College sports: Games swimmer wins top award

By DAVE WORSLEY

Melissa Ingram won the ASB Young Sportswoman of the year award ahead of King's College sprinter April Brough, New Zealand White Sox member Carinna Hale (Kelston College), yachtie Rachel O'Brien (St Cuthbert's College) and netballer Rachel Rasmussen (Avondale College).

Ingram, a student at Epsom Girls Grammar School, was the New Zealand age-group champion in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

She was second in the 100m and 200m backstroke at the New Zealand Open championships.

She was named Auckland junior and national junior swimmer of the year and, as the youngest member of the Commonwealth Games squad, qualified for the 200m backstroke final and the 100m semifinals.

Terenzo Bozzone won the young sportsman of the year award. The other finalists were Tony Koonwaiyou (King's College) for rugby sevens, Jerome Ropati (St Paul's College) for rugby league, Christopher Broome (Westlake Boys High) for waterpolo, and Geoffrey Woolley (Auckland Grammar) for yachting.

SPARC AWARDS

A wide range of secondary school students from around the Auckland region have received Sparc Future Champion Awards.

They include cyclist Michael Frankovich from Auckland Grammar, Westlake swimmer Mark Herring and volleyballer Massey Satiu from Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate. In the girls' awards, Marist College's Rachel Doody received recognition for her efforts in soccer and diver Shaye Boddington of St Dominic's College also received an award.

Other award recipients from the upper North Island include volleyball rep Taina Savage from Otumoetai College in Tauranga, golfer Sam Hunt from Rotorua Boys, and shooter Michael Webster from Tauranga Boys.

The Northland young sportsman and sportswoman of the year, karate player Travis Butler of Kerikeri and Whangarei yachtswoman Shandy Buckley, received awards, as did squash player Brent Lewis from Whangarei Boys.

SOFTBALL

The Auckland Secondary School Junior Softball Championships are being held at Rosedale Park in Albany today.

Twenty-four boys teams and 22 girls teams will be competing, and 14 diamonds will be in action.

The first game starts at 9.30am, and the finals are scheduled for 2pm.

TOUCH

The Auckland Secondary School Junior Touch Championships are being held tomorrow at Dunkirk Reserve in Mt Wellington.

The top 12 boys and 12 girls teams from the six Auckland secondary school midweek zone competitions will be competing.

KILIKITI

The Auckland secondary school junior kilikiti tournament is being held at the Auckland Domain next Tuesday.

More than 40 teams from 30 schools will take part in this unique day that celebrates Pacific Island culture within secondary school sport.

This tournament is in its twelfth year and is one of the biggest days on the secondary school sporting calendar.

More than 1000 Year 9 and 10 students will play on 18 fields.

The day begins at 9am and concludes with finals at 2pm.

CRICKET

The south-eastern zone intermediate girls' cricket final will be held tomorrow at Howick College.

Howick will be keen to beat Pukekohe College in the final as their only loss of the season was to the Counties school.

Pukekohe were the only unbeaten team in the competition.

Vicky Butterworth is the danger player for Pukekohe High School. The seventh former was the school's sportswoman of the year and represented New Zealand in the secondary schools soccer side.

A good performance from Howick allrounder Sandee Hill will be vital for her side.

The 20-over match starts at 4pm.

THIS WEEK

Today: Auckland secondary school softball, Rosedale Park, Albany.

Tomorrow: Auckland junior touch, Dunkirk Reserve, Mt Wellington.

South-eastern intermediate cricket final at Howick College.

Tuesday, December 3: Auckland kilikiti championships, Auckland Domain.