Recent off-field hassles and the memories of last season's clash which ended up with far-reaching repercussions were cast aside as Kelston BHS and Auckland Grammar squared off in the 1A first XV match of the day at Kelston.
Down 12-6 at halftime, and 17-6 with 20 minutes to play, KBHS
rallied magnificently to eventually win an entertaining battle 28-17 - their first win over AGS in five years.
First-half tries to centre Konileti Hurrell and wing Liam Timoteo laid the foundation for the visitors' halftime lead.
An intercept try, somewhat against the run of play, for midfielder Braxton Stanley, who charged down the sideline, gave AGS their 17-6 lead early in the second half. The conversion proved to be Auckland Grammar's last points as the home side rallied.
Steven Te'o capitalised on some lineout pressure close to the AGS line to touch down. The sideline conversion closed the gap to 13-17.
Quick thinking by Taylor Adams led to his team's second try, by the ever-industrious Junior Ngaluafe.
Continuing to assert the pressure, Kelston were soon rewarded with a Matt Howling try.
The visitors hit back but could not cap attacking pressure with points and the final say was with Kelston when wing Tony Nanai charged across unopposed to ensure the victory and a bonus point.
MAGS beat St Peter's College 51-13 - a far cry from their last meeting in last season's semifinals.
The home team took the early advantage with an Albert Nikoro penalty.
The visitors replied in a like manner but that was as close as they got as MAGS raced to a 20-3 lead with tries to Gafatasi Su'a, Damon Niko and Matt McGahan.
With a sense of complacency creeping into their game, MAGS gave up a try right on halftime to give the visitors some hope, even though trailing 20-8.
They regrouped after the break and wasted little time in scoring a bonus point fourth try when Scott Malolua dotted down in the corner to cap a good move.
Refusing to give up, St Peters replied with a second try but that was to be their lot as the hosts went on the rampage, scoring another four tries to seal a comfortable victory.
That ensured they would end the day at the top of the table on points differential from KBHS and surprise early front-runners Tamaki College, who too made it three-from-three with their 27-14 home win over Tangaroa.
Making the most of their advantage with the wind at their backs, Tamaki raced to 13-0. TK Kioa crossed for an early try which was converted by Viliami Puafisi, who also kicked two penalties.
Refusing to give up, Tangaroa closed the gap with a try following a good kick and chase. Responding to that, the home side hit back with a Mercy Lufe try which led to their 20-7 halftime lead.
The visitors kept their hopes alive with a second try early in the second spell as they made inroads into the Tamaki defence but they could not sustain the pressure and Tamaki made certain of the victory when Lau Silipa scored a try which also was converted.
BASKETBALL
After a tight first half in which they traded points throughout with Onehunga High, WBHS pulled away after the break to win their premier boys' clash 89-76 at the Jordan Centre.
With 22 points from Ben Fraser, favoured Westlake took the fast-paced game by a handy 13 points but again Onehunga showed they should be in the play-off race.
Led by "sleeping giant" Ethan King, with a match-high 37 points, Dilworth fought back to beat Rangitoto 81-69.
An early flurry of points for Rangitoto gave little hint of what was to follow as the blood started to flow and the baskets fell.
Crowd-pleasing Villiami Matu and Angus Dines led Dilworth's charge with solid man-to-man defence, their work paving the way for King to show his phenomenal shooting skills as he dropped shots from all points.
He received good support from a number of players including Ezzera Houghton-Grundy, who forced five turnovers and bagged eight points.
With a 20-point lead at times, Dilworth dropped their intensity which allowed Rangitoto a sniff but in the end Dilworth shut it out to win by 12.
In a lead-in to the rugby clash the following day, AGS beat KBHS 73-66 while Avondale thumped MAGS by 40 points.
In an earlier game, the MAGS girls beat Avondale 64-58 while AGGS topped the ton in beating Kristin 111-50.
