College sport: Goal tally helps Mt Albert

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Little separated Auckland premier soccer winners Mt Albert Grammar and runners-up Auckland Grammar, despite Auckland beating Mt Albert 2-1 in the final match of the round.

Mt Albert had done enough to secure the title, winning on goal difference. Both teams finished with 37 points, winning 12 matches, drawing one apiece. Both conceded 12 goals, but Mt Albert's superior goal scoring won them the trophy they have been desperate to regain after losing by the narrowest of margins to Westlake Boys High School last year.

Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert will face off again in the final of the Knock-Out Cup on September 5, and are expected to meet at the play-off stage of the New Zealand secondary school tournament played in Wanganui this week. Both sides have come through their first-round matches unscathed, while last year's national tournament winners, Rangitoto College have suffered two losses in as many games.

The referee was saved from tossing a coin to decide the winner of the Auckland junior girls final between Westlake Girls High and Kristin School, by the final goal in the penalty shoot-out.

With the game tied at 0-0 after regular play and 20 minutes of extra time, the teams faced a rare penalty shoot-out in which every player had a shot at goal. It was only Westlake's last attempt, through Nicola Lewis, that allowed the match to end with a deserved victor rather than relying on the face of a coin to find the winner.

In the premier girls final, Avondale College retained their title, beating Epsom Girls Grammar 1-0. Sara Clapham scored the only goal, early in the first half.

RUGBY

There will be little rest for the region winners, North Harbour's Rosmini College, Auckland 1A first-time champions St Kentigern College, round-robin winners Kelston Boys High School and Lenco Cup winners Wesley College when they line up against each other in the coming weeks in a bid to find New Zealand's best college first XV.

The first round starts on September 1.

St Kentigern won the 1A grade for the first time after years of trying when they beat Kings College 9-3 in the final.

Rosmini upset Massey High School 23-14 in the North Harbour championship final and Wesley College defeated St Paul's Collegiate of Hamilton 19-10 in the final match of the Lenco Cup.

Mt Roskill Grammar emerged Auckland 1B champions after beating Dilworth 8-3.

SQUASH

Auckland Grammar proved they had nerves of steel in winning their first New Zealand school championship title.

Seeded fourth for the tournament, the Grammar side of Kieran McMillan, Michael Barlev, Robert Davidson, Aidan and Jeremy Kenealy and Bryan Dill-Russell beat top seeds Westlake Boys High School in the semifinals and second-seeded Gisborne Boys 3-2 in the final.

HOCKEY

Epsom Girls Grammar and Rangitoto College tied for the premier girls inter-city title when Rangitoto beat Epsom 3-2 in the final match of the championships. The two sides met again at the New Zealand secondary schools Federation Cup in Christchurch and drew 1-all in their pool A match.

Auckland Grammar finished the intercity tournament unbeaten ahead of Westlake Boys High School and Kings College, but had their first loss at the Rankin Cup in Hamilton.

Grammar started strongly, beating Shirley Boys High 2-0, but their good work was undone with a 1-0 loss to Tauranga Boys High. Kings College are undefeated, having beaten Wanganui Collegiate 4-3.

THIS WEEK:

New Zealand secondary school winter tournament August 20-24.

Featuring hockey, soccer, Northern Regional netball, junior rugby, basketball, underwater hockey, weightlifting.

New Zealand secondary school rugby league tournament, Hopu Hopu August 18-23.

FRIDAY

Auckland: squash semifinals.

SUNDAY

Auckland: cycling time trial.

MONDAY

Auckland: squash finals.

TUESDAY

Inter-regional under-14 basketball tournament.