College sport: Final promises a classic encounter

By TERRY MADDAFORD

There will be no love lost when Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar line up for this afternoon's soccer knockout final.

The match at Kiwitea St, which starts at 3 pm, is the last chance for Auckland Grammar to ensure their cabinet is not left bare.

For Mt Albert, it is the opportunity to collect an unprecedented fourth trophy for the season. They have already won the Auckland premier league, national premier championship and the AHI Cup - soccer's equivalent of rugby's Moascar Cup - and are chasing their fourth straight knockout crown. In last month's national final in Wanganui, Mt Albert beat Auckland Grammar 2-1.

Earlier, with the Auckland league title already won, Mt Albert went down to Auckland Grammar by the same score, their only loss in school matches this season.

They also reached the last 16 in the Bluebird Chatham Cup, going down 0-3 to University Mt Wellington, who will play Central United in this month's final.

With at least half his squad set to play their last game for the school today, Mt Albert coach Kevin Fallon is hoping they can give themselves a decent sendoff.

"We have had a good season," he said. "They have done really well. In the five years we have had the soccer academy at the school, we have won the league three times, the national title twice and the knockout three times."

Spearheaded by the league's leading goalscorer, Zimbawean Lance Esson, who once played fullback for his country's schools rugby team in a win over South Africa, Mt Albert will start warm favourites.

Victory today could be part of a big week for Mt Albert. Their junior B team beat Avondale College in the final of the squash championship, the first success for the school's new squash academy.

In another Mt Albert-Auckland Grammar final, the two schools will meet in Friday's junior A squash final at the Remuera Rackets Club.

In a repeat of last year's final, Mt Albert will play Avondale College in the premier boys' basketball final - also on Friday - with Avondale chasing a third straight title.

ATHLETICS

Auckland Grammar (boys) and Howick College (girls) overcame soft underfoot conditions to emerge as the top schools in the Auckland championships at St Kentigern College.

A sound tactical race from James Elvery took him to a deserved win in the senior boys' 6km race.

Content to hang off the early pace set by Victor Vegar, of Rosmini, and Massey's Paul van der Horst - neither finished in the top six - Elvery stormed home to beat Rosmini's Joshua Rawlinson and David Patience, of Glendowie College.

Elvery gave Auckland Grammar their only individual title, but solid efforts in all grades won them all three boys six-person team titles, and overall honours.

Brothers Terenzo and Dino Bozzone gave Rangitoto College the intermediate and junior double, with Rangitoto taking the junior three-person team title.

Seon Venville, of Diocesan, took an early, if only slender, lead in the senior girls' race, but she later pulled away to beat Julia King, of Kristin School, over 4km. They were well clear of Avondale's Lena Brunkhorst.

Elizabeth Orchard, of Epsom, was unchallenged in winning the intermediate title, and Kate Campbell, of Diocesan, retained her junior title.

CYCLING

William Brown, Shaun Clements and James Baron, of Westlake BHS, retained their senior title at the Auckland mountain bike team relay championships in Woodhill Forest.

They completed 15 laps to head the strong Rangitoto College junior team, who also managed 15 laps, but finished half a lap down.

Despite winning the senior girls' title, the Epsom team of Megan Lewis, Jenna Makgill, Julia Vahry and Charlotte Wafer were upstaged by the Westlake juniors, who completed 13 laps - one more than Epsom managed - in winning the junior title.

RUGBY

Tries to New Zealand Secondary Schools sevens representatives Vince Fatu, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Tomasi Soqeta laid the foundation for Wesley College's 22-3 over old rivals Kelston BHS in the first round of the national top-32 competition.

THIS WEEK

TodayKnockout soccer final, MAGS v AGS, Kiwitea St 3 pm.

Friday Premier basketball league finals, YMCA Stadium, Pitt St, girls (6 pm), boys (7.30 pm). Boys squash finals, Remuera Rackets Club, from 4 pm.

SaturdayRugby top 32, Wesley v Rosmini, Wesley 1 pm; St Kentigern v St Paul's Collegiate, St Kentigern, midday.

Sunday Auckland cycling time trial finals, Tamaki Drive (city end) from 7.30 am.