Taniwhas need to chase consistency

Tiaha Duxfield from Turakina Taniwha is having a strong season in the Schools Tennis League. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The Saturday morning Primary and Intermediate Schools Tennis League has reached its midway mark with plenty of close competition and camaraderie on display.

Defending champions Turakina Taniwha and the St Georges Kings are the only teams that remain undefeated.

The Taniwha will need to stay consistent if they are to overtake the Kings who hold a slim lead on the points table.

The Kings number new No1 player Hamish Beilby has been a major factor in the Kings dominance in the first half of the season.

Kevin Kim and Marshall Cliffe have also been impressive going undefeated in singles action for the Kings.

The young Turakina Taniwha have been workmanlike in disposing of all opposition thus far.

It has a been particularly fine effort from Turakina because the players have all played up one spot from last season after their former No1 Bartje Ferguson signed with his new franchise the St Anthony's Anteaters.

The Ant Eaters performed strongly to take down a talented Westmere Warriors last week.

Another dark horse team is Team Edmonds, led by Laura and Jayden Edmonds, so the result here may tell us who will be capable of chasing down the Top 2 teams.

The match of the round this week should be a full strength Wanganui Intermediate Wizards side looking to bedazzle the front running St Georges Kings.

On Sunday, the Wanganui Junior representative sides play Manawatu, with the 10s and 12s age groups hosted at the Wanganui Tennis Club and the 14s and 16s age groups playing at Vautier Park in Palmerston North. Play at both venues commences at 9.30am.

The teams are:

16s Boys: Tim McKenzie, Phillip Sanders, Bradley Wallis, Kasey Watson. 16s Girls: Paris Butters, Libby Twiss, Kate Russell. 14s Boys: Sam Russell, Vitek Sosnowski, Jack O'leary, Sean Gudsell. 14s Girls: Gabrielle Hiri, Rebekah Butters-Chamberlain, Laura Edmonds, Bethany Farmer. 12s Boys: Jude Hiri, Hamish Beilby, Tony Gilbertson, Bartje Ferguson, Kevin Kim. 12s Girls: Tessa Strang, Emily Kim, Basia Sosnowska, Cynthia Kawana. 10s Boys: Justin Ferguson, Henry Strang, Tiaha Duxfield. 10s Girls: Aleesha Duxfield, Brooke Pearce, Tyler Hawira, Sophia Magnoli.

Tennis League Points Table:

St Georges Kings 17, Turakina Taniwha 15, Team Edmonds 10, St Anthony's Ant Eaters 9, St Georges Dragons 9, St Johns Hill Hot Shots 7, W.I.S Wizards 6, W.I.S Werewolves 6, Westmere Warriors 6, Combined Team 3.

Tennis League results

Turakina Taniwha bt Wanganui Intermediate Wizards 6-0.

Aleesha Duxfield, Tiana Oliver bt Bethany Farmer, Charlie Brown 7-3; Tiaha Duxfield, Storm Hamahona bt Jack Pringle, Max Strang; A Duxfield bt Farmer 7-3; Oliver bt Brown 7-1; T Duxfield bt Strang 7-0; Hamahona bt Pringle 7-0.

St Georges Kings beat Wanganui Intermediate Werewolves 7-0.

Hamish Beilby, Kevin Kim bt Mason Park, Connor Munro 7-4; Marshall Cliffe, Emelye Brown bt Tyler Hawira, Mataamua Biddle-Amoroa Nicholls 7-0; Beilby bt Munro 7-2; Kevin Kim bt Mason Park 7-6; Marshall Cliffe bt Nicholls 7-2; Emelye Brown bt Tyler Hawira 7-1.

St Anthony's Anteaters bt Westmere Warriors 4-2.

Bartje Ferguson, Justin Ferguson lost to Tessa Strang, Henry Strang 7-3; Brandon Burberry, Sophia Magnoli bt Jack Burrows, Stafford Lithgow 7-4; Ferguson bt T Strang 7-2; Ferguson bt H Strang 7-3; Burberry bt Burrows 7-3; Magnoli lost to Lithgow 7-2.

Team Edmonds beat Combined Team 6-0

Laura Edmonds, Jayden Edmonds bt Zach Farmer, Cynthia Kawana 7-3; David Byam, Marcus McKay bt Hayden Price, Anna Bullock 7-1; L Edmonds bt Farmer 7-4; J Edmonds bt Kawana 7-3; Byam bt Pryce 7-0; McKay bt Bullock 7-0.

St John's Hill Hot Shots bt St Georges Dragons 4-2.

Jack O'leary, Basia Sosnowska bt Emily Kim, Tony Gilbertson 7-6; Will Southee, Brooke Pearce bt Finlay Spooner, Zac Wilson 7-5; O'leary bt Gilbertson 7-1;

Basia Sosnowska beat Kim 7-3; Southee lost to Wilson 7-4; Pearce bt McNab 7-4.