LACEY LOWDOWN

With the Zone 1 Premierships (National Championships Qualifying Tournament) completed I’ve taken a look at the past performances of the six Zone 1 Schools that have qualified for the 2022 National Champs in Palmerston North next month.

There have been no champions from north of the Bombay Hills since Northcote College were the victors in 2006. 

Prior to that Avondale College won two consecutive National titles in 2004 and 2005 but since then Auckland school have had to be content with the minor medals.

Westlake Girls High have not finished lower than 9^th in their last 8 appearances – 5 semi-final appearances and 2 bronze medal finishes in 2013 and 2018 the highlights. Emme Shearer, now at the University of Portland was named to the ‘18 Tournament Team and Bronwyn Kjestrup in ’13. 

Mt Albert Grammar School also have a good recent record with their 2022 qualification making it 10 appearances in 12 years. They have twice finished runners-up in recent years, beaten by St Peter’s, Cambridge in 2016 and Hamilton Girls High in 2012. Sharne Robati and Rhyannon Poto were named to the Tournament Team in ’16 and Kezeiah Lewis in ’12.

None of the other four Zone 1 qualifiers have much recent history to draw on.

Whangārei Girls High School, with their second place finish at Premierships, have become the first Northland girls team to clip a ticket to Nationals since Kamo College in 2005. It will be the first trip to Nationals for Girls High since the mid 1990’s!

The mums of two current players played on those 90’s teams that were coached by the legendary Matagini ‘Mata’ Cameron. 2022 player Mahinaarangi Kukutai-Wairau is the daughter of 90’s player Kay Wairau while Te Rina Cameron-Tama is the daughter of Jeannie Cameron. 

It hasn’t been quite that long since Takapuna Grammar School made an appearance but if I tell you Micaela Cocks was on the team you will know it’s been a while. It was 2004 and Cocks was in her last year of school and since then of course has gone on to become the most capped Tall Fern. Two years earlier Takapuna had finished runners-up to Church College.

Epsom Girls Grammar assistant coach Chanel Pompallier was on that 2002 Takapuna Grammar team. EGGS have been limited to just two appearances at Nationals (2007 and 2016), but buoyed by their 3^rd place finish at Premierships will be hoping 2022 is the start of regular visits to Palmerston North.

Saint Kentigern College will be making their first appearance at Nationals since three consecutive trips from 2013 to 2015 – current Head Coach Darci Finnigan was a leading player on all three teams. 

Saint Kent’s are yet to make a Top-10 finish in five previous visits – could this be the year?

Notable absentees in 2022 are Rangitoto College and Auckland Girls Grammar School.

Rangitoto’s run of 15 straight appearances dating back to 2005 has comes to an end – they were runners up on 3 occasions and bronze medalists twice in that time.

The AGGS run is just one less at 14 years with three bronze medal performances during that time.

Below is a list of the highest placed Zone 1 teams at Nationals in recent years including all medalists – records pre 2004 are not extensive.

2019 St Mary’s, Ponsonby – 3^rd

2018 Westlake 3^rd

2017 AGGS 3^rd

2016 MAGS 2^nd and AGGS 3rd

2015 Rangitoto 7^th

2014 Westlake 4^th

2013 Rangitoto 2^nd and Westlake 3^rd

2012 MAGS 2^nd and Rangitoto 3^rd

2011 Rangitoto 3^rd

2010 AGGS 3^rd

2009 MAGS 5^th

2008 Rangitoto 2^nd

2007 Rangitoto 2^nd

2006 Northcote Winners

2005 Avondale Winners

2004 Avondale Winners

2003 Takapuna 3rd

2002 Takapuna 2^nd

1999 Kaitaia College 2^nd

1988 MAGS 2^nd

1981 Selwyn College 2nd

With the Zone 1 Premierships (National Championships Qualifying Tournament) completed and a wet Monday driving me to the record books I’ve taken a look at the past performances of Auckland Schools at National Championships.

Here goes with the boys (girls to follow) bearing in mind on-line records only go back to 2004 when four future Tall Blacks were named to the Tournament Team that year.

Tom Abercrombie (Westlake Boys), Jeremaia Trueman (Nelson College), Alex Pledger (Hamilton Boys High) and Benny Anthony – 24 points for Avondale College in their Grand Final win against Mana College – were the recipients.

Since then Westlake Boys (5), Rosmini (3), Rangitoto (2), St Kentigern (1) have won 11 of the last 15 championships emphasizing the dominance the Auckland Schools have engineered since ’04.

Westlake Boys head to Nationals as the only team from the region to compete at every championship since ’04. In addition to the 5 championships, 2 silvers, and 2 bronze medals they have only finished outside the top ten once and that was a creditable 11^th in 2018. That is some record.

Rangitoto College, National champions in 2015 and 2016, have only failed to qualify twice (06 and ’12) in the last 17 years. In addition to the two championships they have two silvers and a bronze with a total of 10 Top-10 finishes.

