Auckland's Southern Cross will fly the flag in the girls' Top 4 tournament in Palmerston North, facing Hamilton GHS in their semifinal.
Tangaroa endured a difficult 1A season and was at the centre of some bad press in the Under 15 grade, but their 10s girls won the Auckland title after a 36-19 victory over Mt Roskill Grammar, turning the tables after a loss to Mt Roskill during the regular season. Many of the girls came through from the successful Under 15 sevens side of 2014.
Sacred Heart led the way in the lower grade boys' finals, winning no less than five titles, including their 7As, coached by the remarkable 85-year-old Brother Dunstan Henry, whose sides have won multiple championships over many years.
Basketball
Rangitoto in the boys, and Westlake GHS in the girls, claimed the silverware after last Thursday night's premier finals at the NSEC.
Rangitoto defeated arch-rivals Westlake BHS 78-69 for their second championship in succession, denying Westlake their eighth in all.
Guard Logan Hunt found nothing but net with an early three but that produced a frenzied Rangitoto response as they rattled off the next 11 points, including a Dan Fotu three and a soft baby hook from Tai Wynyard. A timeout from Westlake coach Phil Campbell rallied his charges and they hit the front, courtesy of a Matt Freeman triple, 20-17, at quarter time.
Greg Vukets capped an outstanding first half by slicing through the Rangitoto defence to tie the scores at 35-all at halftime. Vukets continued his strong showing with the first four points of the second half. Zac Te Puni came to the fore late in the third quarter, seizing on a loose ball for a breakaway dunk and then the recipient of a deft Isaac Davidson pass to edge Rangitoto ahead 54-51 at three-quarter time.
Cameron Stone knocked down a couple of long threes early in the final period before Hunt replied with a couple of scores, 68-62 with 4:15 to play. Consecutive baskets from Brayden Inger for Rangi were cancelled out as Freeman and then Hunt both made difficult fade away baseline jump shots, Rangi just ahead 70-66 with 2:30 remaining.
Tall Black Wynyard converted twice in the last couple of minutes to close out the win.
The girls' final was eventually won 73-63 by favourites Westlake GHS after Rangitoto had pushed them all the way.
Tiarna Clarke opened proceedings as Westlake shot out to an early 8-0 lead. NZ Under 17 international Coola Baudry put Rangitoto on the board but her team trailed 17-11 at the end of quarter one.
Steals and baskets from Zara Jillings and Rosie Davison threatened to take the game away from Rangitoto but a nice drive and dish from Rebecca Hughes for another Baudry basket kept the scoreline manageable from their perspective, trailing 36-24 at halftime. Baudry and Noyer demonstrated some nice inside footwork as they exchanged baskets in the third period. Annaline Crosbie and Casey McFadden scored back-to-back threes before Clarke nailed a triple of her own to keep Rangitoto at bay.
The quarter closed with a trademark step back jumper from Sophie Bond as Rangi sensed an opportunity, trailing 58-52 at the end of the third period.
Active defence from Rangitoto and a nice inside basket from Baudry had the Westlake team looking anxiously over their shoulders, only ahead 66-60 in the fourth quarter with 3:10 to play.
On the next Westlake possession, Clarke sank a long range triple and, as hard as they tried, Rangitoto could not get closer, a Davison steal and lay-up sealing the title for Westlake. (Information courtesy of laceylowdown.com)
Hockey
The SuperCity boys' one and girls' one finals proved to be about the two Westlakes.
In the girls' one decider last Thursday, Westlake GHS won their second SuperCity title in a row with a narrow 2-1 victory over St Cuthbert's. The side did well to overcome the loss, several weeks ago, of captain Mattea Harris to a bad ankle injury. Goals to Ashley McNaughton and Kiri Walters saw them home. Last night they again faced St Cuthbert's in the Federation Cup national tournament.
Westlake BHS are at the Rankin Cup under coaches Steve McCracken and Charlie Meredith after a stellar week for that school's hockey programme, winning finals with their First, Second and Third XI teams, a fitting way to bow out of Westlake BHS hockey for stalwart and long-serving staff member and coach Phil Tisdall.
In the boys' one final, Westlake BHS defeated 2014 champions King's 3-2 to regain the title they won in 2013.
Swimming
Gabrielle Fa'amausili's star continues to rise.
The 2013 ASB YSPOTY award winner, in her Year 12 at Avondale College, broke a world junior record over the weekend at the world junior swimming champs in Singapore and won her second gold in the 50m backstroke final.
She set the world mark in the semifinal and could well qualify for the Rio Olympics at this rate of progress.
Thomas Griffin has only been competing in swim meets for the past two years but the Year 9 St Paul's Collegiate student is certainly making waves.
The young swimmer gained a national title at the New Zealand short course swimming championships after winning the Under 13 400m free in 4:27. He also won silver in the 200m fly (2:27).
The 13-year-old trains for 12 hours each week, driven by success: "I like the rewards of swimming, winning trophies and beating my personal bests."
Griffin hopes to take out the 400m title again at this weekend's New Zealand secondary schools championships and wants to improve on his fly time, although he is conscious of the added competition. Griffin's medals were two of eight won by the St Paul's Swimming Club at the short course championships.
The NZSS swimming championships will take place this weekend in Hamilton.
GolfSt Peter's School from Cambridge have taken out the New Zealand Schools golf title for the second time in history.
The 36-hole tournament, hosted by Wellington's Manor Park Golf Club, was run over one day and ended with a convincing eight-shot win to St Peter's, over runners-up Aquinas College of Bay of Plenty.
The team from Waikato of Focus Jonglikit, Cameron Leigh, Charlie Smail and Sam Vincent came home strong in the second round, collectively taking off seven shots from the morning round. St Peter's finished with a collective final score of 425.
Last year St Peter's found themselves leading by two after the first round, and were left to rue what might have been as they faded into third place.
To respond this year and have such a strong second round was a big moment for the team and coaching staff.
Vincent, with an impressive 68 in the afternoon, set St Peter's up to take home their second title. The conditions weren't easy but he played steady golf to put together the second lowest round of the day.
The week doesn't get any quieter for most of these players as they continue on to the New Zealand Under 19s tournament hosted by Shandon Park Golf Club in Wellington.
Underwater hockey
The national schools championships start on Friday at West Wave.
Strong underwater hockey schools such as Glendowie, Howick and Epsom Girls Grammar will be vying for the titles from among 41 teams comprising 416 players.
Badminton
Oscar Guo is again the Auckland senior boys' singles champion after last week's event.
The Year 10 Westlake BHS student beat Daxxon Vong of Avondale 21-14 and 21-17 for the title. Guo is already the national open men's singles champion, at just 14, after a stunning victory in May. Eric Li of Macleans was third.
In the senior girls, Selena Wu of Westlake GHS won from Rebecca Fong of EGGS.
