Danny Hay-coached Sacred Heart College added the Knockout Cup to their national soccer tournament title. Photo / Supplied
Sacred Heart followed up their breakthrough win at the national first XI soccer tournament in taking out the Knockout Cup on finals day.
The match between MAGS, the runaway winners of the premier league and Sacred Heart was always going to be keenly contested but with Sacred Heart favoured to continue their strong end-of-season run.
And that's how it ended, with Sacred Heart running out winners 3-2.
Hopes of an early dominance for Danny Hay and his team were dashed when MAGS scored direct from a first-minute corner.
Even without star player Tim Payne - in Britain for trials - Sacred Heart quickly settled into their work and wasted no time in getting back on terms with a 10th-minute equaliser when Ben Thomas whipped in a threatening cross from the right.
The ball evaded two of his team-mates before James O'Brien charged in from the left to drive the ball into the bottom of the MAGS net.
Within eight minutes MAGS were back in front when they pounced on the ball after it was not cleared from another corner.
As the clock ticked down towards halftime MAGS held on to that one-goal lead only to see it evaporate three minutes before the break when Jordan Roberts received the ball from Steven Carmichael after a good passage of play and slotted for 2-2.
There was give and take from both sides in the second 40 minutes as Sacred Heart looked dangerous while MAGS harried and bustled.
Midway through the spell the national champions broke the deadlock, taking the lead for the first time when a brave challenge by Jordan Roberts on MAGS goalkeeper Patrick George allowed him to steer his header into the goal.
Roberts was felled in the collision but after treatment continued and was later named man of the match.
As Sacred Heart chased a decisive fourth goal, MAGS rallied, found some late reserves of energy to force Sacred Heart to defend and give them an anxious final 10 minutes before the final whistle signalled a coveted triumph for Hay and his team.
MAGS were first to claim the honours when their team won the 13th grade title with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Rangitoto.
In the second game, for the 15th grade cup, it was another north v south affair with MAGS this time facing a strong and warmly favoured WBHS.
After failing to score in regulation play, the game was decided in extra time with WBHS scoring two goals for a deserved 2-0 triumph.
AWARDS
Schools have until Thursday next week to make nominations for the ASB College Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year awards.
Entries are being called in five categories - overall sport category, allrounders, sportsman and sportswoman of the year, service to secondary school sport and national team roll of honour.
Winners will be announced at the awards dinner at Eden Park on November 24.
CHALLENGE
And now for something different.
Auckland SS pupils are being given the chance to test their fitness and brainpower in the Auckland City's secondary schools sustainability challenge.
The three-hour event, on September 28 at the Atiu Creek Regional Park, offers teams of four the chance to compete in a challenging mix of running/trekking, navigation and sustainability-based activities.
Teams will navigate to as many checkpoints as they can, collecting points for each checkpoint visited.
To earn extra points teams will need to complete sustainability-themed activities which will need a mix of mental and physical power (hence teams will need to be configured with both brain and brawn!).
Examples of activities could be to follow a bait-station line, identify native bird calls or make something from flax.
This innovative event aims to:
* Introduce students to a wide range of experiences and have them spend time in and enjoy the natural settings of Auckland regional parks;
* Give students a chance to show their physical capabilities through recreational activities in the outdoors;
* Provide a challenge in offering a range of activities that help students understand how parks and our environment are managed, especially with regard to pest management (Ark in the Park, PTA control etc) and the impacts of recreation;
* Help foster a sense of stewardship by exposing students to the Auckland regional parks environment.
The event will start (11am) and finish at Atiu Creek Regional Park.
The cost is $10 a student, with full details at www.lacticturkey.co.nz/SecondarySchoolsSustainbilityChallenge
CYCLING
St Kentigern continued their domination of the Avantiplus time trials series with teams on the podium in all four grades in the last round on Sunday. The seventh series, which doubled as the Auckland SS time trial championship, underlined the school's outstanding season and rewarded the extensive training programme and dedication of all involved in the programme.
The senior boys capped their season with another victory to make it seven-from-seven and a clear victory in the overall points standing.
They also claimed the James Faulding Trophy for the fastest time recorded in the seven-race series out and back on the waterfront.
The St Kentigern senior girls turned in one of their best efforts of the winter, finishing third and claiming third overall - up one place from last year.
The junior girls were outstanding in the final round with three teams in the top 10. Their third-place finish ensured third overall. That effort was matched by the junior boys who also finished third and had two teams in Sunday's top 10.
In a separate division on finals day, the St Kentigern boys won the Under-14 Cup while the girls fared even better, claiming first and third in the same age group.
St Cuthbert's also had plenty to celebrate on finals day as their senior team retained their title and ended the season with all three trophies.
Their A team - Meghan Carroll, Helena Jackson, Elise Salt, Danyela van der Sande, Holly White and captain Devon Hiley - set the standard virtually from the start when, in race two, they broke the 2008 record with a time of 22m 52s which clinched the Partridge Cup for the fastest time of the series.
Victory in Sunday's race gave them the Auckland title and confirmed their success in claiming the overall title. But it did not come without some anxiety.
Despite their dominance, the pressure was on in the season finale as two punctures in race five had left them without any points.
They had to drop that race as the non-counting ride in the final standings.
The team could not afford any slip-up in the final race and when they suffered a puncture 1km from the finish they were left with the minimum four riders to cross the finish line ahead of Diocesan and St Kentigern.
Already crowned North Island champions, St Cuthbert's now, like many schools, turn their attention to the NZSS Team Time Trial Championships in Palmerston North early next month where they will seek to retain their title and, conditions permitting, chase the only senior schoolgirl record they do not own.
LAWN BOWLS
Defending champions Auckland Grammar are safely through to the semifinals of the Auckland SS pairs after easy wins in the quarter-finals.
In the A grade Thomie Davie and Rory Soden were rarely troubled in beating Ormiston's Michael Tabor and Matt Morar.
St Peter's beat St Dominic's on shot differential to progress to the semifinals where they will join AGS, Papatoetoe HS who outplayed Dilworth and KBHS who beat AGS B.
In Monday's semifinals at the Remuera BC KBHS meet Papatoetoe while St Peter's play AGS. The final will be played on September 19.
UNDERWATER HOCKEY
Diocesan underlined their standing as the top school by retaining their overall national title in Rotorua and continue what has been a success story for the Auckland school.
Both the junior and senior teams triumphed to earn overall honours, with Georgia Child capping an outstanding final day in being named the female player of the championships.
Five Diocesan players were also named in the tournament teams.
The juniors beat EGGS 4-2 in the final to end the championship unbeaten.
But it was much closer for the Diocesan seniors before they prevailed 3-2 over Tauranga GC in extra time after being locked 2-2 at fulltime.
Sian Van Dyk and Laura Nicholls were named in the junior tournament while Georgia Farmer, Grace McGaw and Child were named in the senior team.
Child and McGaw are in the under-19 national team and Farmer in the national under-23 team.
They are in good company with five Diocesan Old Girls - Maddie Aiken, Paige Moran, Rachel Arbuckle, Danielle Gibson and Anthea Phipps - also in the national teams.
Old Girl Kahlia Finch coaches the school's premier and the national under-19 teams.
The two national teams won their grades at July's world championships in Holland.
ON THE WEB
The move comes after Burling and Team New Zealand parted ways earlier this year.