KEY POINTS:
Kings College sneaked into the top four of a keenly fought 1A rugby championship on points differential by a mere 11 points, pushing Sacred Heart out of the race.
They finished the 11-round championship 16 points behind winners, and old rivals, MAGS.
On that basis few gave visiting Kings little hope against MAGS in Saturday's semifinals. Someone forgot to tell Kings.
When the dust settled, or rather the rain had stopped, Kings emerged triumphant - 13-12 winners and on their way to the big show against neighbours De La Salle at Eden Park in the curtainraiser to Auckland's Air New Zealand Cup clash with Manawatu on Saturday.
De La Salle had an easier passage to the final beating season surprise packet St Kentigern 22-7.
Kings hit the ground at MAGS running and gave their raucous band of supporters plenty to cheer about when Ben Freidlander dotted down after five minutes.
Dylan Collier added the conversion for 7-0.
The home team got back to 7-7 in a like manner but then gave away too many penalties and eventually three crucial points - a Collier penalty - to trail 7-10 at the break.
Collier kicked another for 13-7 but Kings then had an anxious minute or two as the hosts scored a second try late in the game.
Any worries soon turned to glee when the sideline conversion attempt hit the post.
It has been a fairytale end to the Kings College season. They lost first round to St Kentigern and a week later to De La Salle [16-10] and later 6-12 to MAGS.
They won only one of their first four games but rallied to win five of their remaining seven with a strong defensive effort often the key.
The 1B Championship final, to be played at Pakuranga's Bell Park, gives Macleans College the chance of further celebration.
They meet Aorere in the season decider and will be looking to welcome staff members Valerie Vili and Kirsten Hellier back from Beijing as champions and with their eye firmly on the 1A grade in 2009.
BASKETBALL
Friday night's final game of the round robin between keen rivals WBHS and Rangitoto will decide the minor premiership. Westlake have home advantage and a two-point lead heading into the winner-take-all clash but both teams can look to solid recent form - and plenty of points - to back their claims.
As an added incentive for the visitors, there is the chance of a double for the school with the Rangitoto girls already assured of their title.
In the penultimate round last Friday, Rangitoto, led by 20 points from Marko Alexander, failed by just three points to top the ton scoring a 97-60 win over MAGS, who will now need to beat Dilworth in a second crucial last round match to make the top four for the semifinals.
Dilworth warmed-up for that battle with a huge win over Northcote in their last home game of the season and with their five year 13 players making up the starting five.
Dilworth, cheered by a vocal crowd hit the 100 in winning 100-57, with man of the match David Dyer scoring 32 points.
WBHS hit 80 points as they beat Papakura, the only team to topple them this season, 81-61 to show they will go into Friday's decider as favourites.
Robert Loe spearheaded the Westlake effort at both ends of the court with 26 points on attack and eight defensive boards and a number of blocked shots.
In the game of the night, a low-scoring girls' affair, Avondale held on to beat St Kentigern 58-57 with Jordan Hunter just failing to steal it for St Kentigern when her three-point attempt fell short.
SOCCER
A new-look EGGS 1st X1 will attempt to defend the girl's Auckland Provincial Cup in a classic showdown with MAGS at Seddon Field this afternoon.
Bolstered by the return of Olympian Anna Green and with fellow international Annalie Longo also on hand, the Andrew Clay-coached EGGS side will start favourites in their bid to cap a dream-like season.
Already the Central Zone champions, they beat MAGS 8-1 in the final, Eggs, with four new players in their 16-strong squad, remain confident of adding the APC trophy to their haul.
MAGS, apart from that hic-cup in the final when they leaked six second-half goals, have been unbeaten but have struggled in recent times with their top goalkeeper Charlotte Wood sidelined by injury.
The young team, coached by Dene Gilmore and Melita Mainu'u, have built their success around the promising Emily Cooper, Sam Burton and Rachel Head.
The EGGS junior team will be keen to kick-start finals day with victory in their clash with Avondale College.
Apart from a 2-2 draw with Diocesan, EGGS, coached by Richard Jones and Ian Black, have won all their games this season with the Charlotte Crisford-led defence the key.
They have conceded just five goals while the attack, led by twins Kingsley and Erica Avery, has scored 26.
In the premier play-off for third, Rosehill are at home to Avondale while Diocesan host Whangaparaoa in the junior third-fourth battle.
SQUASH
Auckland Grammar and Diocesan led the charge as Auckland schools again dominated the national championships in New Plymouth.
Top seeds AGS cruised through to the final without dropping a match and continued in the same vein against Christchurch BHS in the final, although the second seeds did have a chance of picking up a match when AGS No 2 Prehin Manmindar was taken to five sets by Paul Coll.
In the play-off for third, PNBHS beat Whangarei BHS 3-1.
The top two seeds also won through to the girls' final but not without a fight.
Diocesan were taken to the fifth match by fifth seeds Te Puke who had knocked out defending champions St Cuthberts in the quarter-finals.
In their semifinal, EGGS also needed to win a deciding fifth match - against Central Southland College - to progress 3-2.
In the final, Diocesan were too strong for EGGS winning 3-1.
In the bronze match, again a tough five-match affair, the southerners beat Te Puke 3-2.
The tournament teams were, boys, Cameron Jamieson (AGS), Edward Dromgool (Christchurch BHS), Lance Beddoes (Massey), Tate Mason (Whangarei BHS), Joseph Watts (PNBHS), Preshin Manmindar (AGS).
Girls, Lana Harrison (St Cuthberts), Kendyl Morris (Diocesan), Eliza Sim, Emma Sim (St Margarets), Sacha Pou Tito (Whangarei GHS), Courtney Brown (Central Southland College).
* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz
