KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's budding gymnasts have been dealt a body blow with GymSports New Zealand's decision to cancel this year's national secondary schools championships.
The annual event - catering for four disciplines (artistic, rhythmic, aerobics and trampoline) and contested by the most popular age bracket for the sport in the country - was scheduled for September 1-2 in Papakura.
NZ Secondary Schools Sports Council executive director Peter Sharp is far from happy with the decision. The championships have been a regular event on the schools' calendar since the mid-1990s.
"I have let them know it better not happen again," said Sharp.
"I'm not happy with the outcome. My efforts to get a reply from them failed. It is always disappointing when events like this are canned."
Sharp said 172 competitors from 55 schools competed in last year's championships.
In a memo to all schools/regions/clubs, GymSports New Zealand chief executive Catherine Clark said that "due to a lack of hosting options, the board of GSNZ has been forced to cancel the secondary schools event in 2007. The proposed club withdrew from hosting these championships due to a lack of volunteers".
Murray Wood, manager at the Counties Manukau Gymsport and Recreation Centre in Papakura, said the gymnasium was available and always had been. "The challenge is for the schools and GymSports NZ to come up with the volunteers."
In her memo, dated July 20, Clark added: "We would like to clarify that the cancellation is not blamed on any one venue. This event is a complex competition, with four different sports on one day. Considerable volunteer support is essential to its success."
Yet, it transpires, Auckland-based ASB College Sport, who is involved in the organisation/running of most secondary school events in the greater metropolitan area, was not approached in an effort to find volunteers.
GymSports NZ business development manager Sarah Ashmole, while unable to specify the number of volunteers needed to stage the champs, said it would probably be 40-plus.
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BASKETBALL
Dilworth made no race of their much-anticipated premier boys top-of-the-table clash with Westlake Boys High, winning all quarters en route to a comfortable 86-56 victory.
Led by Miah Makavilitogia's game-high 18 points and with able assistance from Lydon Aoake and David Dyer, who chipped in with 16 each, Dilworth quickly pulled away although Westlake did close to within a point at one stage in the third quarter before Dilworth capitalised on a series of turnovers to race clear.
Luka Kablar led the scoring for Westlake with 10.
Kelston kept themselves right in the championship race - they share the lead with Dilworth but with the advantage of a game in hand - with their 90-76 win over Mt Albert, while Rangitoto dragged themselves into the top four by beating Avondale 92-58.
Auckland Grammar dropped out of the top four in being thumped 100-65 by Northcote.
In key games on Friday, Kelston meet Westlake at Massey and Auckland Grammar are at home to Dilworth, while in Monday's 13th round, Auckland are at home to Kelston.
Clear-cut wins for Rangitoto and Auckland Girls Grammar kept them at the top of the premier girls table.
Led by strong games from Kate Alemann and Candice Marsh, Rangitoto beat Rosehill 81-40 while AGGS won their traditional battle with Epsom 84-34, with Tyla Tariau leading the scoring rush for the winners.
In the most keenly-contested game of the round, Northcote sneaked home 69-66 in a great comeback win over Massey in the battle for third spot.
Ahead by up to 20 points at one stage, Massey were run down on the back of a storming game from top points scorer/most valuable player Aroha Lawrence. Genevieve Lauaki led the scoring for Massey.
In a key top-of-the-table clash on Friday, Northcote are at home to Rangitoto while, in round 13 on Monday night, AGGS meet Northcote.
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DRAGON BOATS
A small slice of Helensville is preparing to take on the world. A Kaipara College junior mixed crew (10 boys, 10 girls) will represent New Zealand at next month's world championships on the Sydney 2000 Olympic rowing course in Penrith, but must find $110,000 to get to the start line.
With $75,000 raised in four months of intense fundraising, the school is on course to turn all the hard work done in training into international success.
Since 2000 Kaipara College have won the Auckland and national secondary schools titles four times.
Coached by former pupil Israil Foreman, who teaches physical education at the school and is also a member of the New Zealand open team who will compete at the world championships, the Kaipara squad point to the compatibility of the boys and girls as a co-ed team as being paramount in their success.
With a demanding schedule of races over the three days of the championship - they race over straight-line courses of 200m and 500m and a turning 2000m - the school will take a crew of 35 across the Tasman to battle through three heats, possibly a semifinal, and a final on three of the four days of the championships.
Two other junior crews, from Epsom Girls Grammar and Shirley Boys High, will also compete.
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HOCKEY
Tonight's battle between Rangitoto and Auckland Grammar at Crown Relocations Stadium should sort out the top dog in pool B of the boys inter-city competition.
Rangitoto, three-from-three, go into their last pool game three points clear of AGS but need to win as they trail on goal difference. In an entertaining game last week, Rangitoto beat St Kentigern 2-0 with goals from Duncan Moss and Dylan Nixon.
