College sport: Badminton's appeal has a downside

It has become a case of "have racket but might not be able to play" for some budding badminton players on the North Shore.

The sport continues to attract growing numbers, which has led to some players missing out.

The Community Trust-sponsored North Harbour secondary schools competition attracted 68 senior teams in 2004 and this grew to 84 last year.

The numbers have continued to grow, forcing organisers to make section C a doubles-only event in order to accommodate more players.

A total of 20 teams have had to be turned away.

Term two is allocated to the senior competition and the junior competition will follow next term, with organisers expecting another increase in playing numbers.

The 11 available courts are being stretched to the max and this has led to a new initiative on Tuesday evenings when the North Harbour association allocates courts to Teen Time - run by teenagers for teenagers on a casual turn-up-and-pay-to-play basis.

HOCKEY

Defending boys champions King's College got their season under way with a 3-0 win over Macleans College with goals from Peter Dillon, Simon Kirk and William Wright.

King's followed that first-up win with a 4-1 victory over Mt Roskill Grammar on Monday as extra games were added to help get the competition completed before the inter-city competition later in the year.

Auckland Grammar had to battle all the way before edging St Kentigern 2-1 while Mt Roskill had a 4-1 win over AGS 2.

Mt Albert Grammar were the big winners on opening day with a 6-1 win over Howick.

With four goals from Katie Glynn, Diocesan 1 were too strong for Macleans, winning 5-1.

St Cuthbert's opened their season with a 4-1 win over King's, with Lucy Barber and Laura Bacon scoring two each. Epsom GGS had a good 3-0 win over St Kentigern.

RUGBY

Auckland Kelston BHS had to come from behind and needed a late try to get home 13-11 over a determined Tamaki College as the hotly-contested three regional 1st XV championships kicked off on Saturday.

Kelston, last year's runners-up, trailed Tamaki 6-0 at halftime. They closed the gap with a penalty before Talanoa Manu scored between the posts for the first try of the match.

But, without a goalkicker after losing four players in the last 20 minutes, they could not convert and KBHS hit back with two unconverted tries to sneak home.

Defending champions King's College sent out an early warning with their 48-10 win over Sacred Heart.

Adam Siddall was in outstanding form. He scored two tries and kicked six conversions and two penalties for 28 points as King's bagged the bonus point.

St Peter's had to come from 3-7 at halftime to beat St Paul's, who grabbed the early points with a runaway try.

Second-half tries to Sam Holland and Dilip Pifeleti and a late penalty try got St Peter's home 20-7. North Harbour In a replay of last year's final, Westlake BHS beat an under-strength Massey HS 6-5. Ahead 6-0 after 20 minutes following two Ben Botica penalties, Westlake held on after Massey had scored the only try of the match eight minutes from time.

Takapuna Grammar have taken the early lead with a bonus-point 40-0 win over Mahurangi. Led by man of the match Cody Mackie at halfback, TGS were always in control. Mackie (2), David Hunter, Josh Blucher, Spencer Murray and Alyx Hodgson scored tries. Jason O'Toole (4) and Greg Inger kicked the conversions.

In the upset of the round, Rangitoto College beat traditionally strong Rosmini 9-6 to snatch vital early points. Counties Manukau While their 1st XV is off playing in the local club competition, Wesley College's 2nd and 3rd XVs flew the flag with good early wins.

After racing to 21-0 at halftime, the 3rds held on to beat Papakura HS, who hit back with three second-half tries and a total of 17 points and a final 22-17 scoreline.

Manurewa High scored the biggest win, racing to 102-5 over Waiuku College.

SOCCER

Defending senior champions Mt Albert Grammar will chase a third straight league title and their sixth in 10 years when the premier championship kicks off on Saturday.

Coach Kevin Fallon heads into his 10th season with the school confident he will have a team capable of challenging for the Auckland and national titles.

"We have about 50 per cent of last year's team back this year," said Fallon. "It is a tidy side."

His team include two of the New Zealand under-20 side who have beaten Australia twice in the past few days.

