College sport: Tomboy plays her way into NZ squad

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Being a bit of a tomboy has paid off for St Mary's College student Melissa Ray.

The 17-year-old has been named in the New Zealand under-19 soccer team to travel to Tonga for the World Cup qualifying tournament in April.

Ray has played soccer since she was 7 and was usually the only girl on the field until she was 15.

But the defender insists that despite playing with the boys for most of her sporting life, and wanting to be a firefighter when she leaves school, she can be "girlie".

"Yes, I wear dresses, but people are surprised when they see me dressed up."

But they should not be so astounded at her naming in the national squad.

Ray has been a member of regional representative teams for many years and has travelled with the New Zealand under-17 team to Perth for the Australian state championships.

Despite her impressive credentials, Ray was "quite surprised" to see her name included in the squad.

Ray's selection will mean she is the first student of the Ponsonby college to be named in a New Zealand under-19 soccer squad.

St Mary's have just one soccer team and the first XI is far from the lofty heights of the premier secondary school division. Playing in the senior C grade the team won eight of their 12 matches last year with Ray juggling playing and coaching.

New Zealand will face their toughest competition from Australia who, among the other Oceania nations at the tournament, will vie for the one qualifying spot to go the world championships in Canada in August.

Another Auckland pupil, Mount Albert Grammar's Prince Quansah, will travel to Bolton today with two other young football hopefuls to spend almost a month at the Wanderers club as part of their academy programme.

The 15-year-old was scouted by the premier league club last year and invited to train with the side, giving him an excellent chance to further his soccer career and gain a feel for life in the big league.

YACHTING

The Auckland secondary school regatta, raced off Narrowneck Beach, provided an adequate warm-up for the Auckland zonal final, to be raced over the next two days.

The winners will represent Auckland at the national secondary schools teams racing championships in Whangarei in April. Auckland Grammar look hot after finishing top in the overall rankings. St Cuthbert's headed the girls' section.

KILIKITI

De La Salle and McAuley High retained their senior A grade titles at Auckland Domain yesterday. De La Salle defeated Kelston Boys High in the final while McAuley were too strong for Aorere College, despite having Leonie Nafoa on their side. Nafoa averaged eight wickets a match. Fifty-one teams from 34 schools took part.

CRICKET

Last year's national Yoplait Cup champions Epsom Girls Grammar have started the 2002 season in barn-storming form, steamrolling McLeans College twice in five days and are on course to again qualify for the New Zealand championships.

Epsom won the Auckland knockout competition for the fifth consecutive year with huge wins over McLeans (by 89 runs and nine wickets), St Cuthbert's (by 227 runs) and Pukekohe High by nine wickets.

Standout Epsom performances have come from third former Katie Glynn, making an unbeaten 50 on debut, and Rosamond Kember, with 114.

Sarah Jack, who got 64, shared an unbroken 231-run partnership as well as some exceptional bowling from Amy Hodgson, who took four for two, five for 14 and three for 4 during the season.

Meanwhile King's College top the table after the second round of the Auckland premier two-day competition after an outright win over St Kentigern College.

The semifinalists have been found in the R H Marryatt Cup and zone two Gillette Cup competition. Defending champions Kelston Boys High will take on Westlake Boys High and King's will meet Auckland Grammar.