College sport: AGS heading to softball nationals

Jordan Hurinui helped his Auckland Grammar School team to a 6-1 win. Photo / Kenny Rodger

In these days not too many people are keen on giving up their Saturday for sport.Alex Bing, Auckland Grammar School coachSoftball has had some rocky times at Auckland Grammar School but now, for the first time, they are headed to the national secondary school championships with next-door neighbours St Peter's College.

In the days when Henry Cooper ruled the central city school, softball, played at AGS from the 1940s, was given the flick. Cricket was the only summer sport for Cooper and his school.

Incumbent head John Morris saw it differently and the sport has returned with Alex Bing doing the coaching for the past dozen or so years.

"I'm not too surprised we are making progress," said Bing, who is also a dab hand at coaching rugby teams as his efforts at the school and, before that [from 1975-86] at Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) attests. Cricket is struggling. Only the traditional aspect and parent support is keeping it going.

"In these days not too many people are keen on giving up their Saturday for sport."

Bing is delighted with the standard shown by the players in the AGS senior and junior softball teams.

"And not just here," said Bing. "The MAGS team we played on Monday could be a very good team. All they need is a decent coach. Like many of their players, most of the boys at AGS also play baseball for club teams.

"As an example, Jackson Prime who pitches for us also pitches for North Harbour while our two catchers have also represented New Zealand at baseball at under-16 level."

St Peter's College has been the traditional stronghold of school softball in Auckland. Now that superiority is under threat with Avondale College, Sacred Heart and AGS, among others, all showing out as more than useful opposition.

For lower order AGS batter Tom Davies, the 6-1 win over MAGS at Warren Freer Park was a dream come true.

Batting at No8, Davies whacked the ball out of the park for a grand slam home run and a game-breaking lead in the second innings after the game was locked 0-0 after both teams completed their first at bat.

Davies' heroics steered AGS to 4-0 at the bottom of the second and they increased that to 5-0 in the third after MAGS lost pitcher Te Ahu Manuel to a shoulder injury.

Connor McLean gave MAGS a glimmer of hope with his fourth innings home run but that was their lot.

Prime and shortstop Jordan Hurinui showed out for AGS while second baseman Teila Faumuina did a good job for MAGS.

SWIMMING

Welcome to the rough and tumble world of open water swimming. Rangitoto College seventh former Alannah Jury copped plenty but held her composure to upstage the Aussie upstarts in the Australian Championships earning herself a ticket to July's 13th Fina World Swimming Championships in Italy.

Jury, a Year 13 pupil at the country's biggest school and in her first full season of open water competition, finished third in the 10km championship held at Penrith on Saturday. But not without some problems.

With the race a selection event for both countries, the hosts were in no mood for charity, especially as a New Zealander finishing in the top four would cost them one world championship spot.

Jury, 17, had to call on all her powers of recovery after being walloped by two locals who were yellow-carded for swimming over the plucky Kiwi at the start of the last lap.

After being forced to stop swimming, Jury recovered strongly to finish just 6 seconds behind silver medallist Danielle DeFrancesco who trailed home winner Melissa Gorman who finished 15th in the open water race at last year's Beijing Olympics.

There was little time for Jury to reflect as she flew home on Sunday and yesterday was back in the pool at the NZ Age Group Championships in Wellington.

TRIATHLON

More than 400 triathletes tested themselves in the first event of the year. Blessed with perfect, overcast conditions, the honours were shared in the popular team tag (three-person) competition in which all competitors had to swim, cycle and run.

Making the most of their home course - the first triathlon held at the school - St Kentigern won two of the three mixed grades and finished second in the third.

AGS dominated the boys' grades winning the senior race (in which they also finished second) and the intermediate grade. They missed the trifecta when beaten by St Kentigern in the junior race.

WAKA AMA

The paddlers were kept ashore - with many other hopefuls in a variety of sports - last Saturday as the shocking weather ruled out in racing at the Orakei Basin.

Organiser Lara Collins, as frustrated as anyone, has rescheduled the regatta for Saturday.

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"In these days not too many people are keen on giving up their Saturday for sport."

Bing is delighted with the standard shown by the players in the AGS senior and junior softball teams.

"And not just here," said Bing. "The MAGS team we played on Monday could be a very good team. All they need is a decent coach. Like many of their players, most of the boys at AGS also play baseball for club teams.

"As an example, Jackson Prime who pitches for us also pitches for North Harbour while our two catchers have also represented New Zealand at baseball at under-16 level."

St Peter's College has been the traditional stronghold of school softball in Auckland. Now that superiority is under threat with Avondale College, Sacred Heart and AGS, among others, all showing out as more than useful opposition.

For lower order AGS batter Tom Davies, the 6-1 win over MAGS at Warren Freer Park was a dream come true.

Batting at No8, Davies whacked the ball out of the park for a grand slam home run and a game-breaking lead in the second innings after the game was locked 0-0 after both teams completed their first at bat.

Davies' heroics steered AGS to 4-0 at the bottom of the second and they increased that to 5-0 in the third after MAGS lost pitcher Te Ahu Manuel to a shoulder injury.

Connor McLean gave MAGS a glimmer of hope with his fourth innings home run but that was their lot.

Prime and shortstop Jordan Hurinui showed out for AGS while second baseman Teila Faumuina did a good job for MAGS.

SWIMMING

Welcome to the rough and tumble world of open water swimming. Rangitoto College seventh former Alannah Jury copped plenty but held her composure to upstage the Aussie upstarts in the Australian Championships earning herself a ticket to July's 13th Fina World Swimming Championships in Italy.

Jury, a Year 13 pupil at the country's biggest school and in her first full season of open water competition, finished third in the 10km championship held at Penrith on Saturday. But not without some problems.

With the race a selection event for both countries, the hosts were in no mood for charity, especially as a New Zealander finishing in the top four would cost them one world championship spot.

Jury, 17, had to call on all her powers of recovery after being walloped by two locals who were yellow-carded for swimming over the plucky Kiwi at the start of the last lap.

After being forced to stop swimming, Jury recovered strongly to finish just 6 seconds behind silver medallist Danielle DeFrancesco who trailed home winner Melissa Gorman who finished 15th in the open water race at last year's Beijing Olympics.

There was little time for Jury to reflect as she flew home on Sunday and yesterday was back in the pool at the NZ Age Group Championships in Wellington.

TRIATHLON

More than 400 triathletes tested themselves in the first event of the year. Blessed with perfect, overcast conditions, the honours were shared in the popular team tag (three-person) competition in which all competitors had to swim, cycle and run.

Making the most of their home course - the first triathlon held at the school - St Kentigern won two of the three mixed grades and finished second in the third.

AGS dominated the boys' grades winning the senior race (in which they also finished second) and the intermediate grade. They missed the trifecta when beaten by St Kentigern in the junior race.

WAKA AMA

The paddlers were kept ashore - with many other hopefuls in a variety of sports - last Saturday as the shocking weather ruled out in racing at the Orakei Basin.

Organiser Lara Collins, as frustrated as anyone, has rescheduled the regatta for Saturday.

* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz