College Sport: Auckland schools rule

By DAVE WORSLEY

Avondale College won the national secondary schools netball title in Taupo, a competition which was dominated by Auckland schools.

Avondale College beat Auckland Girls Grammar in the final 32-30, Kelston came sixth and Massey beat Rangi Ruru in the seventh and eighth playoff.

The Avondale team, coached by Tania Karauria and captained by Maila Alatasiplus, featured New Zealand under-21 and Diamonds player Rachel Rasmussen.

Rasmussen and Kelston's Lara Shine were named players of the tournament. Shine was the top shooter for the tournament, with an 86 per cent success rate.

MULTISPORT

Yet another award has gone the way of Terenzo Bozzone. For the second successive year the Rangitoto College seventh-former has been presented with the Outstanding Male Secondary Schools Triathlete of the Year Award.

Bozzone won all three titles on offer in 2002 - Triathlon, Duathlon and Multisport. He has been unbeaten in the sport for three years at this level.

TENNIS

Marina Erakovic dominated the Australian 16s claycourt tournament by thrashing all of her opponents to take the title in Melbourne at the end of last week.

The top seed for the event, Erakovic dropped just 10 games in her total of six matches, beating Jessica Engels of Victoria 6-1 6-0 in the final.

RUGBY

The New Zealand Secondary Schools team has won the first of its two tests, beating Fiji Schools 46-3 on Saturday in Pukekohe.

New Zealand led 11-3 at the break and scored five tries in the second half to run away with the game in fine weather conditions.

New Zealand Schools will now meet Australia Schools at Wellington's WestpacTrust Stadium on Friday evening.

Fiji: one penalty.

YACHTING

The Auckland Grammar School sailing team was victorious in Australia last week, winning the interdominion school teams racing contest.

The regatta took place on the Derwent River in Hobart against the Hutchins School of Tasmania.

The six-member Grammar team beat Hutchins by 11 points to 8 in the best of 21 races.

The Kiwis led 7-3 after the first day, but on day two the Australians were able to peg the Kiwis back to 9-8 before Grammar took the last two races of the day to finish 11-8.

The Auckland Grammar team consists of Geoff Woolley, Jonathon Rankine, Scott Illingworth, Phillip Roberston, David Robertson and Michael Thorpe.

ATHLETICS

The Auckland City Athletics Club will be hosting three road races at the Alexandra Park carpark on Sunday, October 20.

The under-20 men's race is over 5km starting at 9.30am, followed by the Sherilyn White memorial 5km under-20 women's race. A third run is a 3km race for all ages.

There are cash prizes for all runs. For more details contact: ttect@ix.net.nz, fax 09 524 0781 or phone 09 626 7129.

Coming up:

Saturday - Boys' cricket.

Monday - Premier girls' junior volleyball.