KEY POINTS:
Epsom Girls and Auckland Girls grammar schools, long-time rivals on and off the sporting field, were back at it again in the final of the A grade kilikiti tournament at the Auckland Domain last Friday.
After a tense day's play which involved 17 teams (of 20 players), EGGS, who only got through to the semifinals on a countback, beat their inner-city rivals by seven runs in the timed-innings match.
They beat Baradene in one semifinal while AGGS prevailed over a strong Kelston GHS team in the other.
It was not as close in the boys' final with Aorere College too good for Lynfield.
Two days earlier at the B grade tournament, also at the Domain and involving 18 teams, Southern Cross bowler Fea Toluono was in superb form spearheading her team's triumph over Onehunga HS in the final.
With Toluono taking 35 wickets in the day's play, it was no surprise the Southern Cross Campus team ended their day unbeaten.
That win denied Onehunga HS the chance of the double as their boys' team beat Marcellin in the final to also end the tournament with a 100 per cent winning record.
Athletics
The cream of New Zealand secondary school talent goes on show in the biggest athletics meeting of the year at Christchurch's QEII Stadium this weekend.
Such is the interest in the two-day championships, heats will be required in the open boys 2000m steeplechase and the senior boys 3000m for the first time in years.
Sprint entries too are up, with quarter-finals needed in all races except the senior girls 200m.
There will be the annual, and very popular, road races on Sunday morning.
Cricket
In a nail-biter, Pakuranga College defied the odds to beat Auckland Grammar's 2nd XI by one run in the 1B final at Cornwall Park yesterday.
Batting first after being sent in, and playing on a grass pitch for the first time this season, Pakuranga were in trouble early losing three quick wickets.
But along came Jonathon Craay (71) and Brendon Strydom (29) to turn things around. They combatted the problems posed by Matthew Davies, who bagged 3-4, to see Pakuranga through to 172.
In reply, AGS batted sensibly, reaching 145/4 at one stage and appearing to be cruising as Paul Thornton (41) and Nikitha Kariyawasan (34) laid the foundation. But the wheels then fell off.
Ryan Strydom bagged 3-40 from his 10 overs and when the last wicket fell at 171 from the last ball of the 49th, of 50, over, Pakuranga celebrated.
While it was a heroic effort, it will not be enough to see them in the top grade when play resumes on February 3 next year.
Pakuranga's win yesterday was in a stand-alone competition ahead of a revamp now confirmed for 2007.
Takapuna Grammar hold their place in the 1A competition leaving Pakuranga to again play 1B.
Under the new format, the 12 1A incumbents will be split into two pools of six and play five one-day games followed by two two-day matches in term one with the top six teams after the one-dayers playing for the championship (two-day games which will carry over to term four) and the rest for the plate.
The 16 teams in the expanded 1B competition will be split (graded) into two pools of eight and play seven two-day games spread over terms one and four.
Lawn bowls
Top players will take to the greens at the Elmwood BC and Bowls Papanui in Christchurch for three days of intense competition in the Henselite national SS championships.
Bowls NZ has split the country into six regions with each represented by two boys and two girls singles players and two pairs, who have come through centre and then regional qualifying to make it through to the national finals.
There will be five rounds of qualifying in all matches with a one-hour time limit before post-section play and then, on Tuesday, finals at Elmwood.
Softball
There was no place for faint hearts on finals day at the Auckland junior tournament at Rosedale Park yesterday.
In the biggest upset for years, Selwyn College beat highly-fancied St Peters 1-0 in the division one boys' final while the girls' title went to a countback with Papakura HS getting home over Avondale College.
After winning the division two final a year ago, Selwyn College took the brave decision to step up a grade and wasted little time in showing they were up to the big time in ending St Peters' long unbeaten run.
It was an all-action day with 32 teams from 24 schools combining for a festival of softball which involved the use of 13 diamonds simultaneously.
The division two finals were not as close with Kelston GHS beating Orewa 5-1 to take that title while the boys' final was won 7-1 by Massey HS over Kelston BHS. Massey went through unbeaten.
Touch
The pressure will be on the Papakura High School girls when they chase a fifth successive national title at North Harbour Stadium this week.
Unbeaten since 2002, Papakura can expect stern competition from, among others, Auckland GGS, Baradene, Howick College and dark horses Rangi Ruru and Wainuiomata College.
Almost 50 schools will be in action including an entry from South Otago High in the girls' competition.
The mixed competition has added interest with Mt Hutt College and Otaki College foregoing the boys' and girls' championships respectively to contest the mixed grade where Queen Elizabeth, Tangaroa and Papakura HS are again favoured.