Centre back Michael Boxall, Mt Albert Grammar's head boy, will captain the team, who also include fellow under-20 defender Tim Schaeffers.

They also have hard-working midfielder Josh Smith, who has opted to play for the school rather than YoungHeart Manawatu in the Oceania Club Championship, and NZSS goalkeeper Arran Rowley.

"It promises to be a close competition," said Fallon. "There are some useful coaches at most schools and the promise of some good players."

St Kentigern have been promoted to the A1 competition following Liston's withdrawal.

Following last Saturday's promotion/relegation match Pakuranga move up to A2 grade with their win over Sacred Heart, who will play in A3 with Massey.

They beat Glendowie, who will now play in the senior B division.

The lower grades kick off next week with 229 teams entered in the Auckland competition.

SQUASH

A record entry of 158 teams has underlined the growing strength of the sport among Auckland schools.

With four B-grade players in their ranks, Auckland Grammar will be the ones to beat. They started their season with a 10-4 win over Massey High. Mt Albert Grammar, with three B-grade players to call on, will be competitive. Players expected to show out include Lance Beddoes (Massey), Lui Ngakuru-Syder (MAGS), Peter Sullivan and Alex MacDonald (AGS) and the King's College players Josh Harrison and Taylor Horton who scored good first-up wins in their school's 12-5 win over Auckland Grammar 2.

Seven teams have entered the premier girls race headed by defending champions Epsom GGS, who are joined by Diocesan, Howick, Rosehill, St Cuthbert's, St Kentigern and Westlake GHS.

Players expected to show out include Aysha Kapoor (Diocesan), Nicola Blake, Hayley Macdonald and Elizabeth Graham (EGGS), Kerry Wickett (Rosehill), Lana Harrison (St Cuthbert's) and Charne Lubbe and Abby Beaumont (WGHS).

All are rated B grade or higher.

Matches are played on Fridays.

* Schools throughout New Zealand are being encouraged to take part in a competition similar to rugby's Virtual Super 14.

Schools in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are involved, with pundits being asked to pick the winners of 1st XV rugby games and 1st XI soccer matches. Details on www.pickthescores.co.nz

COMING UP

TODAY: League (4pm, home team first), Premier 1st XIII, section 1, non-competition), Waitakere v Avondale, St Paul's A v MAGS; section 2 (competition), Sir Edmund Hillary v Otahuhu, James Cook v Mangere. College A (non-competition) Green Bay v Rutherford, Manurewa v Aorere, Southern Cross v Tamaki. Under-15 9-a-side (non-competition), Hato Petera v St Paul's, Penrose v Green Bay, Mangere v Manurewa.

Soccer, Central premier east girls (4pm, home team), Glendowie v EGGS, AGGS v St Kentigern, Coxs Creek, Diocesan v St Cuthbert's. North Harbour premier girls (4pm, home team first), WGHS junior v Carmel, Rangitoto v TGS. Counties Manukau premier girls (4pm, home team first unless stated), Waiuku v Macleans, Massey Park, Papatoetoe v Pukekohe, Howick v Rosehill.

FRIDAY: Basketball, premier boys (7.30pm unless stated), AGS v Rangitoto, AGS, Avondale v WBHS, Avondale, James Cook v KBHS, MAGS 6pm, MAGS v Dilworth, MAGS. Premier girls (6pm unless stated), Massey v Rangitoto, AGS, Avondale v WGHS, Avondale, Rosehill v Northcote, Manurewa HS, Manurewa v AGGS, Manurewa 7.30pm.

SATURDAY: Netball, North Harbour (all Onewa), Orewa v Kaipara 9.45am, Carmel v TGS 9.45am, Kristin v Rangitoto 2 9.45am, Rangitoto 1 v Long Bay 10.30am, WGHS v Birkenhead 10.30am, Northcote v Mahurangi 10.30am.