CYCLING
The future of one of New Zealand's most popular sports is assured if numbers turning out for local racing is any indication.
A record 132 teams entered Sunday's first round of the Avanti Plus time trials championships - a far cry from the 49 teams who lined up 10 years ago and 22 up on last year's numbers.
In their 21st year, the time trials have launched the careers of many of New Zealand top cyclists and organisers are confident that trend will continue.
With 100 volunteers on hand to oversee the Sunday morning racing on the 16km out and back course from Solent St at Mechanics Bay to Vale Rd in St Heliers, the support is obviously there.
In a stunning first round upset, the Diocesan senior girls were beaten by Rangitoto, led by talented Georgia Williams, by a mere 1.1secs. That rivalry promises to add even more interest to this winter's racing.
GOLF
Pakuranga College's New Zealand representative Cecilia Cho retained her Auckland SS strokeplay title in style on Monday, firing a course record 66 at the Howick Golf Club.
Cho beat Jane Lee (Kristin) by six shots to repeat her last year's success. Lee took second on a countback from Emily Eng (Diocesan). Shenee McLean, a 10-handicapper from Diocesan, took net honours with her 71, by a stroke from Kimberley McPhatter (Green Bay), also a 10-handicapper. McPhatter finished runner-up after a countback with five-handicapper Brittney Dryland (Lynfield).
James Eng (St Kentigern) fired a 69 to take the boy's title by a stroke from Jeff Kim (also St Kentigern) who edged Manurewa's Nick Voke on a countback.
St Kentigern also picked up net honours with Hosung Lee posting a net 65 - beating James Paterson (Kings), by a shot with another Kings player Ben Brooks a further stroke back.
HOCKEY
Diocesan opened the new season with a goal blitz.
They beat Baradene 11-0 after leading 5-0 at halftime.
Ahead inside the first minute when Frances Steel scored, Diocesan were always in control and after 10 minutes were 3-0 ahead after goals from Josie Cutfield (penalty corner) and a stunning reverse stick effort from Sarah Adam. Harriet Steel and Georgeia Gourdie completed the first-half domination.
The goal-scoring continued at regular intervals after Gourdie grabbed her second just seconds into the second half.
The Auckland open boys and North Harbour girls' competitions start this week.
RUGBY
NORTH HARBOUR
Orewa bounced back from their very close loss to Massey to score a convincing 45-7 bonus point win over Rangitoto at home.
Mahurangi was 8-5 ahead of Massey at halftime before the visitors pulled away in the second spell to carry the day 24-13.
WBHS also won convincingly over TGS 41-3 - a score not indicative of a solid TGS performance. WBHS, with 10 points, lead Massey by a point after two rounds.
WAIKATO
Leaders St Peter's School made the most of playing in front of the television cameras to romp home 64-0 over neighbours Cambridge High and continue their unbeaten start to the new season.
The story of the round came in the Friday night curtainraiser to the Chiefs' Super 14 game at Waikato Stadium where Fraser High, thrashed by more than 100 points in their previous outing, bounced back to beat Te Awamutu College 25-23.
SOCCER
One of the fiercest rivalries in Auckland school sport will be reignited when Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar run out at AGS this afternoon.
The premier league match was brought forward from Saturday because of Chatham Cup commitments for both schools.
Tension is already running high after the schools struggled to agree on a kick-off time with MAGS coach Kevin Fallon insisting 4pm was too late at this time of the year to start such an important game. In the end AGS agreed to 3.30pm.
Both teams go into the match unbeaten but with AGS, who have already played a catch-up game - winning 8-0 against newcomers Kristin - ahead on the points table.
AGS warmed up for today's game with a 4-2 away win over WBHS while MAGS had an equally tough 2-0 win over St Peters.
Bryce Felton gave AGS the lead after 17 minutes at Westlake. They quickly doubled that advantage when Luke Adams provided the finishing touch to a Rory Turner corner.