Like Rangitoto College, Auckland Grammar have only missed two championships since ’04. You have to go back to 1979 to find the only time Grammar have won the title although since claiming bronze in 2010 they have been a model of consistency with an impressive ten straight Top-10 finishes. Could this be their year to convert that consistency into a championship?

Attending just their 8^th National Tournament Rosmini College boast a formidable record in that short time. They were crowned champions at their first appearance in 2011 and subsequently have finished 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th, 11^th, 1^st, 1^st and 2^nd.

Mt Albert Grammar are headed to the National Champs for a 7^th straight year hoping to at least match the performance of 2017 when a 3^rd place finish was the best in the school’s history.

St Kentigern College, lest we forget, are the defending champions! They defeated Rosmini in an all-Auckland final in 2019 and, having claimed bronze in 2018, will be hoping to medal again in their 7^th championship appearance.

For Sacred Heart College the 2022 National Championships will be the school’s first ever appearance at the ‘Big Dance’. What a way for all the Year 13 students to end their collegiate careers!

In a trip down memory lane here is a list of the Auckland champions and MVP’s (bracketed) noting records from pre 2004 are less detailed.

1979 Auckland Grammar

1983 Kelston Boys High

1999 Avondale College (Lindsay Tait)

2004 Avondale College (Tyrone Davey)

2005 Westlake Boys (Corey Webster)

2006 Westlake Boys (Corey Webster)

2009 Westlake Boys (Rob Loe)

2011 Rosmini College (Ana Haku)

2012 Westlake Boys (Tai Webster)

2013 Westlake Boys (Jaylen Gerrand)

2015 Rangitoto College (Tai Wynyard)

2016 Rangitoto College (Sam Waardenburg)

2017 Rosmini College (Mitch Dance)

2018 Rosmini College (Mitch Dance)

2019 St Kentigern College (Shalom Broughton)

Westlake Girls claimed the headline by defeating Whangārei Girls High 74-47 to take out the Zone 1 Nationals Qualification Tournament at Eventfinda Stadium on Saturday night but it was the history making runners-up that were the main storyline.

Despite playing the whole tournament with just seven players Whangārei Girls High gave all the Auckland teams plenty of trouble winning four from five pool games, a quarter-final against St Kent’s and a semi against Takapuna Grammar – most the wins by a convincing margin.

Their trip down State Highway 1 has seen them become first Northland Girls team to clip a ticket to Nationals since Kamo College in 2005. It will be the first visit to Nationals for Girls High since the mid 1990’s!

In the final Westlake, as usual, enjoyed scoring contributions across the board with Izzy Pugh (19 points), Amiya Fotu (17 points) and Rebecca Moors (16 points) leading the way. Kiama Tahere scored 12 points and Mahina Kukutai-Wairau 15 points for Whangārei but all seven players put in a mighty shift.

If Whangārei’s effort was the major highlight of the tournament then the success of Takapuna Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar were interesting sub plots. 

Takapuna’s opening round overtime victory against Baradene kick started their qualifying campaign perfectly. Qaizden Stephano was the hero with a buzzer beating three to tie the contest in regulation.

Takapuna went on to top Pool A despite Stephano’s interior prowess being lost – mid tournament she flew to India to link up with the Samoan U18 team at the Asia Cup.

The Senior A champions defeated Manurewa in the critical quarter-final tie 70-60 before fading in the semi and bronze medal games. Taka were well served throughout by Amy McKenzie, Zenthia Stowers and Bailey Flavell. 

Epsom Girls Grammar saved their best performances of the season until it mattered. They defeated Baradene College in the quarters and although they lost to Westlake in the semi’s they bounced back to defeat Takapuna 76-49 in the 3^rd-4^th play-off.

Draun Forbes, Maia Fowler and Leah Patuwarua were outstanding throughout for EGGS.

Mt Albert Grammar endured a horror start to the tournament losing both opening day games. They then lost point guard Danae Tait to an ankle injury in the tie against Takapuna on day two but recovered to win that game to ignite their campaign.

They lost to Westlake in the quarters but in the all-important classification game that followed they defeated Baradene College to secure an October visit to Palmerston North.

NZ U17 rep Waimanu Clarken averaged an impressive 26 points a game for MAGS. 

In contrast to MAGS, Saint Kentigern College made the perfect start winning both opening games but then lost their remaining three pool games and quarter-final against Whangārei.

They also needed to win their 6-8 classification game – in a nervy affair they beat Manurewa High School 59-52 and followed that with a 56-45 win against MAGS to secure 5^th spot overall – Ashleigh Tuumaialu and Anamia Rangihaeta double digit scorers in both games.

Final placings of team headed to Nationals:

1 Westlake

2 Whangārei

3 Epsom

4 Takapuna

5 St Kentigern

6 MAGS