College sport: Wellington dominate in water polo

Rangitoto College's Finn Lowery fires a shot past Rongotai College's Jared Dorrington in the boys' final of North Island junior secondary schools water polo. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Wellington schools dominated the North Island junior secondary schools water polo championships, taking both titles and leaving Rangitoto College the bridesmaid in both finals.

It was the first time Wellington schools have won both titles in the same year, with Rongotai College winning the boys' crown and Queen Margaret College the girls'.

Rongotai have made steady progress in recent times and, led by a man-of-the-match performance from Michael Cody, who netted four goals and was later named most valuable player, they beat Rangitoto 8-6.

Rongotai last won the title in 1990.

Rangitoto's Finn Lowery also played well through the tournament and was named the most promising boy.

Queen Margaret had the outstanding player with Sian Elle Tehiu taking that honour after their 7-4 win over the defending champions. Again, a Rangitoto player, Jenny Castle, was recognised as the most promising.

Such were the number of entries, a B division was played, with Samuel Marsden (Wellington) taking the girls' title after beating Tauranga Girls College in the final.

Massey High took the boys' honours with their win over St Johns (Hamilton).

CRICKET

Auckland

A healthy fifth-wicket partnership between Harrison Gould and William Brittain paved the way for Kings College to easily beat St Kentigern College and make it two from two in the 1A championship.

Batting first, Kings were in early trouble at 24/3 and 65/4 before Gould (78) and Brittain (73no) added 139 for the fifth wicket as Kings reached an eventual 223/6 from their 50 overs.

With Tim Southee bagging four and Blane Smith three, Kings were always in control as St Kentigern were bundled out for 80 in 24.2 overs. Brittain completed a good double by finishing the St Kentigern innings in taking two for none.

Mt Albert Grammar, too, continued their solid start with a 29-run win over Westlake Boys.

Batting first at Westlake, MAGS had to work hard for their runs, eventually reaching 179 in the 46th over. Captain Elliot Boock led the way with 53, but some of the gloss was taken from his innings when he was involved in a couple of run outs.

Westlake lost a couple of early wickets, but a steady 41 from Beaumont Schoeman gave the home team some hope. But he lacked support as leg-spinner Caine Hazelwood picked up four for 22 from his 10 overs, and Westlake were dismissed for 150 in 46 overs.

Westlake did not have a good day as their second XI were beaten by 143 runs by Avondale College who, too, have won twice this term.

Avondale were in trouble at 41/5, but a slashing unbeaten 153 from opener Jeet Ravel steered them to 244/9. Westlake struggled in reply with Victor Davis taking four wickets. He was well backed by his fieldsmen who effected three run outs.

In a high-scoring affair, Sacred Heart beat Macleans by 19 runs.

Sent in, Sacred Heart reached 241/6 in their 50 overs, which proved beyond Macleans, who battled well but came up short.

Kelston Boys reached 171 against Rosmini on the back of good efforts from Daniel Moreton (66) and Jonathon Bassett Graham (31), while Matt Young was the best of the Rosmini attack, with 4-44.

In reply Rosmini got home to win by four wickets. Sean McCann scored 42 before being caught behind and Sebastian Langridge top-scored with 58 as Praneel Hira proved a handful in taking 4-36.

Takapuna Grammar's 187/4 was not enough to get them home over Auckland Grammar, who reached the target with five wickets and 2.2 overs in hand.

Waikato

Third-seeded Hillcrest High continue to set the pace. In a one-sided affair in fourth round action, they swamped Fraser High by 224 runs.

Sent in at home, Hillcrest made merry with opener Angus Bruce scoring 130 and Chris Jamieson, at three, 52. They added 172 runs for the second wicket.

Fraser battled bravely to take their innings to the 39th over but were never in the hunt.

Teams batting first won all five matches with four of the games won by more than 100 runs.

Steady batting through the order got Cambridge to 258/9 against St Pauls after having a near miss when a catch was put down in the first over and the first wicket lost at 15.

St Pauls lost early wickets and folded under the double attack from Stephen Ross and Bradley Cook, who took seven wickets between them.

It was a good effort from Cambridge, who face a tough clash with St Peters this week.

St Peters, too, go into the match on the back of a good win. They were also put in on their visit to Morrinsville College and lost both openers in the first couple of overs. A good partnership between Scott Major and Andrew Sclater - aided by a number of wides - turned the innings around.

Morrinsville struggled in reply as off-spinner Aaron Bennett took 4-29 from 8.1 overs and pace bowler Peter Vorster 3-26 off eight.

Second seeds Hamilton BHS continue to battle.

After winning the toss and sending Te Awamutu College in, Hamilton chased the leather as Te Awamutu reached 262/7, with Josh Nelson (70) leading the charge. In reply, Hamilton were dismissed for 210 in difficult conditions as light rain fell and played a part in breaking a promising partnership when Anthony Crump, on 58, was run out as he slipped over when backing up.

Winning the toss and batting first against St Johns, Matamata College were soon in control after losing a couple of early wickets. Batting at five, Toby Hawes joined Andrew Tiddy and they attacked the short bowling to pile on the runs as Matamata went on to 248/9.

St Johns were never in it in reply, as Tiddy completed a good double in bagging five for 18. Jayden Park chipped in four wickets as St Johns struggled to 70 all out.