The home team quickly capitalised on a lack of concentration to snatch one back before Adams, again from set play, grabbed his second for a 3-1 halftime lead.
With nine minutes to play WBHS scored a second to close the gap but any celebrations were short-lived as a minute later Adams completed his hat-trick to make sure of the points.
MAGS were handed no favours by a St Peters team who took confidence, and an unbeaten start to their season, into the game at MAGS.
St Peters were well-prepared. Their hopes were quickly set back when, in the 10th minute, Sam Redwood forced the ball past goalkeeper Scott Armistad with his second attempt after Armistad had, seconds earlier, parried a Jordan Vale freekick.
Both teams had half chances but they reached the break without further scoring.
There was no addition until the 81st minute when fullback Matt Aleman, on another of his overlapping runs, deceived the unlucky Armistad with a poorly directed cross which found its way into the St Peters' goal.
Long-serving St Peter's coach Brett McMurdoch felt his team deserved better.
"We did enough to get something out of the game. This is not one of the top MAGS teams yet they continue to win. Kevin Fallon has done a good job with them."
A happy Fallon said: "I always felt we would win but St Peters are a useful team and will not be the whipping boys of the league this season."
COMING UP
TODAY: Athletics, cross country, Central Auckland, East, Lloyd Elsmore Park, 12.30pm.
Badminton, North Harbour senior A girls (4pm), Northcote 4 v Carmel 2, WGHS 1 v WGHS 7, WGHS 4 v Rangitoto 1, Kristin 3 v Albany 2, Northcote 2 v Carmel 1, Kristin 4 v WGHS 5, WGHS 3 v Carmel 3, Kristin 1 v TGS 1, Albany 1 v WGHS 2, Kristin 2 v WGHS 6.
HOCKEY: Auckland open A boys, AGS 1 v Pakuranga, AGS 5.40pm, MAGS v Macleans, Lloyd Elsmore Park 6pm, Kings v St Peters, Kings 6pm, AGS 2 v St Kentigern, AGS. Open B, AGS 3 v Kings 2, AGS 4.30pm, Liston v Botany Downs, LEP 5pm, Avondale v KBHS, Avondale 5.30pm, MRGS bye. North Harbour, grade 1 boys, Kristin v Long Bay, Kristin 5pm, TGS v WBHS 2, Crown 2 5pm, Rangitoto v Massey, Crown 1 6pm, WBHS 1 v Rosmini, Crown 2 6pm.
League (4pm, home team first), University Shield 1st X111, pool A, Aorere v Manurewa, Mangere v James Cook, Southern Cross v Otahuhu, Papakura v Edmund Hillary. Pool B, KBHS v One Tree Hill, MAGS v Massey, St Pauls v Avondale, Papatoetoe bye. Under-15 (9 aside), pool A, Avondale v St Pauls, MAGS v One Tree Hill, Rutherford v Hato Petera. Pool B, Aorere B v Papatoetoe, Manurewa v Howick, Hillary A v Aorere B, Hillary B. College A (under 85kg, Auckland 7th Day Adventist v MRGS, St Pauls v Aorere, Tamaki v Southern Cross, Lynfield bye.
Soccer, premier, AGS v MAGS 3.30pm (catch-up). Auckland Girls, central premier (4pm), EGGS v MAGS, Marist v Glendowie, Walker Park 1, St Kentigern v Diocesan, Avondale bye. Premier 2 (4pm), EGGS 2 v Baradene, St Cuthberts v AGGS, Seymour Park, Rutherford v Massey. North Harbour premier girls (4pm), Northcote v Rangitoto, TGS v Carmel, Whangaparaoa v TGS. Counties Manukau girls (4pm), Howick v Macleans, Papatoetoe v Pukekohe, Rosehill v Manurewa, Pakuranga v Alfriston, Sancta Maria bye.
TOMORROW: Athletics, cross country, Counties Manukau, Wesley College 12.30pm.