In the same pool, Northcote took an early lead with goals from wingers Jack Trimble and Greg Smith and went on to beat Waiuku 3-1. Captain Jeremy Lydiard extended the lead to 3-0 with a drag flick from a penalty corner.
Waiuku rallied in the second half but could score only once as they struggled to master Meemash and Pravin Patel in the Northcote defence.
King's lead pool A with maximum points but have not always been convincing in doing so. The race for second will go to the wire with three teams grouped in second place six points back.
Rangitoto girls have also won all three games to lead pool B. In their latest outing they beat St Cuthbert's 2 6-0.
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NETBALL
Almost 100 teams from Cambridge to Whangarei will descend on the Auckland Netball Centre's Glen Innes headquarters today for the annual Auckland SS combined points tournament.
Ninety-two teams face an intense day's play, with first game scheduled for 9am and finals from 2pm.
Unbeaten Mt Albert Grammar continue to set the pace at the top of the Auckland premier competition following their 43-22 win over mid-table St Cuthbert's. Epsom Girls, beaten 33-24 by Auckland Girls, lost for the first time this season and dropped out of a share of the lead but retain a two-point advantage over third-placed AGGS, who share that spot with St Kentigern.
A seven-point win, 35-28 over neighbours Howick - after neither school could buy a goal in the opening two minutes - catapulted St Kentigern over Howick into the top four.
Good shooting from Akesa Motuliki and, in particular, goal shoot Tui Patolo - who at times attracted two defenders - kept St Kentigern in control. The attackers were well-supported at the other end of the court by defenders Vanessa Hurley (captain) and the school's head girl Kate Gilbert.
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RUGBY
The big time beckons - and so does the disappointment.
Heading into the last round of the 1st XV championship, De La Salle and Mt Albert Grammar can look forward to semifinals footy. But for the best of the rest, they will, come 4.30pm on Saturday, realise four into two doesn't go.
Tamaki, a little surprisingly, go into the last round a point clear of St Paul's and Sacred Heart in third place.
With a home game against St Peter's, Tamaki seem set to book their play-off spot, leaving St Paul's, Sacred Heart and King's to scrap for the last place in the semifinals.
Sacred Heart have the toughie - away to leaders De La Salle. St Paul's are at home to Kelston Boys (who cannot make it) but need to beat the West Aucklanders for the first time in 25 years to keep their hopes alive.
If St Paul's and Sacred Heart both come up short - and even if they get a bonus point - they could be overhauled by King's but they need to win their traditional battle with Auckland Grammar (who are back in eighth place) at Eden Park to have any chance.
AGS warmed up for their last match of the season with a come-from-behind 13-11 over St Paul's. Down 0-11, AGS rallied to win, their cause helped when St Paul's missed a penalty from in front in the dying minutes.
De La Salle, well-led by second five-eighth Molesi Elisara, 15-year-old lock Safata Savea and prop Thomas Kolo, were made to work for their ninth win of the season before edging St Kentigern 29-23 and picking up a bonus point in scoring five tries.
St Kentigern deservedly picked up a bonus point in dotting down in the last phase of the match.
Tamaki won their version of a local derby by beating Sacred Heart 20-13 after taking the early lead when Afa Pakalani booted home from in front. James Semple just as quickly levelled it 3-3. The tit-for-tat continued with Jonathan Pongi to score under the posts but before the break Sacred Heart tied it up at 10-10.
A strong start to the second half - culminating in a try for George Moala following a move set up by man of the match Semisi Ahoafi - put Tamaki back in control. Despite a strong late rally from the visitors, Tamaki held on to win.
King's stumbled at Mt Albert to leave their season in the balance.
First-half tries to Tutu Tairea, the second following a length-of-the-field break, handed MAGS their 10-3 halftime lead.
Ropate Rinakama scored his team's third try early in the second half. Carl Perry's conversion stretched the home team advantage to 17-3. Tino Ape scored in the corner to guarantee the bonus point and a final 22-3 scoreline.
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SOCCER
Ace goal-grabber Milosh Nikolic led Mt Albert to a prized 3-1 win over long-time rivals Auckland Grammar to go six points clear at the top of the A1 championship with three games left.
Given a flying start when left wing Pomare Te Anau set up Nikolic for the 10th minute opener, the home side continued to dominate the opening 45 minutes.
A well-executed set play doubled that lead in the 31st minute when Tihou Weepu headed home a freekick.
Spurred by stirring words from coach Jimmy Hogg at halftime, AGS lifted their game and went close to getting one back when Dale Bennetto rattled the crossbar with MAGS goalkeeper McRae Sloper well beaten.
The visitors were eventually rewarded in the 76th minute when Aaron Bawdekar capped a strong solo run by firing in a low shot for 2-1.
But any hopes of snatching a point were dashed with the goal of the match in the 86th minute when Nikolic volleyed home from 20 metres.