Title holders Hamilton BHS are well-prepared for their title defence but will be wary of the challenge from Southland BHS, New Plymouth BHS and Palmerston North BHS.
COLLEGE RESULTS
CRICKET
1B final, Cornwall Park
Pakuranga College 172 (J. Craay 71, B. Strydom 29; M. Davies 3-4) bt AGS 2nd X1 171 (P. Thornton 41, N. Kariyawasan 34; R. Strydom 3-40, S. Irani 2-16) by one run with one over to spare.
* * *
KILIKITI
(Auckland Domain)
A grade, boys: Aorere College 1, Lynfield College 2, St Pauls and Sacred Heart equal 3. Girls: EGGS 1, AGGS 2, KGHS and Baradene equal 3.
B grade, boys: Onehunga HS 1, Marcellin 2, Manurewa HS and Lynfield College equal 3. Girls: Southern Cross 1, Onehunga HS 2, MRGS and St Dominics equal 3.
* * *
SOFTBALL
Auckland SS junior tournament
(Rosedale Park)
Final placings
Boys
Division one: Selwyn College 1, St Peters 2, Green Bay HS 3, Papakura 4, Avondale 5, De La Salle 6, Manurewa, Aorere equal 7, Howick 9.
Division two: Massey HS 1, KBHS 2, Glendowie, Penrose equal 3, St Pauls 5, Marcellin 6, Wesley 7, Sacred Heart 8, Hato Petera 9.
Girls
Division one: Papakura 1, Avondale 2, AGGS 3, Marist 4, Aorere 5, Penrose 6.
Division two: KGHS 1, Orewa 2, Northcote 3, Glendowie 4, Green Bay 5, Otahuhu 6, McAuley 7.
* * *
WATER POLO
Auckland SS Junior
Finals
Girls
A grade, final: WGHS 3 Rangitoto 1; 3rd-4th: EGGS 6 Diocesan 1; 5th-6th: MRGS 5 Massey 1; 7th-8th: St Cuthberts bt Carmel by def.
B grade, final: Marist 3 Baradene 1; 3rd-4th: MAGS 7 St Dominics 5; 5th-6th: Corran 5 St Marys 0; 7th-8th: EGGS 8 Avondale 2; 9th-10th: AGGS 16 Western Springs 0.
Boys
A grade, final: Rangitoto 5 WBHS 4; 3rd-4th: Sacred Heart 7 KBHS 5; 5th-6th: AGS v Long Bay no result; 7th-8th: MAGS bt St Kentigern by def; 9th-10th: King's 1 Parnell 0.
B grade, final: WBHS B 4 Avondale 2; 3rd-4th: AGS B 4 WBHS C 3; 5th-6th: MRGS 8 Liston 6; 7th-8th: Rangitoto B 6 Sacred Heart Blue 4.
C grade, final: St Peters 9 Green Bay 3; 3rd-4th: Parnell B 5 Henderson 4; 5th-6th: Lynfield 4 Onehunga 4; 7th-8th: AGS C 5 Kaipara 0.
Most valuable players
Girls: Georgia Leonard (WGHS). Boys: Lewis Vos (Rangitoto).
Most promising players
Aidan Thornhill (Sacred Heart), Peneha Birdsall (WBHS), Emma Stoneman (EGGS), Kate Lee (Rangitoto).
COMING UP
Friday-Sunday: National SS touch championships, North Harbour Stadium.
Saturday-Sunday: NZ SS track and field/road championships, QEII Stadium Christchurch, from 8.30am.
Sunday-Tuesday: Henselite NZ SS lawn bowls championships, Christchurch. Region one representatives.-Girls, pairs, Emma von Veh/Louise Russell (Rangitoto), Kerryn/Jaimee Etika (Waiheke HS). Singles, Emma Hinge (Tikipunga HS), Dorothy Lolesio (McCauley GHS).Boys, pairs, John Taiaroa/Morgan Mardell (AGS), Scott Cottrell/Jay Sunnex (Waiheke HS). Singles, Greg Ruaporo (St Peters), Richard Drake (Taipa Area School). Region two.Girls, pairs, Liz Hosking/Jessica Culley (Tauranga GHS), Ashley Grey/Alysha Jensen (Manurewa HS). Singles, Keitha Heta (James Cook HS), Katherine Everson (Otumoetai).Boys, pairs, Julian McLeod/Gene Woolaston (Tauranga BHS), Tim Verwey/Cameron Huxley (Te Puke HS). Singles, Ryan Khan (Forest View HS), Cameron Riddington (Bethlehem College).
Sunday-Wednesday: NZ SS girls cricket championship, Palmerston North.
