College sports: Record entries for transtasman youth badminton tournament

By DAVE WORSLEY

More than 200 badminton players are taking part in the annual June Bevan Trophy and the under-17 Australasian championships over the next 10 days at the North Harbour Badminton Centre.

The trophy, first played for 21 years ago in Newcastle, New South Wales, is named after the former Australian badminton champion.

A record number of teams have entered - 10 from Australia and six from New Zealand.

Westlake Boys High student Chance Cheng, 16, is the player to beat in the boys' competition, finishing as the top player last year.

He also led the Northern Region NZ 1 team to victory and won the New Zealand 16s and 18s titles in 2003.

Another player to watch is fellow Westlake student Henry Tam, ranked fifth in Australasia.

Also in the Northern team is Stevie-Maree Hurihanganui, from Rotorua Girls.

At just 14, she is already an accomplished athlete.

Last year she was ranked 10th in the girls in Australasia, winning the tournament doubles as well as the national 14s title.

The teams competition starts on Saturday, with finals and placings playoffs finishing on Tuesday.

The individual Australasian championships start next Wednesday and run until April 17.

Wrestling

Kelston Boys High School made it two in a row when they won the 2004 Auckland secondary schoolboys' team championship.

Led by a strong senior section, they finished with 78 points, with Dilworth close behind on 70 and De la Salle (52) in third place.

Kelston's Lee Calder won the best male wrestler award and team-mate Mala Tavita took the award for fair play and sportsmanship.

Calder's fellow New Zealand squad members Leon Tangaroa (Rosehill), Max Vermunt (Sacred Heart), Craig Downs (Western Heights), Raymond Winslow (DILW), Reon Mahima (Rotorua) and Noel Brown (Kelston) also won their weight divisions to reinforce their 2003 form.

The strong all-round Kelston team look to be in a good position to defend their national team title in Hamilton at Queen's Birthday Weekend.

Cricket

Westlake Boys High won the two-day Auckland secondary schools championship for the second consecutive year.

On the first day, Westlake dismissed Kings 146. Captain Carl Cachopa led the attack by taking four for 32 and was supported by his vice-captain Ben Stewart, who took two for 21.

At 34 for six, Westlake were in trouble, but a solid fightback followed.

Shane Philips (40) and Philip Hall (20), then a last-wicket partnership by Joel Buckingham and Anthony Langton frustrated the opposition bowlers, bringing their team to within five runs of a first-innings lead.

In their second innings, Kings declared at 141 for three, giving Westlake two hours to reach 146.

The Westlake top order, who until then had not fired, signalled their intentions early and Glenn Ross (54), Carl Cachopa (32), Bradley Cachopa (23) and Ben Stewart (22no) saw their side to an outright victory by seven wickets.

Rugby sevens

The secondary school rugby season kicks off with sevens matches at North Harbour stadium tonight.

Massey are looking for their fourth title in a row and Westlake and Rosmini are considered to be the most likely to end their reign.

Sixteen of Auckland's secondary schools will compete in a tournament tomorrow organised by the Waitakere Rugby Club on its home ground at Te Atatu South Park.

The tournament starts at 8.30am, with the final at 3.30pm.

The winning side from last year, De La Salle, were unavailable for the competition this year.

This week

Today: Rugby, North Harbour sevens tournament, North arbour stadium.

Diving, Auckland Champs, West Wave Aquatic Centre.

Tomorrow: Rugby, Auckland secondary schools sevens tournament, Waitakere Rugby Club.

Saturday onward: June Bevan under-17 badminton tournament, Badminton North Harbour Centre.