College sport: Fresh talent shines at cycling trials

Rangitoto College's Davin Mahmud battles to a 21-20 badminton win over Westlake BHS's Si Young Yoo. Photo / Greg Bowker

The success of New Zealand cyclists on the international stage continues to be reflected at the grassroots level.

The first of seven rounds in the annual winter series of the Avantiplus-sponsored time trials on the Auckland waterfront again underlined the value of the keenly contested races in producing future stars.

Despite the economic gloom and the high costs associated with the sport, cycling remains one of the boom sports on the Auckland schools calendar with entries over the four grades up by 17.6 per cent this year to 120 teams.

In far from ideal conditions, one record was broken, another just survived and, encouragingly, there was at least one challenger to the more traditional front-runners.

Sacred Heart, back in eighth place in the junior boy's category a year ago, surprised many with their winning effort on Sunday morning. They beat favoured Auckland Grammar by 4secs with the top two teams from Macleans College next best. The four teams finished within 27secs of each other.

In recording 23m 28.1s, Sacred Heart were almost 2min outside the record set by AGS last year but showed by the time of the last round that mark may well be under threat.

The Diocesan team broke the five-year-old record in the senior girls with a stunning ride of 23m 19.8s to shave almost 11secs from the record set by their 2004 team.

There was almost cause for a double celebration as the Diocesan juniors recorded 24m 30.1s to miss the record of 24m 30.0s set in 2005 by the barest possible margin.

The senior boy's record set by AGS last year survived but seems certain to be challenged before the season is over.

In another close contest, WBHS recorded 20m 52.6s to pip AGS (20m 59.4s) and St Kentigern (21m 02.0s) in a 34-team field. The record stands at 20m 06.7s. The second round is on Sunday week.

BASKETBALL

There was plenty to celebrate for the Onehunga High School boys after their round two match on Friday night.

In their first premier home match - played at the Sir William Jordan Recreation Centre - Onehunga beat Kelston BHS 94-85.

The visitors scored the first points but that lead was short-lived as Onehunga forged ahead by nine after the first quarter. Led by Christoph Fahrenson, KBHS clawed their way back to within a point in the second quarter as both teams had crucial players in foul trouble.

Stacey Ili led the charge for Onehunga in the third quarter as they stretched their lead to 12.

With a number of players fouled out in the final quarter, Onehunga found an unlikely hero in MVP Chris Ofonoa who is better known as a lock for the school's first rugby XV and had never played basketball before.

Onehunga, led by 35 points from Ili, went on to win 94-85 with Tariq Hassif the standout for the visitors with 22 points.

AGS turned in an encouraging effort to beat Papakura 92-64.

Led by a strong early game from James Armstrong, AGS were always in control. Rueben Te Rangi led the scoring with 22 points with good support from Matt Loulanting (19) and Equator Fitisemanu (11). They were upstaged by Papakura's Thomas Roberts who scored 26 points and their MVP award.

Perennial front-runners WBHS and Rangitoto reached the "ton" with their 107-64 and 100-41 wins over MAGS and Dilworth respectively.

Despite an outstanding 32 points from Mesha Blair, Massey High could only manage 41 points in going down 61-41 to AGGS for whom Caitlyn Tuala scored 20 points.

With Ashleigh Kelman-Poto leading the way with 18 points and taking the MVP, MAGS beat Northcote 71-55.

Rangitoto were too strong for Diocesan winning 79-50 and Avondale dominated EGGS 84-34.

RUGBY

AUCKLAND
MAGS bounced back from their first-up loss to KBHS with a runaway 47-0 win over St Kentigern to get their season on track.

MAGS opened the scoring when Louis Devery ran 30 metres and fended off five would-be tacklers to score. That set the platform and by halftime the visitors were out to a handy 28-0 lead.

Seven tries in all were scored, including one for man of the match Milford Keresoma.

Sacred Heart are protesting their 17-10 loss to AGs. The referee blew time on with only the home team ready to play, giving Sacred Heart an unopposed converted try and a 7-0 lead which was overturned.

