KEY POINTS:
The honours were all with St Paul's College as budding NRL players went on show in league's grand-final day at Mt Smart Stadium.
In the first final between teams from the same school, St Paul's A beat St Paul's B 40-16 in an absorbing battle. The B side
matched their more favoured A XIII for the opening 15 or so minutes but then the gaps came.
Led by fullback Nafe Seluini, who was later named MVP, the A team broke the deadlock when he sliced through for a superb individual try.
Then Paki Afu, who has already signed to join the Bulldogs next year, led from the front with some strong hit-ups. Halfback Kelly Sionemale took control having a hand in a number of tries, while out wide, James Taufa used his size and strength to bust through at will.
The B team consoled themselves with a couple of late tries but the University Shield, the symbol of First XIII supremacy, went to St Paul's A.
The Steve Kearney Cup, for third place in the premier competition, was closely contested with Otahuhu College eventually edging Avondale College 28-26. Interestingly, the MVP award went to Avondale's Kalifa Faifailoa, who scored three tries.
Papakura shunned early-season form to beat Sir Edmund Hillary College 28-16 in the under-15 open 9-a-side final. Led by MVP Dion Stevens, Papakura, who were third after the round-robin phase, upset their more favoured rivals to claim the Graham Lowe Cup.
In a clash between two unbeaten teams, Southern Cross held on to beat Western Springs in the under-85kg College A final for the V & G Fagan Cup.
Ahead 20-6 with little time remaining, Southern Cross were in cruise mode. It was almost their undoing as Western Springs stormed back to 20-14 and were then denied what could have been a chance of a late equaliser when, from the last play of the game, they put through a deft grubber kick which just beat the chasers to the dead ball line.
Badminton
Westlake and Rangitoto dominated the 13-school North Harbour SS senior competition with WBHS edging their traditional rivals to take the boy's A grade title while the girl's A title was shared by Rangitoto and WGHS.
The NZ Community Trust-sponsored championship attracted a record 75 teams for the term two competition which was played in three grades.
Rosmini beat TGS 2 to win the boy's B grade with Rangitoto a close third.
The ever-improving Pinehurst School were rewarded for their dedication with victory in the girl's B grade.
The popular C grade, aimed at attracting the more social players, attracted 18 teams with WGHS 12 just beating Birkenhead College 2.
Attention now turns to the term three junior competition.
Curling
The sixth end proved vital as Massey HS Frosties, skipped by Keswick Pearson, stormed home to beat Rikki Ransfield's Birkenhead Boys 7-3 in seventh round action at Paradice Avondale.
Level 3-3 after five ends, Massey snatched four on the next and Birkenhead conceded.
In a cracker on sheet B, defending champions AGGS, led by skip Ophir Karon, just held on to beat Ruth Jackson and her KGHS team 7-6 after Kelston had led 4-1 after three ends.
Karon, well-supported by teammates Samantha Khoo, Elizabeth Henty and Natalie Sargon battled back to lead 5-4 after five but dropped a single on the next but then scored two to go to the last end 7-5 ahead.
The Kelston front end of Sophia Chan and Kristina Matau gave their team real hope. They held two but in trying for a winning third shot they took out one of their own stones.
Henderson High, led by Brittany Taylor, trailed 0-1 after the first end lead. They then scored singles on the next three ends against Alex Hepple's Birkenhead mixed team to lead 3-1 in a see-saw battle eventually decided with two great shots from Taylor which got her team home 6-4.
Gymnastics
Honours were spread far and wide in the Auckland SS tumbling championships.
Over 30 competitors took to the floor with Kristy Collins (Rutherford College) taking the club B title and the College Sport gold badge with the day's highest average of 12.45. Pukekohe HS won the team's competition.
Kimberley Robins (Manurewa HS) won the club A title.
Megan Ashford (Massey HS) won the open C grade with Holly Mohan-Druce claiming another title for the school in the novice B grade where they also took the team's title. Nicky Williams (Elim Christian College) won novice A honours.
