KEY POINTS:
The bar continues to be raised in the race to be recognised as the ASB Young Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.
But it was little surprise Anna Green and Daniel Bell took the major honours at last week's Sports Awards function at Eden Park. After all, not too many secondary school pupils get to spend a large part of their school year preparing for, then competing at, an Olympic Games.
Green and Bell, from Epsom Girls Grammar School and Massey High School respectively, were popular choices but both had to head off some outstanding contenders.
Bell won two titles at the Auckland SS swimming championships, two national open titles, then three - the 50m/100m butterfly and the 100m backstroke - at the World Junior Championships in Mexico - where he was also acclaimed as the Most Valuable Junior swimmer in the World.
At the Beijing Olympics, Bell was the lead-off swimmer for the 4x100m medley relay team who beat the odds in qualifying for the final in an always hotly contested event. In finishing a highly credible fifth, the New Zealand quartet swam the ninth fastest time ever.
Bell, away at a swim meet in Perth, was not on hand to collect his award which was accepted on his behalf by proud mum Sheree Rae.
Green was on hand to accept her Sportswoman award - but only just.
Within hours, the jet-setting soccer player was on her way to Chile with her New Zealand team-mates for Fifa's Under-20 Women's World Cup where their first game against the strong Nigerian side kicks off at 7am tomorrow (NZ time).
Green helped her Epsom Girls Grammar team win the Auckland Provincial Championship and then the Lotto Sports National Premier crown in Nelson.
A member of the Three Kings United premier women's team, Green has played an important role at all levels including the Beijing Olympics where she became one of the youngest players, from any country, to play in an Olympic football tournament.
Green beat a high-class group to win the football award. Among the contenders in that category was her EGGS and NZ under-20 team-mate Annalie Longo who took overall honours a year ago.
Off the field, there were special awards to Russell Cutfield and Hina Ranga for services to sport.
Cutfield has been coaching secondary school rugby teams for 39 years. Initially he was the coach of the De La Salle 1st XV. He has now coached at four schools with his longest spell at Rangitoto College where he has been a teacher since 1976.
He was a founding and life member of the Rangitoto College Rugby Club in 1995. In 1990 and 1991 he coached Rangitoto College teams to win the North Harbour Secondary Schools 1st XV championship and has organised six trips to Australia and South Africa.
Ranga has been recognised for his service to volleyball stretching back 40 years. Since 1969, Hina has been coaching secondary school volleyball teams. From 1969 to 1985 he coached at Otumoetai College, winning seven national titles coaching the senior girls' team. From 1986 to 1991 he was the chairman of the Counties Volleyball Association.
From 2001-2007 he was a member of the Auckland Secondary School Volleyball Association and convener for the Eastern Zone competition. From 1999 to 2008 he coached junior boys, junior girls, senior boys and senior girls at Penrose High School, now One Tree Hill College.
In 2007, through his outstanding development programme, he coached the Penrose High School boys' senior team to finish runners-up at the Australian High School Championships.
CRICKET AUCKLAND
AGS can expect to be crowned 1A two-day champions on Saturday but they might not claim the honours on a winning note.
Playing Sacred Heart at AGS, the visitors toiled throughout their innings to reach 153 as David Goddard claimed 5-40. AGS then found batting just as difficult reaching 96/8 in reply by stumps, with Goddard displaying his all-round skills in top-scoring with 31.
Fred Klaasen, with 3-13, was the pick of the Sacred Heart attack.
St Kentigern, the only team who can catch AGS - who have 14 points with St Kentigern on 10 and with four points at stake for outright victory - are also in trouble.
Chasing the 171 scored by WBHS, of which Lawrie Agnew's 54 was the backbone, St Kentigern are struggling at 100/8.
Led by the only century of the penultimate day, Macleans College reached 250 against Rangitoto College with Rhys Temburton scoring 108 in another fine display.
The relegation battle at the bottom of the plate section will go to the wire with KBHS, on two points, needing to get ahead of Rosmini, TGS and Avondale (all on four points) if they are to avoid the drop to 1B from where St Peters will be promoted.
KBHS are playing Avondale in a match well-poised after the first day. After scoring 172, KBHS have Avondale 42/2 in reply.
TGS face a huge hurdle against Kings who scored 319/9 dec and then had TGS struggling at 24/2 at stumps.
Rosmini have already lost on the first innings to MAGS and will struggle to avoid outright defeat. After dismissing Rosmini for 95, MAGS rattled on 190/4, with Kyle Harris unbeaten on 78.
TOUCH BENTLEY CUP
St Peter's College are next cab off the Bentley Cup rank but will need to be at their very best if they are to wrest the impressive trophy from Orewa College.
Back on the road last Saturday, this time at the sporting haven which is St Kentigern College, Orewa withstood their third challenge of the year, doing so without their captain and most influential player, Shaun Johnson.
Under the guidance of New Zealand under-21 Touch Black, the cup-holders quickly hit their straps taking the lead when Hallam Holloway touched down in the fifth minute.
But, as had been the case a week earlier, Orewa's discipline waned and they had stand-in captain Cameron Plant sin-binned. In his absence, the hosts hit back, with Niki Dow touching down for 1-1.
A strong start to the second half and restored to full strength, Orewa dominated both possession and field position, which led to touchdowns for Michael Coventry, Jon McCarthy, Plant and Kyle Loader.
The only response from the home school came from young Anthony Filipaina.
With their 5-2 victory, Orewa then set their sights on the fourth challenge of the year at St Peters on Saturday.