VOLLEYBALL

Tangaroa College (boys) and Mangere College (girls) head the seedings for this week's Auckland SS championships.

Thirty-eight teams will contest the three-day competition, which will be played at Trusts Stadium, Henderson, for the first two days with the final day at Avondale College on Saturday.

Third seeds Rangitoto College have two teams in the boys' championship and Avondale and Glenfield College each have two teams in the girls' event.

Tangaroa open their campaign with a game against Rangitoto B and follow that with games against Kelston Boys and James Cook High on a busy first day.

Mangere College have their first game in the girls' championship against Avondale B and follow that with games against Otahuhu and Glenfield A.

Coming up -

Thursday-Saturday: Auckland SS volleyball championships. Thursday, Trusts Stadium from 9am.

Friday: Trusts Stadium from 9am. Saturday, Avondale College, from 9am (finals, girls 2.30pm; boys 4pm).

Saturday: Cricket, Auckland (from 12.30pm, home team first), 1A pool 1, MAGS v AGS, Takapuna GS v Kelston BHS, Rosmini v WBHS 1st XI. Pool 2, St Kentigern v Sacred Heart, Avondale v Macleans, WBHS 2nd XI v Kings.

Waikato 1st XI 1st division, St Peters v Cambridge, St Johns v Hillcrest, Fraser v Hamilton BHS, Te Awamutu v Morrinsville, Matamata v St Pauls.

College results

CRICKET

AUCKLAND

Mt Albert Grammar 179 (E. Boock 53; Wealleans 3-18) bt Westlake BHS 150 (B. Schoeman 41; C. Hazelwood 4-22, D. Reed 3-37).

Kings College 223/6 (H. Gould 78, W. Brittain 73no) bt St Kentigern College 80 (Guptill-Bunce 31; T. Southee 4-30, B. Smith 3-36).

Avondale College 244/9 (J. Raval 153no) bt Westlake BHS 2nd X1 101 (V. Davies 4-17).

Sacred Heart 241/6 (N. Wanden 82, D. Bartlett 52) bt Macleans College 223 (W. Johnson 34; S. Lawson 3-39).

Takapuna Grammar 187/4 lost to Auckland GS 189/5.

Kelston BHS 171 (D. Moreton 66, J. Basset Graham 31; M. Young 4-44) lost to Rosmini College 174/6 (S. McCann 42, S. Langridge 58; P. Hira 4-36).

WAIKATO

Round four.-

Cambridge HS 258/9 (J. Mackay 69, J. Bezzant 58, B. Cook 40; A. Steed 3-37) bt St Pauls 121 (S. Ross 4-28, Cook 3-22).

Matamata College 248/9 (T. Hawes 85, A. Tiddy 40; T. Te Wharau 3-42) bt St Johns College 70 (S. Patterson 37; Tiddy 5-18, J. Park 4-14).

Te Awamutu College 262/7 (W. Sams 33no, J. Nelson 70, A. Powells 36; J. Botha 3-42) bt Hamilton BHS 210 (V. Stock 30, A. Crump 58).

St Peters School 201/9 (S. Major 47, A. Sclater 34, B. Steele 40; S. Lawrence 3-54, T. Inger 3-32) bt Morrinsville College 86 (A. Bennett 4-29, P. Vorster 3-26).

Hillcrest HS 315/5 (A. Bruce 130, C. Jamieson 52, N. Trebilcock 46n0; B. Marriott 3-62) bt Fraser HS 91 (Y. Naido 43; D. Stewart 3-27).

Points: Hillcrest 16; Cambridge, St Peters, St Johns 13; Te Awamutu, Matamata 11; St Pauls 7; Hamilton BHS, Morrinsville 5; Fraser 4.

* * *

WATER POLO

NORTH ISLAND JUNIOR SS CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Auckland)

Boys

Semifinals: Rangitoto 4 Westlake BHS 2, Rongotai College 10 Auckland Grammar 6; Final: Rongotai 8 Rangitoto 6; 3rd/4th: WBHS 7 AGS 2. 5th-6th: Sacred Heart 6 St Pats 2. 7th-8th: Mt Roskill 8 Wellington College 7.

Girls

Semifinals: Queen Margaret 8 Sacred Heart Lower Hutt 7, Rangitoto 5 Westlake GHS 4; Final: Queen Margaret 7 Rangitoto 4. 3rd-4th: Westlake GHS 6 Sacred Heart 3.

Final placings (top 10)

Boys: Rongotai College 1, Rangitoto College 2, Westlake BHS 3, Auckland Grammar 4, Sacred Heart College 5, St Pats Wellington 6, Mt Roskill Grammar 7, Wellington College 8, John Paul (plate winner) 9, St Patricks 10.

Girls: Queen Margaret 1, Rangitoto 2, Westlake GHS 3, SHC Lower Hutt 4, Wellington Girls 5, Waikato Diocesan 6, Epsom GGS 7, St Cuthberts 8, Diocesan Auckland 9, Carmel College 10.

Individual awards

Boys: MVP, M. Cody (Rongotai). Most promising, M.Couper (Rongotai), F. Lowry (Rangitoto). Division two MVP, A. Browne (Massey HS).

Girls: MVP, S. Ells Tewhiu (Queen Margaret). Most promising, J. Castle (Rangitoto), J. Myles (Westlake GHS). Division two MVP, J. Marriott (Samuel Marsden).