College sport: Auckland superiority fades in finals

Auckland schools had a fair deal of success in national championships played over the holidays but fell at the last hurdle in a couple of sports they might have been expected to win.

In the biggest surprise, the all-conquering MAGS netball team was pipped in the final of their championship in Timaru.

In cycling, Auckland schools showed out but without being completely dominant at their national championships.

WBHS made certain of another national basketball title with a convincing 76-53 win over Hamilton's Fraser High but fifth, by MAGS, was the best an Auckland team could manage in the girl's championship.

Attention now reverts to the summer sporting programme with the senior cricketers back in action from this weekend. With end-of-year examinations looming, junior sporting events largely dominate in term four.

The highlight though comes on December 12-13 with the NZSS track and field and road race championships in Timaru.

CURLING

There were early starts (from 6am) and long days but New Zealand's best young curlers turned on the excitement in their national championships at Avondale's Paradice Rink.

In girl's action the EGGS team led by Jina Kwon and including Sam Leon, Alice Akaoka and Suzie Yang proved far too strong for the Massey High team of Joshua Lawrence, Michael Garelja, Barnaby Flavell-Chitty and Yvan Grotius.

Massey started strongly by scoring two on the first end but then EGGS took charge and went on to score two on the second and steal the remaining six ends for a final score of 13-2.

The feature match was played on sheet C between the two top-ranked teams with the top boy's team of Team Sargon (KBHS) up against the top girl's team of EGGS Team Farley. EGGS raced to an early 4-0 lead but after six ends it was tied up.

An exchange of singles on the next two ends left it tied after the regulation eight ends. EGGS had the hammer (last rock advantage) and used it to great advantage to sneak past a Kelston front stone and draw the button for the win.

CYCLING

Christchurch cyclist Josh Atkins showed the benefit of his international experience to take out the Rabobank NZSS road cycling championships in Feilding.

Atkins, a member of the national team at the recent Junior World Track Championships, used his track speed to out-sprint rivals to take out the 50km under-20 title. The Canterbury rider had his share of tribulations when he dropped a chain on the hill section on his final lap. He fixed the mechanical issue and rode strongly to catch back on to the peleton before out-kicking Karl Drury (Hamilton BHS) and Daniel Smith (Sacred Heart) for the victory.

A sprint finish also decided the under-20 girls' race over two laps of the testing 16.6km course with strong winds adding to the challenge. Diocesan followed their dominant performance in the team time trial when Amelia Wilkinson claimed the win in 55m 42s from the Villa Maria pair from Christchurch, Cara Smith and Haley Mercer.

Daniel Poole (AGS) and Maddie Dillon (Kristin) won the under-17 honours.

St Kentigern edged their more favoured rivals to claim the team time trial honours in Levin. Auckland schools dominated the 41st Sir Bernard Fergusson team time trials, winning all six age groups in near perfect conditions with only 3s separating the first three teams in the under-20 boys.

There were record entries for the championships with 620 riders and 120 teams from 89 schools contesting the three-day event.

NETBALL

It was another heart-breaker for Paula Smith and her MAGS team.

Playing at their sixth successive championships, MAGS repeated their 2008 effort in finishing second. After pushing all the way, they were beaten by Palmerston North's Tu Toa College. Coached by Yvette McClausland-Durie, Tu Toa leapt from fifth place a year earlier to win 34-33 and celebrate a first victory in their fifth appearance at the finals in as many years. MAGS mid-courter Portia Woodman was named the player of the tournament.

* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz