It will be a hard task for the Westlake Boys first XI soccer team to repeat their form of last season as they get set for their first match of the 1A competition this week.
The team managed an amazing record of 29 games with just one loss last year
and were crowned national champions. They fell short in the Auckland competition, coming second to Mt Albert Grammar, despite beating them in round play.
In the knock-out tournament their only loss was in the semifinals.
Although Westlake have lost six Year 13 players from the side of last year they still have plenty of talent, says manager and school sports coordinator David Ferguson.
"Mt Albert are probably the favourites for this year along with Auckland Grammar and Westlake. King's are another top-four contender," he says. "We have some good players individually but last year our defence and teamwork was a key."
A new player to the side is Tom Kelly, who has come from St Patrick's in Wellington, where he was a scoring machine and a member of the New Zealand under-15 team.
Another young player of note is Tommy Smith, who featured in all of last season's games as a Year 10 student and over summer spent time with top English Championship League team Ipswich.
He will return to Ipswich at the end of this term for a couple of weeks and then spend more time at the club over the New Zealand summer this year.
Smith also plays for the North Shore reserves team. A vital member of the first XI's defence is Cole Evans, who plays in the East Coast Bays first team.
The Westlake squad started training in February under coaches Gary Moore and Neil Sykes. Sykes is captain of the Auckland City team which won the inaugural national competition this year.
They play away to newly promoted Liston College this Saturday in what will be a challenging match.
"We're happy with our preparation," says Ferguson. "If we do what we did last year ... which is a massive ask, we'll be very happy. Last year was exceptional. We'll just do our best."
Participation
Winter sports are proving popular as playing numbers either remain steady or continue to grow. This season soccer has maintained its consistent growth with 500 teams across the Auckland region (boys and girls) - which is effectively 6500 students taking the field.
Rugby has more than 300 teams (boys and girls in North Harbour, Auckland and Counties Manukau), and around 6500 students. Hockey fields about 260 teams, while basketball is up to between 450 and 500 teams, or 5000 students.
Soccer
The Waikato season has started with Fraser High scoring the significant first-up win in the grading matches. They beat Hillcrest High 3-1, a change from last season where each of the three occasions they clashed ended in draws.
In other matches St Peter's beat St John's 5-0.
Hamilton Boys High thrashed Fairfield College 13-0 and host Hillcrest this Saturday while St Paul's Collegiate beat HBHS second XI 2-1.
Otorohanga trounced Matamata College 9-2.
Rugby
In the Waikato premier first XV grade the Hamilton Boys High first team scored an expected victory over their second side, 55-5.
The first XV now clashes with Church College as the curtain-raiser for the Chiefs versus Highlanders game at Waikato Stadium. The schoolboy match kicks off at 5.15pm.
Rugby
Christchurch Boys High's first XV won the unofficial world secondary school championship after beating Queensland's Southport in the final at Fukuoka, Japan.
Japan's top eight rugby schools and first XVs from eight countries took part in the event. Christchurch Boys are joint New Zealand champions with Wesley College.
Results
RUGBY
AUCKLAND
A first XV: Kelston 11 Kings11, Tamaki College 61 Macleans 0, Sacred Heart 24 Oatahuhu 16, De La Sale 19 St Peters 3, Auckland Grammar 21 Tangaroa 0.
NORTH HARBOUR
First XV: Massey 107 Kaipara 0, Takapuna Grammar 15 Orewa 12, Massey (2) 27 Birkenhead 0, Rosmini 37 Westlake (2) 11, Rangitoto 23 Mahurangi 14, Westlake 98 Glenfield 0.
WAIKATO
Premier grade first XV: Hamilton BHS 55 Hamilton BHS (2) 5, St Pauls 16 St Peters 0, St Johns 14 Church 5.
<EM>College sport:</EM> Westlake face tough challenge
It will be a hard task for the Westlake Boys first XI soccer team to repeat their form of last season as they get set for their first match of the 1A competition this week.
The team managed an amazing record of 29 games with just one loss last year
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