KEY POINTS:
Victory for Mt Albert Grammar over De La Salle in the 1st XV rugby final at Eden Park could cap a super sporting Saturday for the school and principal Dale Burden.
In a day almost certainly unprecedented in Auckland school sport, Burden will be on the road early as he criss-crosses the city to watch teams from the school chase major winter honours in senior netball, soccer and rugby championships.
Their charge for end-of-season glory could even be kick-started this afternoon when their girls' first soccer XI, coached by Matt Cortesi, meet Epsom Girls Grammar in the Auckland Provincial Championship premier division one final at Cox's Bay Reserve. In the curtainraiser, MAGS will play Orewa College in the junior division one final.
The MAGS-EGGS rivalry will continue on Saturday morning, when the two schools clash again on the indoor courts at Auckland Netball headquarters in that premier final. MAGS, with Te Aroha Keenan as coach, finished second to Auckland Girls Grammar on a countback last season in a championship decided without a final.
Burden will then zip back to base to watch the Kevin Fallon-coached soccer first XI play Macleans College in their last game of the senior A1 season. Victory in the keenly-contested league is all but a forgone conclusion given their handy points lead and massive goal difference advantage over sole challengers Auckland Grammar.
It will then be on to the bus for Burden and the short trip from the school to Eden Park and the date with destiny.
Coached by the school's rugby manager Charlie McAlister, the 1st XV will be flat out to snap a drought stretching back to their last success (of 18) in 1991. They were runners-up in 2004. In the early June round-robin clash, MAGS beat De La Salle 13-5 away. It remains De La Salle's only loss of the season.
"I could be very happy or maybe a little sad," said Burden, whose first call on Monday morning could be to the suppliers of the caps the school awards to victors in senior competitions. "They don't come cheap but it would be great if we had to replenish our supply.
"None of this is about luck," said Burden. "The talent has always been here. It has just been a case of giving our pupils the opportunity with a well-balanced programme."
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Hockey
Rangitoto College go into the semifinals of both the boys' (tonight) and girls' (tomorrow) inter-city play-offs with hopes of a notable double in their sights.
The boys play traditional rivals Westlake at Crown Relocations Stadium for a place in the final against the much-anticipated semifinal in which King's will have home advantage against Auckland Grammar.
Tomorrow Rangitoto girls meet Westlake GHS in another all-North Harbour semifinal at Crown while long time rivals St Cuthbert's and Diocesan meet at AGS to find the Auckland team in next week's final.
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Netball
Mt Albert Grammar capped their unbeaten round-robin season in the premier grade with a resounding 43-25 win over perennial champions AGGS in last Saturday's final round.
The victory ended any hopes AGGS had of reaching this week's grand final leaving them in third place, two points behind second-placed EGGS who were stretched by fourth-placed Howick before getting home 27-24 to book a spot in Saturday's showdown with MAGS at the Morrin Rd headquarters.
MAGS have the chance of a second title when they go head-to-head with King's in the earlier senior A final on Saturday morning.
Lynn Barr-coached Rangitoto are all but assured of the North Harbour College One title following their 34-23 win over Mahurangi in Saturday's penultimate round.
It was tight in the first three quarters before Rangitoto, on the back of strong games from Lauren Smallfield in defence and mid-courter Maryke Penman, pulled away.
Mahurangi coach Sandra Hawken pointed to her young team's failure to stick to their game plan as the difference in the game of the season.
Rangitoto go into their last round clash with old rivals WGHS four points clear of Mahurangi who play Northcote. Unless Mahurangi have a big win and Rangitoto lose, Rangitoto will take the honours.
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Rugby
De La Salle stormed back from 0-11 at halftime to score 20 unanswered second-half points and beat St Paul's 20-11 in a home semifinal and book their place in Saturday's showpiece final at Eden Park against MAGS, who beat a spirited Tamaki College 28-15.
Visiting St Paul's struck quickly against top qualifier De La Salle with blindside flanker Sione Lousi scoring from a 15-man lineout variation in the opening minutes. Two Tutone Funagvaka penalties stretched their lead to 11-0 at the break.
Making the most of a strong wind at their backs, De La Salle hit back to score two converted tries - to Joseph Tupe and Molesi Elisara - and two penalties. Kelekolio Hifo's 10 points from his boot making the difference.
Another six De La Salle teams are playing semifinal rugby this weekend.
Playing into a strong wind, MAGS withstood early Tamaki College pressure before opening the scoring when Ropate Rinakama crossed for a try. A scrum infringement then cost MAGS a penalty which Afa Pakalani kicked for 5-3.
Late in the first spell, MAGS capitalised on a lineout mistake to send Manu Ene over for a try which Carl Perry converted for a 12-3 halftime lead which was increased to 15-3 with a Perry penalty before Pakalani dotted down for 15-8.
Another Perry penalty stretched the lead to 18-8. This was further increased when Kimami Sitauti scored a try which Perry converted. Another penalty took their lead to 28-8 before the visitors snatched a late converted try.
Wesley College continued their barnstorming run through the Counties Manukau Championship with a 32-5 win over Manurewa HS in their Mt Smart Stadium final.
Led by their powerhouse front row, Wesley dominated the scrums which included winning a number against the feed. Two tries to normal second five-eighths Heremaia Pene - playing at fullback - laid the foundation for the win. Regular fullback Niko Ratmaitavuki, switched to first-five, scored a great try as did prop Unini Atonio who surged over the line. Wing Moele Raufa kicked two penalties and three conversions.
The win, which came after Wesley played the last 10 minutes two players short following a sending-off and a sin-binning, maintained an unbeaten 10-year run for Wesley's 1st XV who have not been beaten in the local school competition or at under-21 level in that time.
Their third XV beat Alfriston 18-3 to win the Counties second XV title.
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Soccer
MAGS found tougher than expected opposition on their trip to windswept Rangitoto College for their penultimate league game of the season. Falling a goal behind in the 15th minute, the visitors had to rally, eventually going on to win 5-3 with Mark Withers scoring four.
Withers slotted his first, from a Pomare Te Anau cross on the half hour and his second seven minutes later for a 2-1 lead which Milosh Nikolic increased on the stroke of halftime.
It was 4-1 virtually from the restart as Withers sealed his hat-trick before the home side hit back quickly to close to 2-4. The Te Anau-Withers double act struck again in the 76th minute for 5-2. Rangitoto had the final say in the last minute to end an eight-goal thriller.
AGS will seek to keep their slim championship hopes alive when they play their catch-up game against WBHS at AGS this afternoon. The two schools meet again, at WBHS, on Saturday in their scheduled last round clash.
Also this afternoon, MAGS will play EGGS in the girl's premier final at Cox's Bay after MAGS sneaked home in their semifinal 2-1 over Macleans College in a game decided in extra time.
A late Samantha Burton goal got MAGS back to 1-1 to force extra time during which Courtney Noble scored.
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Table tennis
AGS scored a key third round 5-2 win over Mt Roskill GS. Led by Phillip Xiao's two singles wins, AGS took the initiative.
He was well-supported by Yohei Takuma and Yibo Weng who each won a singles. Xiao and Takuma then stepped up to the table to win the doubles. Andy Shi and Brandon Wallace picked up a singles win each.
The other games were similarly one-sided with Macleans scoring the biggest win - 7-0 over AGS 2.
