College sport: Grammar smash three year losing streak

Villiami Rerasea from Sacred Heart tries to escape Kings College defenders during his side's 23-3 win. Photo / Natalie Slade

The old adage "if at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again" has rung true for the waterpolo team at Auckland Girls' Grammar.

Theirs was a sorry tale riddled with some embarrassing one-sided losses. That is, until Sunday night when they snapped a three-year losing streak with a 7-3 win over Northcote College.

It was only in the senior B grade - the lowest of the senior competition - but a win is a win no matter what and they had something to celebrate.

That they needed some ring-ins to do it, including a couple of players who had never played before and another playing her first game of the season, made it an even greater achievement.

AGGS director of sport Christo Peters, who landed the coaching job after American Grant LeBeau moved on, was rapt with the win.

"It was all the sweeter because two of the parents who had watched their girls go through the school had never seen them win a game," said Peters.

"We have won the senior title five times in the past - between 1974 and 1981 but not since.

"Cost is a real issue. We could not afford to train in a proper pool in 2010 so had to use our uncovered school pool which is only waist-deep. This year, with some funding from KiwiSport, we have been able to use the pool at Epsom Girls' Grammar once a week. That has made a big difference."

With their school pool now a deepening shade of green they had to move elsewhere.

"In addition to the trainings at EGGS, our girls have taken swimming lessons two or three times a week, even turning up at 7 o'clock in the morning early in the season to swim in our frightfully cold school pool."

After starting the season with a 20-0 drubbing from St Marys and losing by double figures to TGS, Rangitoto and Carmel, AGGS finally turned it around with Sunday's win against the Northcote team who had sneaked home 8-7 in their clash earlier in the season.

"The amazing thing is that for all but two of the girls, waterpolo is not their main sport. The twins - Kayla and Leilani Fuemana - have shone out as players with some ability.

"Leilani scored six of our seven goals on Sunday. Kayla plays goalkeeper in our first soccer XI and got rave reviews at last year's tournament. She is also in our premier netball team."

With more than half the team in years 9 and 10, Peters is hoping he will be able to put together a team for the term four junior competition for the first time in a decade.

BASKETBALL
Hit by a blitz of six three-pointers in the opening quarter, promoted St Kentigern were never in it as AGS, cheered on by a large and vocal crowd, ran out comfortable 111-68 winners in their premier boys' clash.

Reuben Te Rangi (28 points), Josh Young (23) and Nipuna Mohottige controlled the offence, while Mark Kelly was the dominant rebounder as he capped a fine all-round game with a haul of 17 points.

The visitors could take some heart from the performance of their captain Tyrone Garrett, who was a constant offensive threat with his 28 points. Adam Carter (13) was also strong when driving to the basket.

GYMSPORTS
Macleans and St Kentigern dominated the levels grades at the Auckland SS aerobics championships.

Greer Ritchie won level one 12-14 years with a high difficulty score of nine, edging fellow St Kentigern rival Julia Woolf.

The level two 12-14 years' contest was won by Emma Hanley (St Kentigern) from Georgia Hanley (Macleans).

Level one 15-18 years was won by Bianca Potter (EGGS) from Courtney Sloane (Macleans).

Danon Driscoll (Macleans) successfully moved from third in level one a year ago to claim the level two 15-18 years' title this year. Madison Davis finished second.

Level three was dominated by Macleans with Kellen Dalton beating Cara Wright.

Junior A was won by Jessie Fromont who took the Junior B title last year.

Laura Furse and Payton Woodmass had the crowd on the edge of their seats with high-energy performances. Furse comfortably took the honours.

In the rhythmic competition at Kings, Baradene's Yena Jang took international grade honours with strong performances in the hoop and ball. Jang won with 54.7 points to edge Amberley Tancock (WGHS).

Kelly McDonald (Kings) had the highest score in the clubs and was third overall.

Emily Griffiths (Macleans) took club A honours with a total of 51.5 and a high 17.8 with the ball. Tracey Danbrook (Sancta Maria) won the club B competition with consistent performances across her two routines.

HOCKEY
Ben Horne's starring role for their cricket team has spilled over to Kings' hockey first XI.

Horne scored twice in his team's 4-0 win over Avondale College as the defending champions made it two-from-two at the start of the new season.

Kings wasted no time in taking the lead after forcing a penalty corner in the opening minute. Horne was just as quick in smashing the ball home to score the only goal of the opening spell.

He repeated the effort in the first two minutes of the second spell. That lead was increased when Kim Kingston sneaked one past the Avondale goalkeeper who was on the ground after making an initial outstanding save.

Cameron Gibbons scored the fourth as Kings picked up the points and took their for and against record to 17-0 after just two rounds.

In the girls' open A championship promoted MRGS picked up a point in playing out a scoreless draw with Diocesan's second XI.

Both teams had equal opportunities in the first half which included a spectacular save from Mt Roskill's goalkeeper Raagini Vijaykumar.

Captain Alana Miller showed her skill in the MRGS midfield, working her way through the opposition before sending the ball to Amelia Cooper who beat three defenders only to have her goal-scoring chance snuffed out by Rachel Mataira.

MAGS fought back from 2-3 down at halftime to beat Kings 4-3 away in their enthralling girls' open A match.