Hockey, Auckland open A girls, St Cuthberts v MAGS, St Cuthberts 4pm, Diocesan v EGGS, AGS 5.15pm, Kings v Diocesan 2, Kings 6pm, St Kentigern v Macleans, LRP 7pm, Baradene bye. Open B girls, KGHS v St Cuthberts, AGS 4pm, St Cuthberts 2 v Avondale, Avondale 5pm, St Marys v MRGS, MRGS 5.30pm, Marist Gold v Pakuranga, LEP 6pm. North Harbour grade 1 girls (all Crown Relocations Stadium), Carmel v Kingsway 5pm, Massey v TGS 5pm, Kristin v Rangitoto 2 6pm, Mahurangi v Northcote 6pm, Rangitoto 1 v WGHS 1 7pm (non comp).
League, Auckland Girls (4pm, home team first), Mangere v Manurewa, McAuley v James Cook, Tamaki v Hillary.
FRIDAY: Basketball, premier, girls (6pm), St Cuthberts v MAGS, AGS, Avondale v Rangitoto, Avondale, Diocesan v Kristin, Dilworth, Massey v AGGS, Massey. Boys (7.30pm), AGS v MAGS, AGS, Avondale v Rangitoto, Avondale, Dilworth v WBHS, Dilworth, KBHS v Onehunga, Massey.
Squash, premier girls (4pm), Diocesan v EGGS, Eden Epsom, Glenfield v MAGS, Unitec, Kings bye. Premier boys division one (4pm), AGS v Glendowie, Remuera, Kings v Sacred Heart, Kings, WBHS v MAGS, North Shore SC. Division two, AGS 2 v Glenfield 1, AGS, St Kentigern v Onehunga, St Kentigern, TGS v Orewa, Red Beach SCV.
SATURDAY: Rugby, Auckland 1A (2.30pm, home team first), Aorere v Kings, De La Salle v Tamaki, KBHS v MAGS, St Kentigern v AGS, St Peters v Sacred Heart, Tangaroa v Otahuhu. 1B (noon), pool 1, Dilworth v Hillary, Marcellin v Edgewater, Papatoetoe v Avondale, St Pauls v One Tree Hill. Pool 2, Botany Downs v Liston, Macleans v Howick, MRGS v Mangere, Onehunga v Waitakere. North Harbour 1A (noon), WBHS v Rosmini, Rangitoto v TGS, Mahurangi v Orewa, Massey bye.
Soccer, Auckland premier (noon), Sacred Heart v Rangitoto. Senior A1 (noon), KBHS v Macleans, Avondale v Onehunga, Northcote v Glendowie, Liston v St Kentigern. A2 (10am), Pakuranga v Massey, Rosmini v Papatoetoe, TGS v Glenfield, MRGS v Long Bay. A3, Selwyn v Howick,
Green Bay v Rutherford, One Tree
Hill v Botany Downs, Whangaparaoa v Lynfield. A4, Henderson v Otahuhu, Dilworth v Birkenhead, Waitakere v Parnell, Mahurangi v Sancta Maria.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY: Swimming, North Is SS championships, Palmerston North.
MONDAY: Badminton, North Harbour senior A boys (4pm), Glenfield 1 v Rosmini 1, WBHS 1 v WBHS 3, Rangitoto 1 v Birkenhead 1, TGS v Rangitoto 2, WBHS 4 v Albany 1.
TUESDAY: Athletics, cross country, West, North Harbour, Moire Park 12.30pm.
ON THE WEB
www.asbcollegesport.co.nz
College sport: Kelston break five-year Grammar hoodoo
Xavier Choi (Rosmini) in A Grade action during the secondary schools badminton. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Recent off-field hassles and the memories of last season's clash which ended up with far-reaching repercussions were cast aside as Kelston BHS and Auckland Grammar squared off in the 1A first XV match of the day at Kelston.
Down 12-6 at halftime, and 17-6 with 20 minutes to play, KBHS
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