College Sports: North Islanders swoop in for Condors

By DAVE WORSLEY

Wesley College will be aiming to win their sixth title when they take the field at the 13th Condor Sevens secondary schools rugby tournament at Taupo this weekend.

Wesley last won the tournament in 2001 and 2000 but it was Kelston who triumphed last year.

All but one of the 20 teams are from the North Island. Wesley, Kelston, De La Salle and Hamilton Boys are among the favourites. Tough competition is expected from Napier Boys and Wanganui Collegiate.

Whangarei Boys and Massey are the Northland and North Harbour representatives. St Johns are the other Waikato team and Hauraki Plains College are representing Thames Valley.

Tauranga Boys are hoping to be the first Bay of Plenty winners since Western Heights in 1997 and 1998.

In Counties first XV rugby, the Wesley College third XV caused a big upset by beating their school's second XV 17-7 in the Counties Manukau 1A competition.

The team had pre-season wins against first XV's from Tangaroa and Aorere Colleges. They are unbeaten after four rounds and will meet the only other unbeaten team, Manurewa, today.

NETBALL

New Zealand start as favourites in the secondary schools transtasman tournament at Avondale College today.

Competing in the round robin event are the Australian secondary schools side, Aotearoa Maori secondary schools and a Niue invitational side. The New Zealand team includes three National Bank Cup players - the Southern Sting's Emma Moynihan and Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic's Casey Williams and Laura Langman.

CYCLING

Auckland schools cycling had its second major shock this season when St Kentigern A beat Auckland Grammar on the weekend, to win in the time of 21m 05s.

The strength of the St Kentigern squad was underlined by their B team breaking 22m for third.

Those fast times were mirrored in other races, Diocesan just outside the record in 23m 46s and Auckland Grammar's junior team also just missing the record.

CROSS COUNTRY

St Kentigern hosted the Auckland secondary schools champs, which had Jordyn Roe, daughter of running legend Alison, winning the junior girl's title for Westlake Girls.

Alice Taylor of Rangitoto won the intermediate event and Elizabeth Orchard of Epsom Girls defended her senior title.

The most exciting finish of the day was between two Mt Roskill students. Biruk Belachew beat Fetalow Zomo by just .02s in the junior boy's race. Tom Hood of Kings was third, half a second behind.

Malcolm Hicks completed a double for Mt Roskill in winning the intermediate boy's title. Edwin Henshaw, the North Island 3000m athletics champion, of Northcote College, continued his good form with a win in the senior boy's event.

SOCCER

In the North Harbour girl's premier competition, Westlake and Takapuna have had good starts to their seasons with two wins from two.

Rangitoto College are also on six points despite losing to Takapuna 1-0. They have played one extra game.

In the premier central east division, Epsom Girls are dominating, scoring 19 goals in their first two matches. Diocesan also have two wins from two.

CONFERENCE

Secondary school sports staff are going back to class of sorts for a big conference tomorrow and Friday.

It will be held at the Waipuna conference centre and is organised by the four Auckland Regional Sports Trusts and College Sport but has sports co-ordinators from as far afield as Manawatu, the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Northland.

Speakers include Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion and former winter Olympic representative, Nigel Avery, former Silver Ferns player and coach Yvonne Willering and Waikato Titans and Tall Black Dillon Boucher.

The aim of the conference is to provide a professional development opportunity for those involved in secondary school sport.

WRESTLING

The North Island secondary schools competition is on at the Te Rapa Sports Dome this Saturday.

Kelston Boys have one of the strongest teams with 36 competitors ranging from the 46kg class to the 120kg category.

The main competition to Kelston is expected to come from Rotorua Boys, St Johns in Hamilton, Westlake and Dilworth in Auckland.

This week

Today: Transtasman netball, Avondale College.

Tomorrow: Transtasman netball, Avondale College.

Friday: Transtasman netball, Avondale College.

Saturday: Rugby, first XV, North Harbour, Auckland, Counties; first XI soccer.

Netball, North Harbour, Onewa Domain; Waitakere, Te Pai courts; Auckland Windmill Rd.

Wrestling, North Island secondary schools, Te Rapa Sports Dome, Hamilton.

Monday: Condors schools sevens tournament, Taupo.