KEY POINTS:
Difficult conditions on the back nine at The Grange Golf Club cost some of the leading contenders any hope in the Auckland Secondary School strokeplay championships on Monday.
While many of the top boys struggled to post a low score, Larissa Eruera (St Cuthbert's) found few such terrors, firing a one-under par 71 to take the girls' title by a stroke from Hayley Clinning of King's.
The expected challenge from low handicapper Rica Tse (Kristin) fell away on the back nine as she fired three-over 41 for an 18-hole score of 78.
The boys' title was won in a play-off by Ben Kendall (Avondale) who edged Simon Brownlee (Whangaparaoa) after both had shot even-par 69 to head Tremaine Jonas (Wentworth) by a stroke.
Defending champion Scott McAlpine was one who found trouble on the back nine. After an even-par 34 on the front nine, he had two double-bogeys as he shot a seven-over 41 coming home. His 75 was two shots better than another favourite, Seve Ha.
Todd Baek (Orewa), another expected to show out, managed 76.
BASKETBALL
WBHS continued their winning start to the premier competition but were again made to work hard by a plucky MAGS side who were only 10 points away in losing 67-57 and had the satisfaction of winning the last quarter.
Liam Munday and Luka Kablar, 14 points each, were the leading Westlake scorers but were over-shadowed by Jason Goodwin who picked 15 points for MAGS. Munday and Zane Moore (MAGS) were adjudged the MVPs.
AGS, left without star player Patrice Bolstead, who departed for the US late last week, slumped to their first loss, going down 74-57 to Rangitoto College in a hard-fought but fair contest which left several players nursing minor injuries.
MVP Marko Alexander led the scoring for Rangitoto with 21 - one more than AGS MVP Paul Organ.
Papakura, led by George Byrt's 25 points, beat Northcote 101-67, thanks largely to strong mid-court defence.
Miah Maka led the way for Dilworth in their 64-56 win over KBHS in the closest game of the second round.
The Rangitoto girls completed their second win, 68-49 over EGGS, with Hope Thompson taking the top-scoring and MVP honours while Aleesha Coulter did the same for EGGS.
Led by 29 points from Jordan Hunter and with Maddie Drinkhall showing out as their most valuable, St Kentigern stormed back from 1-14 in the first quarter to beat AGGS 65-63 in a cliff-hanger. Tyla Tariau led the scoring for AGGS with 21.
Massey, with 23 points from Mesha Blair, beat Manurewa 101-34, while Northcote beat Avondale 64-54 to join Rangitoto as the only team with a perfect start to their season.
CYCLING
Given near-perfect conditions - aside from the idiot who sprinkled drawing pins on the road - the top schools wasted no time in showing race records will come under attack in time-trial racing on the Auckland waterfront this winter.
In Sunday's first of the seven races which make up the series, three of the four winning teams were within 16s of their respective records.
The AGS senior boys came closest. Their winning 20m 48.6s was just 5.6s outside the record 20m 43s set by St Kentigern in 2004. They were pushed all the way by the strong WBHS quintet who finished less than 5s back.
Auckland Grammar underlined their depth as their second team stormed home in third place.
The St Kentigern junior boys were only 7.2s outside the record set by their 2004 team as they too forced WBHS back to second ahead of the second St Kentigern team who finished third.
In winning the senior girls' race, Diocesan clocked 23m 46.9s - less than 16s outside the record their school set four years ago. Dio clinched the double with their junior team first home but well outside their record of last year.
RUGBY
St Paul's College continued their strong start to the season with a second win - 28-20 over Tamaki College - to have them mixing it with two of the 1st XV championship favourites, MAGS and WBHS.
Led by outstanding first-five Tutone Fungavaka, who kicked six penalties, a dropped goal and converted Nigel Munif's late try in the corner, St Paul's built on their halftime lead to win well against a spirited Tamaki side.
Mt Albert Grammar retained their unbeaten run against St Kentigern stretching back to 2001 with a hard-fought 21-12 win at home after leading 7-5 at halftime.
Trailing 0-5, MAGS went ahead late in the first spell when Milford Keresoma scored wide out and Carl Perry added the extras. The visitors hit back early in the second spell to regain the lead with a converted try before MAGS stormed home with tries to Kimami Sitauti and Willis Halaholo which Rocky Khan converted.
KBHS stayed in touch at the top of the table with their 22-12 win at St Peter's while De La Salle bounced back from their first-up loss to MAGS to beat King's 16-10.
AGS found home advantage was not enough as they lost 26-21 to Sacred Heart despite a 13-8 lead at halftime.
The visitors scored an early try to which AGS replied with one of their own scored by Gowan Duff. A second try, by George Maka, coupled with an Ali Hitchcock penalty, gave the home time their lead at the break.
Sacred Heart, upset by St Paul's in round one, then took control and went out to a 23-16 lead with 10 minutes to play. Fullback Chris Landon gave the home side hope when he dived over to score and close the gap to two points, which was stretched to five with the last kick of the game - a long-range penalty after a ruck infringement.
SOCCER
There is already a familiar look to the top of the senior A1 table with old foes MAGS and AGS already on course for another season-long battle.
Led by a first-half Dakota Lucas hat-trick, defending champions MAGS surged to the top with a 7-0 home win over King's after leading 4-0 at halftime. With an eye to Sunday's Chatham Cup game, coach Kevin Fallon made two substitutions with Lucas replaced by Karlo Pavic who eventually completed the rout with the last goal. In between, Mark Withers scored two and Adam Cowen one.
AGS too made it two-from-two with their come-from-behind 4-2 win over a spirited Rangitoto side who are better than their two losses might suggest. Sadly, this key game was played without an official referee after United Soccer One's refusal to appoint match officials to school matches in their federation's region.
After Rangitoto had snatched the lead midway through the first half, visiting AGS hit back with Tim Myers heading home a Lance Heslop corner. Anton Yee then put AGS ahead for the first time when he pounced on a goalkeeping error. The home side continued to battle and were rewarded with an equaliser before the break.
The scores remained locked 2-2 until the 70th minute when Jacob Mathews, in his first game for seven months, slotted a penalty for 3-2. A second Myers header sealed the win.
For MAGS it was a week, rather five days, to savour.
They beat Waiheke HS 19-0 midweek in first-round Knockout Cup action - Lucas scoring four and Withers and Cowen three each - followed that with the win over King's and completed their work with a 6-0 win over Western Springs in a first round proper Chatham Cup outing. In 270 minutes, MAGS scored 32 goals and conceded none.
Their efforts were complemented by their junior team who beat Waitakere College 6-0 in the first round of their Knockout Cup competition. The AGS junior team opened their cup campaign with a 10-2 win over Otahuhu College.
* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz
