College sport: Poor showing lifts Takapuna Grammar

Takapuna Grammar, hardly a powerhouse in New Zealand secondary schools rowing, had something to savour as Henry Poor powered to a double at the national championships at Lake Ruataniwha.

Poor was too good in both the under-17 and under-19 single sculls, adding the two titles to the same double he took at the North Island championships at Lake Karapiro early last month.

In the under-19 final, rowed in near-perfect conditions, Poor was challenged early by Adam Tripp (Lindisfarne), Ryan Brown (Marlborough BC) and Bethlehem College's Royce Finlayson.

In the closing stages, Poor pulled away to beat Brown by three-quarters of a length with Finlayson holding third ahead of Tripp who faded to fourth. Poor's winning time of 7m 35.88s was 20s faster than the winning time in the same event at last year's championships at Lake Karapiro.

The showpiece Maadi Cup for under-18 boys' eights was another classic contest.

Christ's College held a narrow lead over Otago BHS at 1000m but were then challenged by St Kentigern College who surged from sixth at halfway to second at the 1500m. That effort told as both Otago and St Kentigern fell away.

Christ's held off fast-finishing Kings College to win by less than 1s with Hamilton BHS too finishing strongly to take third ahead of Rotorua BHS.

The big girls' race for the Levin Jubilee Cup was won by Wanganui Collegiate who paced themselves well throughout. Third at halfway, but up to second with 500m to row, Collegiate held out Rangi Ruru GS by almost 2s with Sacred Heart GC a well-beaten third.

Hamilton BHS made no race of the Springbok Shield for the senior coxed fours. Fourth at 500m, they surged to the lead by 1000m and went on to beat Wanganui Collegiate comfortably with St Kentigern a close-up third.

In a see-saw battle for the Dawn Cup (for senior girls' coxed fours), St Margaret's College were too strong. After leading through 1000m, St Margaret's dropped back to second behind Wanganui Collegiate at 1500m before regaining the lead to finish more than 3s clear of Gisborne GHS who edged ahead of the fading Wanganui crew.

ARCHERY

Auckland Grammar made no race of the inter-school teams' qualifying match, finishing well clear of perennial rivals and near neighbours St Peter's College.

In ideal conditions at Nicholson Park, Auckland Grammar were comfortable winners, scoring 2034 points in heading the 16-team (seven schools) competition.

The rivalry will be renewed on Sunday when the term one finals are held at the same venue.

CRICKET

St Peter's School continued their domination of Waikato senior cricket with a double triumph.

They crushed Cambridge HS by 216 runs in the 1st XI grand final but found St Paul's Collegiate a more difficult opponent in the Northern Districts section of the national Gillette Cup play-offs.

In the final, St Peter's, batting first after being sent in and playing in their third successive final, had their customary steady start with openers Sam Kilgour and Thomas Wansbone reaching 46 without loss in 10 overs. They then upped the tempo, eventually reaching 317 for seven in their 50 overs with Wansbone's 118 laying the foundation. Wansbone posted his first century at this level from just 114 balls.

He was well-supported by Andrew Sclater who hit 95 at better than a run-a-ball.

In reply, Cambridge were always struggling and managed just 101.

The victory was a triumph for St Peter's who retained the Dave Hoskin Trophy. They are the first team to go through a season unbeaten. Their win also completed a grand final three-peat.

In the Gillette Cup play-off, St Peter's had to battle all the way - losing three wickets when within six runs of victory - to edge St Paul's Collegiate by just two wickets. They will now join Whangarei BHS, Hamilton BHS and Tauranga BC in the ND play-offs with two teams to win through to the national final in December.

LAWN BOWLS

Honours were well spread in the Auckland SS championships which were decided on artificial greens at the Mt Eden and Edendale clubs yesterday.

In an all-Kelston BHS affair, Mark Shine took the boy's singles from Scott Evans.

All titles were decided on a round-robin basis of four 45-minute games.

Dorothy Leosio (McAuley HS) took the girl's singles from Hannah Gower (Diocesan).

The Auckland Grammar pair skipped by John Taioro with Mark Mandell as his lead, took the boy's pairs from Scott Cottrell and Jay Sunnex (Waiheke HS),

Waiheke also went close in the girl's pairs with twins Jamie and Kerryn Etika finishing runners-up to Diocesan's Ellis Courtney and Gabby Chauca.

RUGBY

National sevens coach Gordon Tietjens will have his spies at Taupo's Owen Delany Park on Sunday when the best of New Zealand's rugby talent in the abbreviated version of the game contest the annual Condor Invitation event.

There will be a strong representation from northern schools with Massey HS representing North Harbour, Kamo HS representing Northland, Mt Albert Grammar and Tangaroa College carrying Auckland hopes and Counties powerhouse Wesley College representing that union.

In late changes, Manurewa High School and Whangarei BHS have been given places in the draw replacing Hamilton BHS B and Linwood College.

TRIATHLON

In her final outing at this level, Rebecca Spence made no race of it. Cheered by the large crowd at Lake Karapiro, the Rangitoto College multisport star added the NZSS title to her impressive haul winning by eight minutes from a gallant Anna Walker (Christchurch GHS) with Isobel Light (Palmerston North GHS) taking bronze.

The senior boy's race was much closer.

It was eventually decided on the 5km run when Ryan Sissons (Macleans) edged away from St Kentigern College's Matt Burgess to win by a little over a minute. Jos Hoetjes (Christchurch BHS) flew the South Island flag to take third.

WATER POLO

Rangitoto College just got home over traditional rivals Westlake BHS to capture the Auckland premier boys' title in a tense final at the West Wave Aquatic Centre.

Always ahead, Rangitoto led 5-2 at halftime and held on to win 8-7 to claim their fourth title - and first since 1999 - in the 46 years of the championship.

WBHS closed the gap to one goal in the third quarter before Rangitoto edged back to a three-goal margin and held on to win.

Rangitoto's Scott Taylor was later named the season's MVP while three players shared the most-promising award.

AGS 1 finished strongly in the bronze medal match to beat Sacred Heart 4-2.

The school teams are now in Lower Hutt for the national finals which start today and end on Sunday.

The Auckland girl's semifinals - held over because many of the players were in Hawaii with the New Zealand junior team - will be played tonight with the final on Friday. The girls' national championships start in the Hutt on Sunday.

COMING UP

Today: Cricket, Auckland Gilette Cup playoff, St Kentigern College v Kings College, Eden Park Outer Oval. Diving, Auckland SS championships, West Wave Aquatic Centre from 9am.

Water polo, Auckland SS premier girl's semifinals, WGHS v Diocesan, EGGS v Rangitoto, Sacred Heart College.

Tomorrow: Orienteering, Auckland SS team relay championships, One Tree Hill.

Waka Ama NZSS sprint championships, Lake Okareka, Rotorua (until Saturday).

Water polo, NZSS boys' championships, Lower Hutt (until Sunday).

Friday: Water polo, Auckland SS premier girls' finals, West Wave Aquatic Centre.

Saturday: Mountain biking, NZSS individual championships, Levin.

Wrestling, NZSS championships, Fraser HS, Hamilton.

Sunday: Archery, term one finals, Nicholson Park, Mt Eden, 9.15am-12.30pm.

Rugby, Condor Invitation NZSS sevens, Owen Delany Park, Taupo, from 9.30am.

Water polo, NZSS girls' championships, Lower Hutt (until Wednesday).

Tuesday: Touch, NZ SS qualifying tournament, Dunkirk Reserve.

COLLEGE RESULTS

ARCHERY

INTER-SCHOOL QUALIFYING (Nicholson Park)

AGS A (M. Cho, J. Gaffney, M. Goh, A. Colibaba) 2034pts 1, St Peter's (B. Nicholson, M. Leedom, D. Wakefield, K. Waters) 1815pts 2, Kings (E. Swift, M. Narula, H. Leech, L. Pool) 1808pts 3, Diocesan (S. Chen, A. Lin, S. Meadows-Jones, L. Tsai) 1787pts 4, AGS B (A. Huang, D. Cho, E. Gu, J. Young) 1777pts 5.

* * *

CRICKET

WAIKATO Final

St Peter's 317/7 (T. Wansbone 118, A. Sclater 95; S. Ross 3-45) bt Cambridge HS 101 (G. Fewkes 3-13).

3rd/4th

Hillcrest HS 215 (C. Jamieson 41, R. Currie 36; J. Park 3-28, A. Marsh 3-37) bt Matamata College 135 (B. Smith 41; I. Schroder 4-24, S. Roots 3-15).

GILLETTE CUP Northern Districts play-off

St Paul's Collegiate 124 (H. Cooper 28, T. Harris 25; S. Mongston 4-20) lost to St Peter's 128/8 (S. Kilgour 25, F. Kilgour 48; J. Standen 3-27, N. Keddell 3-21).

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ROWING

NZSS CHAMPIONSHIPS (Lake Ruataniwha)

Maadi Cup (boys eights): Christs College 5m 56.48s 1, Kings College 5m 57.41s 2, Hamilton BHS 5m 58.68s 3.

Levin Jubilee Cup (girls eights): Wanganui Collegiate 6m 41.18s 1, Rangi Ruru 6m 42.99s 2, Sacred Heart GC 6m 50.07s 3.

Springbok Shield (senior boys coxed fours): Hamilton BHS 6m 45.,06s 1, Wanganui Collegiate 6m 50.35s 2, St Kentigern College 6m 50.62s 3.

Dawn Cup (senior girls coxed four): St Margarets College 7m 38.45s 1, Gisborne GHS 7m 41.81s 2, Wanganui Collegiate 7m 44.62s 3.

Senior boy's single sculls: Henry Poor (Takapuna Grammar) 7m 35.88s 1, Ryan Brown (Marlborough BC) 7m 38.13s 2, Royce Finlayson (Bethlehem College) 7m 44.39s 3.

Star Trophy (overall points): Rangi Ruru GS 32 1, Hamilton BHS 29 2, Christs College 26 3, Wanganui Collegiate 20 4, Marlborough GC, St Andrews 19 equal 5.

* * *

SOFTBALL

NZSS DIVISION ONE (Palmerston North)

Girls.-

Final day: Penrose HS 6 Horowhenua College 3, Newlands College 12 Sacred Heart College 7, Havelock North HS 12 Aranui HS 11, AGGS 17 Dunstan HS 16, James Cook HS 18 Freyberg HS 6.

Final: Penrose HS 7 Aranui HS 1.

Top batter: Liani Samuel (Havelock North HS).

Top pitcher: Rangi Tata (Penrose HS).

MVP: Lara Andrews (Sacred Heart).

Sportsmanship award: Sacred Heart.

Boys.-

Final day: Wellington College 13 Cullinane College 0, Hastings BHS 17 Taita College 2, Rosehill College 23 Hato Paora College 2, Upper Hutt College 4 Waitaki BHS 2, Shirley BHS 9 Kelston BHS 7.

Final: Hastings BHS 3 St Pats Wellington 2.

Top batter: Rongo Rapaea (Hastings BHS).

Top pitcher: Tamihana Hokianga (Hastings BHS).

MVP: Rapaea.

Sportsmanship award: Wellington College.

NZSS DIVISION TWO (Rotorua)

Girls.-

Final day: St Matthews 10 New Plymouth GHS 1, Rotorua Lakes HS 18 Rosehill College 3, St Matthews 8 Rotorua Lakes HS 1.

Final placings: St Matthews 1, Rotorua Lakes HS 2, NPGHS 3, Rosehill 4.

Sportsmanship award: NPGHS.

Boys.-

Final day: Rotorua BHS 3 Naenae 0, Aquinas College 12 Otumoetai College 4, New Plymouth BHS 13 John Pauls College 12, Papakura HS 8 Lindsfarne 7, Penrose HS 8 Mt Albert Grammar 1.

Final: Tawa 5 Western Heights HS 0.

Placings: Tawa 1, Western Heights 2, Rotorua BHS 3, Naenae 4, Penrose HS 5, MAGS 6, Papakura HS 7, Lindisfarne 8, NPBHS 9, John Paul College 10, Aquinas 11, Otumoetai 12.

Sportsmanship award: John Paul College.

* * *

TENNIS

NZSS TEAM'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (Christchurch)

Boys.-

Final: St Kentigern 6 Auckland Grammar 0.

3rd-4th: St Peter's School 3 Christchurch BHS 3 (St Peter's won 7-6 on sets).

Consolation section: Wellington College 6 Tauranga BC 0, New Plymouth BHS 4 Wakatipu HS 2.

Girls.-

Final: St Cuthberts 5 St Peter's School 1.

3rd-4th: Rangi Ruru GS 4 St Hilda's Collegiate 2.

Consolation section: Rangitoto College 5 Napier GHS 1, Wanganui Collegiate 4 Tauranga GHS 2.

Mixed.-

Final: Hutt Valley 3 St Kentigern 3 (HV won 8-7 on sets).

3rd-4th: Wanganui Collegiate 4 Hillcrest HS 2.

Consolation section: St Andrews 3 Rangitoto 3 (St Andrews won 7-6 on sets), Otumoetai College 3 Lincoln HS 3 (Otumoetai won 8-7 on sets).

* * *

WATER POLO

AUCKLAND PREMIER BOYS

Final: Rangitoto College 8 Westlake BHS 7.

Bronze match: AGS 4 Sacred Heart 2.

5th-6th: Rosmini 11 Long Bay 6.

7th-8th: St Kentigern 7 Glendowie 2.

9th-10th: Massey HS 7 AGS 2 6.

11th-12th: Avondale 14 Rangitoto 2 3.

MVP (season): Scott Taylor (Rangitoto).

Most promising (season): Michael Parr (AGS), Finn Lowery (Rangitoto), Phillip Blackbourne (WBHS).