KBHS made it two-from-two with a hard-fought 10-3 home win over St Peters. The visitors led 3-0 at halftime, the points coming from a penalty by NZ under-17 halfback Bryn Hall.

After missing two early penalties in the second half, KBHS went ahead with a try to Michael Pouhila. Solomona Paraki Uitime added the extra points and completed the scoring with a late penalty.

Tamaki dominated the first half against St Pauls and went to the break 17-6 ahead. Viliami Fonua and Henry Mahe scored early tries for Tamaki. St Pauls replied with two penalties but were dealt a blow just before halftime when Paea Ahokava scored and James Mata converted for a handy 17-6 lead. Late tries to Sam Finau and Sam Siaki got Tamaki home.

NORTH HARBOUR
The annual school versus school day, in which teams through the grades are matched against the same schools as the 1st XV teams, produced some exciting rugby.

Many of the games were those deemed as "traditional", including the always keenly contested battle between neighbours Westlake BHS and Rosmini College.

The rematch of last season's grand final was no free-flowing try-scoring romp with all points coming from the boot as Rosmini beat WBHS 12-3.

In the end three Gareth Anscombe penalties and a 40-metre Rodrigo Costa drop goal earned Rosmini their points.

Westlake halfback and their man of the match Jacob Botica closed the gap to 6-3 with his 21st-minute penalty but that was their lot.

Rosmini also won the 3rd and 6th grade matches but WBHS had the greater success with wins in seven other matches.

The northern battle between Mahurangi and Orewa was not as close, with Orewa picking up a bonus point in scoring five tries en route to their 29-3 win.

Left wing Sean Campbell led the way with a hat-trick of tries for Orewa who led just 5-3 at halftime, with Campbell dotting down and promising first-five Brad Moka kicking Mahurangi's solitary penalty.

With the elements in their favour, Orewa raced away in the second half.

Massey trailed Takapuna GS 5-7 at the break but stormed home to win 19-12. With Troy Stirling again controlling play from first-five, Massey ran in three tries - all scored by inside backs - as Stirling, second-five Sam Aolele and centre Mark Peteru Sepu all crossed the TGS line.

Lock William Godfrey scored a first half try for TGS with Ben Blucher adding the conversion to give them the early advantage.

Matthew Schmidt finished off one strong second-half foray by TGS with their second try.

After a 0-0 first half, Rangitoto poured on the second-half pressure to beat Northcote 22-0 but failed to score the vital fourth try.

Tries were scored by halfback William McLean, hooker Sam Rau and wing Kyle Bellars, with Scott Thomas adding two conversions and a penalty.

The 1B matches too were loose affairs with only Glenfield, 34-12 winners over Kaipara, picking up a bonus point.

Two tries each for captain and centre Elias Sila and second-five Apoala Tea laid the platform for Glenfield who also had tries from lock Patuki Tairua and hooker Emmanuel.

SOCCER

A second Pomare Te Anau hat-trick in as many games paved the way for a comfortable 4-0 away win for MAGS over Macleans in their senior A1 match.

MAGS needed 31 minutes before taking the lead when Dakota Lucas lashed in a cross from the left and Te Anau was on hand to sweep home. Six minutes later Lucas combined cleverly with Tom Boss to score again. A third goal, to complete Te Anau's hat-trick early in the second half, made it safe and allowed coach Kevin Fallon to make substitutions.

The scoring was completed by Faitalia Hamilton, celebrating his first goal of the season.

AGS bounced back from their first-round loss to beat near neighbours St Peters 4-1 after St Peters had capitalised on a defensive blunder to take the early lead.

A penalty from Aaron Bawdecker had the teams level 1-1 at halftime but three second-half goals sealed it for the home team. Kelly Martin scored twice early in the second spell before Simon Harrison completed the scoring.

WBHS joined MAGS at the top of the table with a 3-0 home win over Rangitoto College.

www.asbcollegesport.co.nz