Auckland schools just too good
Schools from central Auckland have done impressively well in the sporting arena this year.
Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland Grammar School and Diocesan School for Girls dominated the National Secondary Schools winter tournament in rugby, football, table tennis, underwater hockey, swimming and cycling.
MAGS are the First XV national rugby champions after defeating Hastings Boys High School 14-13 at Palmerston.
Their First XI girls football side continued their dominance after winning the national title for the fourth consecutive time. The girls also won the Auckland League and the Auckland Knockout Cup.
MAGS’ underwater hockey team defeated Nelson College 4-3 to win the title and their premier netball side won the Upper North Island Championship.
Prudence Fowler added more silverware to the MAGS trophy room, winning three gold medals and a silver in the Individual Cycling Championship.
Auckland Grammar’s First XI hockey team were crowned SuperCity champions. Their Under-15 hockey side won the Tanner Cup.
Auckland Grammar’s Under15 rugby team created history for the school when they defeated Hamilton Boys’ High School 38-12 in the National Invitational Tournament. Other rugby grade winners were their 5A, Under-14 Restricted and 4D Blue teams. The school also won the table tennis teams Championship Cup in the national competition.
Diocesan picked up 30 medals in the AIMS Games swimming competition, 18 of them gold. Rowers Ella Simanu and Kate Haines competed at the World Junior Rowing Championships in The Netherlands and made the A final, also placing sixth in the world.
MAGS headmaster Pat Drumm says schools in Auckland have set a high standard of competitive sports environment for their students.
He says the level of commit- ment schools put in to create and maintain sports programmes should be commended, adding they play a vital part in character development.
‘‘Talent alone will never be enough. Values associated with leadership and character need to be added to the mix before our young people can hope to reach anywhere near their potential,’’ Drumm says.