College Sport: Kelston's unbeaten run shattered in semifinal

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Kelston Boys High's first loss of the Auckland first XV rugby season came at the worst possible time - in the semifinals yesterday.

They were beaten 12-24 by King's College to miss out on the final.

Kelston, who had finished top of the round-robin points table, led 9-5 at halftime but could not shut down King's, who ran in four tries to none. King's, who were fourth in the round-robin, will meet St Kentigern College in the final at Merton Rd on Saturday.

St Kentigern, who have never won the championship, beat Auckland Grammar 19-10. St Kentigern came from 0-10 down at halftime, scoring three tries.

Dilworth School will meet Mt Roskill in the 1B final.

Wesley College second XV won the Counties-Manukau first XV championship, beating Waiuku College 29-8. It was one-way traffic for Wesley, who were ahead 15-3 at halftime.

Massey High will get another shot at the North Harbour first XV title when they take on Rosmini College in the final at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday.

In the semifinals, Massey downed Rangitoto College 26-14 and Rosmini defeated defending champions Westlake Boys High 25-10.

Wesley College and defending champions St Paul's Collegiate of Hamilton will go head to head in the Lenco Cup final on Saturday. Both teams are so far unbeaten.

Auckland Girls Grammar held on to the Auckland girls' trophy for the fourth consecutive year in beating Papakura High 15-0.

The game was locked at 0-0 at halftime, but Auckland Girls finally broke through the Papakura defence 15 minutes into the second half and quick-fire tries followed to Gina Williams, Dannielle Hitchins and Cherie Wihapi.

CYCLING

Epsom Girls Grammar's Jade Gilbertson was "Miss Consistency" at the national championships, winning a title for the third straight year.

Gilbertson made the step up to the senior girls grade with ease, winning the criterium and the 8km time trial, as well as breaking the time trial record. She was third in the hill climb behind Upper Hutt College's Jennie Stenhouse, who finished second overall, and teammate Julia Scopes.Te Awamutu College's Tim Gunsell won the senior boys' championship after a record-smashing ride in the time trial, taking 33s off the old time. Gunsell's second placing in both the hill climb and criterium sealed the overall win. There was no stopping Pakuranga's Courtney Jacobsen-Black scooping all three of the disciplines to take the overall intermediate boys' championship.

In the junior boys, Andrew Thompson (Auckland Grammar) held out Mark Langlands (St Peter's College) and St Kentigern College's Andrew Robertson with top three finishes in each discipline. Paddy Walker (Diocesan) won the junior girls' event.

HOCKEY

Auckland Grammar have all but secured the Auckland inter-city title and will confirm it today unless they succumb to bottom-placed Rosehill College. Their nearest rival, Westlake Boys High, have to beat third-placed King's and hope that Grammar have a shock loss to share the title.

League leaders Epsom Girls Grammar face second-placed Rangitoto College Red tomorrow. Epsom are comfortably ahead on the points table, but Kings could overtake Rangitoto if they beat Westlake Girls High and Rangitoto lose or draw.

SOCCER

Mt Albert Grammar are likely to emerge as Auckland champions this weekend, despite going head-to-head with second-placed Auckland Grammar in the last match of the season. Mt Albert are three points clear and Grammar will need to beat them by a whopping 11-0 scoreline to steal the title on goal difference. Although that is highly unlikely, Mt Albert have been there before - pipped by Westlake Boys High for last year's title on goal difference.

Both Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert are top seeds for the national tournament next week and the two schools will also meet in the final of the Knock-out Cup next month. In the premier girls final, Avondale meet Epsom Girls Grammar today.

This week:

* TODAY

Inter-city boys' hockey.

Auckland: premier girls' soccer final.

TOMORROW

Inter-city girls' hockey.

FRIDAY

Auckland: premier basketball.

SATURDAY

Auckland and North Harbour: all grades rugby finals.

MONDAY

National winter tournament week starts, featuring basketball, hockey, North Island netball championships, soccer, weightlifting, underwater hockey.

* TUESDAY

National golf finals at Shandon, Wellington.