive as Southern Cross Campus got up to win the 10-a-side championship final 36-32 over a spirited EGGS team.

It was a competitive encounter throughout with Southern Cross going ahead just two minutes from time on the urging of captain and Auckland representative Kalo Taki Taki, who rallied her team for a final effort.

Taki Taki and Makineti Hufanga were later named in the Auckland team with coaches Margaret Nena and Aiga Malo also involved.

North Harbour:

A 19-13 win over WBHS on the back of a consistent performance and last-ditch drop goal was sweet revenge for a fired-up Massey High 1st XV.

Westlake were put under pressure by Massey and their questionable decision-making led to some uncharacteristic mistakes.

In other 1A games, Orewa thumped Mahurangi 67-0 and Rosmini was held 3-3 by Takapuna at halftime but came out on top 16-13 at the final whistle.

This week's game of the round will be Orewa's fifth defence of the Woodhouse Shield against a fired-up Massey.

In 1B Glenfield continued their winning ways, thrashing Birkenhead 39-5, Northcote had a 7-5 close encounter over Long Bay and Kaipara upset Rangitoto 14-12.

Kristin comfortably defeated Whangaparaoa 23-12 and Kingsway held out Albany 14-10 in 1C action.

NZ SS Regional:

The north ruled supreme in coming from behind to win the national secondary schools regional tournament at Hamilton's St Paul's Collegiate in the school holidays.

The tournament brought together the best under-18 players from the Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes franchises along with Southern (Crusaders and Highlanders) who were also chasing selection in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team which will be named in September.

The Blues team wasted no time in taking a stranglehold over Southern in their first game, quickly jumping out to a 24-3 halftime lead. Tries to Albert Nikoro (MAGS), Mich Lam (St Peter's) and Gafatasi Su'a (MAGS), all converted by captain Bryn Hall (St Peter's). Hall also added a penalty. Although the Blues dominated much of the second half they were unable to add to their scoring, but achieved a comfortable 24-8 win against their tenacious opponents.

This won them a place in the final against the Hurricanes, the three-time defending champions who had beaten the Chiefs 27-17.

In the final Junior Tofa Va'a (KBHS) opened the scoring for the Blues with an 80m try which was converted by Hall. Hall also landed a penalty for an early 10-0 lead. The Hurricanes stormed back with two penalties and two tries to take a 16-13 halftime lead after Hall had landed a second penalty.

The Blues gained their second half ascendancy through the tactical kicking of Lam and forward dominance. Tries to Patrick Tuipulotu (St Peter's), Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Mangere College) and Jake Heenan (Whangarei BHS) reflected the control they enjoyed. Hall also added another penalty while the Hurricanes scored a solitary second half penalty as the Blues stormed home 33-19.

The 23 played in the Blues squad are now back with their respective schools in the Auckland, North Harbour and Northland unions as they chase their local championships with a view of going on to earn the right to represent the franchise in the New Zealand Top Four Secondary Schools 1st XV finals in early September.

NZ Regional Area Schools:

Central North Island won the New Zealand Area Schools tournament in Christchurch. They won all games against three other regional sides, culminating in a 29-5 win over Northland in the final.

The winning side included nine players from Mercury Bay Area School with six later selected in the NZ Area Schools representative side that will play two matches in September, against a NZ Harlequins XV and a Waikato Academy selection.

NZ Area Schools: Angus Williams, Normon Solofa, Kamura Tukerangi, Jay Johnson, Eden McLean, Regan Crosland (Mercury Bay), Aiden Behardige (Collingwood), Wa Murray (Broadwood), Willie Millar, Nathan Huddlestone (Maniototo), Gerard Bevan (Amuri), Josh Hirini, Boyd Mower (Taihape), Lani Rooney (Roxbrough), Maihera White, Mahuta Moran (Tolaga Bay), Malachai Walker (Tongariro), Ben Haerewa (Whangaparaoa), Ryan Edgerton (Tuatapere), William Duncan, Justin Bright (Rangiora).

Thames Valley:

The holiday break did nothing to slow the domination being enjoyed by Hauraki Plains College and Mercury Bay Area School.

Hauraki Plains scored 11 tries in whipping Waihi College 65-5, while Mercury Bay were just as impressive in their nine-try, 57-3 win over Paeroa College. These two leading sides meet in the match of the season on August 7.

In the third match, Thames High School beat Paeroa College 33-3.

Waikato:

Unbeaten competition leader St Peter's School continue to set the pace in the in the 1st XV competition this time with another big win - 91-0 over Fraser High.

St Peter's scored 13 unanswered tries. In a remarkable feat, fullback Jarod Mongston converted all 13 tries.

St Paul's Collegiate maintained second place on the table with a dominant win, 51-0 over Morrinsville College, scoring nine tries.

In the other matches, Cambridge HS beat Hamilton BHS 3rd XV 13-12, Matamata College and St John's College drew 15-15, while Forest View HS had the bye.

National champions Hamilton BHS continued their winning form with a 32-14 win over Napier BHS as the Super 8 competition resumed after the holiday break.

Powerful No 8 Adam Burn scored three of HBHS' six tries.

ON THE WEB www.asbcollegesport.co.nz