Rugby, 1st XV 1A (2.30pm, home team first), KBHS v AGS, MAGS v St Peter's, Otahuhu v De La Salle, Sacred Heart v St Kentigern, St Paul's v King's, Tamaki v Tangaroa. 1B, pool A, Hillary v MRGS, Liston v Edgewater, Macleans v Dilworth, Papatoetoe v Aorere. 1B, pool B, Avondale v Southern Cross, Mangere v Howick, Onehunga v Marcellin, Waitakere v Penrose.

Soccer, senior A boys (all noon, home team first), AGS v Rangitoto, King's v St Kentigern, MAGS v Macleans, St Peter's v WBHS.

MONDAY: Rugby, North Harbour girls (all 4pm, home team first), Mahurangi v Northcote, Orewa v Glenfield, Kaipara v Long Bay, Massey v Rangitoto.

RESULTS

BASKETBALL

PREMIER

Girls: Avondale 74 Massey 61, Rangitoto 62 Manurewa 54, Rosehill 61 WGHS 38.

Boys: AGS 69 Dilworth 53, KBHS 88 Avondale 81, Rangitoto 90 James Cook 46, WBHS 109 MAGS 55.

* * *

HOCKEY

AUCKLAND

Open A boys: Kings 3 Macleans 0, MRGS 4 AGS 2 1, MAGS 6 Howick 1, Kings 4 MRGS 1, AGS 7 Macleans 1.

Open A girls, Diocesan 1 5 Macleans 1, St Cuthberts 1 5 Diocesan 2 1, EGGS 3 St Kentigern 0, St Cuthberts 2 4 Kings 1.

NORTH HARBOUR

Open boys: Rangitoto 17 Northcote 0, Mahurangi 5 WBHS 2 1, Massey 7 Kristin 0, WBHS 9 Birkenhead 0.

Open girls: Carmel 1 WGHS 2 1, WGHS 1 6 Northcote 0, Kristin 5 Massey 0.

* * *

NETBALL

NORTH HARBOUR COLLEGIATE 1

Rangitoto 1 41 Birkenhead 8, WGHS 1 44 Long Bay 27, Rangitoto 2 35 Orewa 24, Kristin 30 Kaipara 21, Northcote 29 TGS 14, Mahurangi 23 Carmel 21.

* * *

RUGBY

AUCKLAND 1A

St Peters 20 St Pauls 7, Kings 48 Sacred Heart 10, KBHS 13 Tamaki 11, MAGS 32 Otahuhu 3, Tangaroa 27 St Kentigern 5, AGS 29 De La Salle 11.

NORTH HARBOUR

WBHS 6 Massey 5, TGS 40 Mahurangi 0, Rangitoto 9 Rosmini 6.

COUNTIES MANUKAU

Wesley 2nd XV 48 Rosehill 7, Wesley 3rd XV 24 Papakura 17, Pukekohe 22 James Cook 7, Manurewa 102 Waiuku 5.

* * *

SPORT CLIMBING

Second event

(At Birkenhead)

Junior boys: Z. Allen (Dilworth) 1, A. Dekker (Dilworth) 2, T. Brook (Northcote) 3.

Junior girls: O. Holt (Carmel) 1, G. Anderson (Long Bay) 2, C. Evans (Long Bay) 3.

Senior boys: H. Boyack (Dilworth) 1, J. Lamont (Dilworth 2, R. Naera (Dilworth) 3.

Senior girls: A. Daley (Rangitoto) 1, K. Western (Rangitoto) 2, R. Jones (Rangitoto) 3.

Junior (pre-college): J. Evans (Torbay Primary) 1.

* * *

UNDERWATER HOCKEY

Senior open: MAGS A 10 MAGS B 0, Northcote 13 Western Springs 0, Howick 9 Glendowie 0.

Senior girls: Macleans 3 MAGS 3, Diocesan B 3 EGGS 1, Glendowie 4 Howick 2.

Junior open: MAGS 5 Glendowie 2, Western Springs 9 Northcote 0, MAGS 13 Avondale 0.

Junior girls: Howick 11 Glendowie 1, EGGS A 6 MAGS 0, Macleans 5 EGGS B 1, Diocesan 6 Northcote 3.