College Sport: St Kentigern score big Lotto win

Jonty Morreau from Auckland Grammar School powers up Mt Wellington in the Hill Climb, during the New Zealand Secondary Schools Individual Cycling Championships. Photo / Brett Phibbs

School's First XV have trip to Japan as incentive to match their premier soccer team's triumph.

In a much-awaited first, St Kentigern's premier soccer team claimed the honours at the Lotto Tournament in Taupo, beating long-time rivals Auckland Grammar 2-0 in a tense final.

It was another honour for Auckland schools who picked up their share of titles in a hectic winter tournament week.

The St Kentigern 1st XV rugby team will now go all out to match their soccer team's triumph when they travel to play Hamilton BHS in the Top Four final in Saturday's televised match, with the winner earning the right to play at next year's Sanix Cup tournament in Japan.

If St Kents win they get the chance to defend the Cup they won earlier this year, whereas Hamilton BHS will be chasing a third trip to Japan and the chance to become the first three-time winner after their successes in 2011 and 2012.

On the hockey turfs, Auckland teams fell just short with St Margarets College claiming top honours in the girls' Federation Cup, beating Diocesan 1-0 in the final.

The boys' final for the Rankin Cup was never as close as Hamilton BHS swamped Westlake Boys High School 9-1 in Wellington.

On the netball court, Mt Albert Grammar continued their domination with a convincing win over Baradene in the final of the Upper North Island tournament at Howick Pakuranga.

While much of the emphasis in the summer and winter school's tournament weeks is on team sports, individuals also have their chance to shine.

More than 500 of the country's best young cyclists were in action in the national championships raced over three disciplines - time trial, hillclimb and criterium - with the winners found in accumulating points in all three.

Three records were broken in the Auckland-based event.

Holly White (St Cuthbert's College) claimed the under-17 Individual time trial mark with a time of 5m 58.49s. Rangitoto's Bryony Botha zipped up the Mt Wellington hillclimb in 2m 14.81s to also claim an under-17 record while Corby Price (Hamilton BHS) broke the under-20 time trial record with a time of 11m 08.29s.

In the pool, Auckland schools bowed to outside competition at the third State NZSS Championships at Waterworld in Hamilton.

Napier GHS won the inaugural girls' trophy in a dominating performance, beating Baradene College by 200 points with Pukekohe High School third.

It was much closer in the boys with Wellington College successfully defending their title for the third straight year.

They finished just two points ahead of Auckland Grammar School in a closely fought battle, with third-placed Hamilton BHS almost 300 points back.