RUGBY

AUCKLAND
Against many predictions, Sacred Heart overpowered Kings 23-3 in the 1A match of the round to join defending champions MAGS, St Kentigern and AGS as the only unbeaten teams after two rounds.

Sacred Heart's emphatic win allowed them to take the coveted Fitzpatrick/Kirkpatrick Cup back across town for the first time since 2000. Based on a strong forward effort and expertly guided around the field by first-five and captain Jack Halpin, Sacred Heart led 10-3 at halftime. Halpin bagged all the points with a try, conversion and penalty. A Simon Hickey penalty was all Kings had to show for their first 35 minutes.

In the second half Halpin added two penalties to extend the lead to 16-3. Big Fijian lock Villiami Rerasea then raced 25 metres to score beside the posts.

MAGS, 59-8 winners away to Onehunga High, scored their second big win in as many weeks as they began where they left off last season with another bonus point triumph.

Tries in quick succession to Damon Niko and blindside flanker Tain Lam, and with Jarrod McAlister-Poi adding the extras, soon had MAGS 19-0 ahead.

They stretched that to 31-3 by the break as Stewart, with his second, and Shaun Devine crossed.

For the defending champions attention now turns to Saturday's first home game of the season and the televised battle with KBHS in a game in which the Moascar Cup will be at stake.

Kelston warmed up for that key clash with a hard-fought 24-10 home win over Tamaki College.

AGS, hit by the loss of two competition points and the suspension of a player at the mid-week judicial, held off a late comeback from De La Salle to claim a 20-15 home win.

In the biggest win of the round, St Kentigern walloped Tangaroa 62-0 at St Kentigern.

NORTH HARBOUR
In one of the most anticipated clashes of the season and with the Woodhouse Shield at stake, Rosmini hosted, and eventually beat, defending champions WBHS 23-22.

The neighbours were separated by just three points midway through the first half as Westlake's Brady Page landed two penalties and Rosmini's Ben Hyatt-Brown one.

But Rosmini's persistent running attack paid off as Hyatt-Brown, who scored all of his team's points, ran in an easy try. Westlake struggled to repel Rosmini but managed to hold the hosts to a halftime 11-9 lead.

Going into the final quarter Westlake, down 17-9, rallied and captain Sam Quinn beat his marker to score. Westlake's fighting spirit was evident as, with time up, they charged Rosmini's line and were rewarded with an excellent Ben Bugg try which took them within a point of the home team.

In other 1A fixtures, Massey predictably beat Orewa 50-12, TGS thumped Rangitoto 51-6 and newly promoted Glenfield edged Mahurangi 20-13.

In 1B, leaders Whangaparaoa beat Hato Petera 31-12, Kristin edged KingsWay 15-0, Long Bay defeated Kaipara 22-5 and Northcote comfortably beat Birkenhead 34-7 for the Stott Cup. Toby Hurley

SOCCER
The match of the round lived up to expectations as AGS battled their way back to snatch a 2-2 draw against 10-man Sacred Heart at Auckland Grammar.

Sacred Heart weathered the early storm and after 21 minutes broke the deadlock when Tim Payne scored after running on to a well-angled through ball from Steven Carmichael.

AGS equalised 20 minutes later when Luke Adams cashed in on a defensive error by rising high to meet a long-range free kick and head past Jake Carcaterra in goal.

Their joy was short-lived, however, as the visitors pressured the AGS goal and close to halftime Ben Thomas rose to a beautifully weighted delivery from Carmichael to head his team back into the lead.

Elsewhere, MAGS beat KBHS 2-1 - their second away win by that margin in the opening rounds of the season - and St Kentigern won 3-1 at Rangitoto.

MAGS were largely dominant in the opening 15 minutes at Kelston.

But it was the home team who had the first opportunity to score when striker Cody Humphreys out-sped both MAGS central defenders. His fourth minute attempt trickled past MAGS goalkeeper Patrick George who was stranded in no man's land on the edge of the penalty area.

Possession-wise though, the visitors were dominant and that translated into the first goal in the 21st minute when Alex Ridsdale skipped around three Kelston defenders inside the penalty area and squared the ball to fellow under-17 international Jordan Vale who made no mistake from close range.

MAGS cashed in with a golden moment in the 40th minute when Joseph Dan Tyrell delivered a pinpoint cross from wide to Ridsdale who timed his header to perfection guiding it back to the near post and beyond Hirst's reach.

After blowing chances early in the second half, MAGS were stunned when, against the run of play, Kelston scored in the 65th minute.

MAGS survived the remaining minutes to collect the points and the early competition lead.

Coach Kevin Fallon was happy with his team's two well-taken goals.

"We have worked hard on delivery into the box and timing of runs," said Fallon.

"Today it paid off."

SPECTATORS WARNED

ASB College Sport chief executive Manoj Daji has acted quickly to remind spectators and reserve players of the consequences of entering the field of play.

Following a "small incident" at a league match between Howick College and Destiny School last week, Daji has taken points from both schools.

"Please note the ASSHA bylaws clearly stipulate that any spectator, coach, manager or reserve player reported by a match referee/umpire to have entered the field of play uninvited at any secondary school fixture will face disciplinary action including sanctions such as the stripping of match points of the team the offender belongs to," Daji said.

"It is not a huge issue at this stage but we want to make our position clear.

"Incidents like that can lead to something far more serious and we want to stop it before it happens."

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