KEY POINTS:
Home advantage was not enough for Auckland Grammar as they went down 3-1 to old rivals MAGS in another tense scrap between the two teams which have dominated Auckland, and often New Zealand, secondary schools soccer for years.
AGS ended the day with a one-point lead atop the A1 table, but MAGS, with two games in hand, are poised to claim the championship.
St Peters, in the only other top-grade match, charged into the top three with a 2-0 away win over hapless Macleans but with Macleans having played two fewer games than St Peters, those positions could again change.
MAGS needed 22 minutes to open the scoring against AGS when, from a short corner, Pomare Te Anau slipped the ball past AGS goalkeeper Ernest Wong. Three minutes later, a clearing kick from MAGS goalkeeper Patrick George was flicked on to Dakota Lucas by Mark Withers. Lucas out-sped the square AGS defence to score.
Six minutes before halftime Lucas nailed his second with a powerful shot which capped a fine move and left Wong with no chance of stopping.
The home side clawed a goal back on the hour when Jacob Mathews drove a freekick into the defensive wall and then was first to react in pouncing on the rebound and volleying past George in the MAGS goal.
Macleans were always up against it in their home game with St Peters. The hosts lost two players early in the game as they collided and had to leave the field but even so they managed to battle well and it was not until the 28th minute the visitors went ahead 1-0.
Rory Kelly provided the cross and Nathanael Hailemariam the finish.
After having two goals ruled out by offside calls, St Peters, with strong games from captain Parusi Lemalu and Catalin Onc, made it safe with a late Hailemariam goal.
With the matches between KBHS and Rangitoto, and Kings and WBHS postponed, nine outstanding A1 games remain to be played.
The A2 race is set to go to the wire with St Kentigern and Sacred Heart separated by just two points with four games to play.
BASKETBALL
North Harbour schools continue their domination of the premier boys and girls championships, holding the top two spots in both competitions.
WBHS, following their hard-fought 71-59 win over Dilworth, lead Rangitoto by two points. Led by top goalscorer Marko Alexander (42 points), Rangitoto won another keenly-fought game 91-85 over Papakura, with Hina Farrow leading the way for the South Aucklanders.
In a bottom-of-the-table battle, Northcote, led by their man-of-the-match Cory Tagaloa, edged AGS 75-73, with Matt Loulanting showing out for AGS, who are now only four points off the bottom of the table.
Rangitoto swamped fifth-placed St Kentigern 125-25 to maintain their three-point lead over Northcote at the top of the girls' championship. Jocelyn Tini led the scoring and claimed the MVP for Rangitoto, while Kate Tojarty claimed both honours for St Kentigern.
In the key match-up, Northcote beat Massey 92-74 to move into second place, leaving Massey and AGGS - who beat EGGS 75-39 - in joint third, three points back.
LAWN BOWLS
Experience won the day in the keenly-contested Counties pairs.
After largely one-sided semifinals and finals, honours were shared.
Melissa Fok and Lauren Muldrew (Papatoetoe) were too strong for Alfriston's relative newcomers Chantel Bell and Ngaire Corbett, winning the final 20-4 in a field of 12 teams.
The boy's championship attracted 13 teams, with Pukekohe's experienced Bevan Beckham and Matthew Pulman taking that title 14-6 from Papakura brothers Ben and Brad Laughton.
RUGBY
AUCKLAND
MAGS bounced back from their first loss of the season to beat St Peters 20-7 to ensure top spot in the round-robin and an August 16 home semifinal.
While second-placed De La Salle are also assured of a semifinal spot, they are not guaranteed a home game.
Other top-four spots are still up for grabs.
St Kentigern go into Saturday's final round in third place but will need a point from their home game against AGS to make certain of holding on, as they can be caught by Kings, who jump the fence to play bottom-placed Otahuhu.
Sacred Heart, too, remain in with a chance - they go into the round in equal fourth place with Kings - but face a difficult trip to St Peters.
AGS and KBHS, once championship powerhouses, are back in sixth place with their top-four hopes gone. AGS drew 13-13 at Kelston after being locked 3-3 at halftime.
AGS took the lead midway through the first half with a Scott Bracey penalty. The home side replied in a like manner before the break.
An Alister Hitchcock penalty put AGS back in front, but with 10 minutes to play, the home side surged ahead with a converted try and then a penalty to lead 13-6.
A determined AGS side surged back on attack and after being denied in their first two attempts, got Michael O'Connor over for a try. Hitchcock's crucial conversion from wide out tied it up 13-13.
Despite half-chances for both teams in the dying minutes, there was no further scoring.
De La Salle, led by an inspired performance from lock Iangi Isara, cemented their place in the top four with a convincing 36-3 win over neighbours Otahuhu College.
A strong first half gave MAGS control of their home game against St Peters.
After squaring off with traditional hakas, it was down to business.
Aaron Collins, later named man of the match, dotted down in the corner to give the hosts the early lead. After the visitors had missed a kickable penalty, MAGS bounced back with tries to Kimami Sitauti (unconverted) and Collins (converted by Rocky Khan) for a 17-0 lead. Khan added a late penalty as MAGS scored 20 unanswered points in the first half.
St Peters replied with the only points of the second half - a late converted try.
NORTH HARBOUR
Rosmini were pressed all the way before beating a spirited Rangitoto 1st XV 17-7 after Rangitoto had led 7-0 at the break.
Well-taken second-half tries to Filipo Alefosio, Richard Haddon and Scott Siaki, with Gareth Anscome adding a conversion, earned Rosmini the points which kept them five points clear at the top of the table heading into this week's final round.
WBHS stayed within sight of the leaders - but only just. Against their nemesis, Orewa College, Westlake needed a late try to get up 15-14 after Orewa had led 8-5 at halftime.
Unconverted tries to wings George Kupu and Tom Elton and fullback Josh Cooke earned WBHS their points and denied Orewa - for whom Mark Imm scored a try and Phillippe O'Connell kicked three penalties - an historic win.
After their rusty effort a week earlier, Massey shut out Northcote with tries from Kane Ward (2), Ma'ake Man'atu, Fabian Tago and Callum McManus. Impressive first-five Try Sterling kicked two penalties and a conversion.
Roydon Campbell kicked two penalties for Northcote.
The key game on Saturday will be the clash between Orewa and Rangitoto, with Rangitoto needing to win to join Rosmini, WBHS and Massey in the top four and leave Orewa again contemplating what might have been.
TGS continue to dominate the 1B championship. Their 36-3 win over Long Bay - five tries to none - left them 11 points clear at the top of the table.