Massey also won the double in the boy's C grade led by individual winner Jayde Wipane. Pukekohe's Josh Coker won the B grade competition.
Hockey
With the Auckland senior title already in safekeeping, King's College hit-off their bid for intercity honours with a 5-0 win over Auckland Grammar's 2nd XI.
It was much easier for the Keith Rowley-coached King's team than the Auckland final played in driving rain on the new King's turf. In that game, Marcus Child deflected home from a penalty corner in the second minute to give the home team a flying start. Unable to capitalise on that, King's allowed AGS back into the game when Shay Neal scored with a low drag flick from another penalty corner.
The game was decided with the only goal of the second half scored by captain Chris Goldsbury from a through ball from Child.
In the other pool A game of the intercity opening round, WBHS beat Massey 2-0.
In pool B action, AGS scored an emphatic 5-1 win over St Kentigern while Rangitoto scrambled home 4-3 over Northcote.
The two bye teams, both from Counties Manukau, met with David Munro scoring four goals as Rosehill beat Waiuku 5-1 in a hard-fought replay of the Counties final.
Diocesan ran out 7-0 winners over St Cuthbert's 2 in their pool B clash. Rangitoto beat Massey 5-0 in the other game.
The big scoring continued in pool A with WGHS beating Kristin 5-0 and St Cuthbert's overpowering Macleans 5-1.
Rugby
Cashing in on the value of bonus points, De La Salle went to the school holiday break three points clear at the top of the 1A championship.
In winning seven of their eight games and picking up seven bonus points, De La Salle held second-placed MAGS at bay. MAGS too have won seven times but have picked up only four bonus points.
Superbly-led by captain Fa'atiga Lemalu, De La Salle were 17-0 ahead of Tamaki College at halftime and went on to win 32-0, running in three tries in each half but managing only one conversion against a Tamaki side who attacked constantly but without success despite the best efforts of Siua Moala and Soni Halanukonuka.
St Kentigern enjoyed one of their biggest wins as they shrugged off the disadvantage of playing away from home to beat AGS 12-5 after leading 7-0 at the break.
With the strong wind in their favour, AGS hit back quickly in the second spell with an unconverted try but that was all they managed as Craig Jones sealed it for St Kentigern when he crashed over for a try.
Left-wing Grayson Schiphorst spearheaded Sacred Heart's 51-0 romp over St Peter's, scoring five tries in front of a big crowd.
There were points aplenty as St Paul's turned in a dominant display of wet weather rugby in beating Tangaroa College 45-10.
On the back of strong games from No 8 Sione Vea, hooker TJ Taisi and lock Liaki Moli, St Paul's ran in seven tries - scored by William Mateai, Vea, Lausii Tauveli, Nafe Seluini, Sautia Misa, James Taufa and Tutone Fungavaka - and added five conversions.
For Tangaroa, right-wing Poe Elama, a constant threat, was rewarded with a try.
MAGS beat traditional foes KBHS 16-3 and King's picked up a bonus point in beating Papatoetoe 27-5.
Soccer
Hat-tricks to Mark Withers and Milosh Nikolic laid the foundation for Mt Albert Grammar's 8-0 away win over King's. But such a scoreline hardly seemed likely at halftime with MAGS just 1-0 ahead.
The second half was a different story as the visitors took control.
Fourteen-year-old substitute Matt Killip joined the scoring action when he capped a fine left-wing raid from ever-impressive Pomare Te Anau.
After Withers had bagged his second half hat-trick, Nikolic, who had opened the scoring, also ended it with his 77th minute strike.
MAGS coach Kevin Fallon injected another 14-year-old late in the game with Karlo Pavic replacing Withers with 10 minutes to play.
King's ended the match without captain John Niyonsaba who was sent off for a violent tackle on MAGS fullback Hamish McIntosh.
MAGS went to the holiday break three points clear of AGS (who have a game in hand).