Cricket
The First XI was in a good position against Auckland Grammar School when rain intervened. Elsewhere all the senior sides recorded wins, while the Year 10s started their season with an encouraging performance.
A depleted Colts side again failed to finish off the opposition tail and lost a game that was there for the taking. Joshua Williams hammered 65 for the Senior A, Casey McGuire scored 62 for Junior B (our Year 10 side) and William Boyden made 50 for the seconds.
Finn Ross led the bowlers with an excellent 5 wicket bag for the 2nds.
First XI vs Auckland Grammar School
AGS 192 for 8 (William St John 2 for 30, Hamish McLean 2 for 41)
King's did not bat.
Rain. Match abandoned.
Much improved bowling and fielding - 2 run outs. William St John 2/30, Hamish McLean 2/41.
No play possible due to continuous rain. Match called off with King's not facing a single ball.
2nd XI vs St Peter's College 2nd
King's 174 (William Boyden 50, Finn Ross 34)
SPC 103 (Finn Ross 5 for 31, Marcus Gerbich-Pais 2 for 3, Jacob McGuire 2 for 20)
Won by 71 runs
3rd XI vs Northcote College First XI
King's 159 (Ben Sommerville 35)
Northcote 82 (George Hulley 4 for 15)
Won by 77 runs
Senior A vs Auckland Grammar School
King's 200 (Williams 65)
AGS 125
Won by 75 runs
Senior A played a fantastic game of cricket in good spirits in the wonderful setting of the Auckland Domain against Auckland Grammar School. Batting first on a well prepared typical Auckland Domain cricket wicket, Joshua Williams and Samuel Kenwood built a formidable 3rd and 4th wicket partnership to ensure a competitive total of 200 was posted. The boys showed a little empathy for the opposition in the first few overs by allowing them to score quickly. However, they soon increased their intensity to play some skillful and entertaining cricket. Some excellent swing bowling by Harry Hanlon and sharp wicket keeping by Joshua Williams ensured Auckland Grammar School were all bowled out for 125. A great bunch of lads who certainly enjoy playing cricket together.
Man of the match without a doubt was Joshua Williams for outstanding batting, wicket-keeping and sportsmanship.
Colts vs Auckland Grammar School 2
AGS 174 (Thomas O'Connor 3 for 28, Patrick Fulton 3 for 31)
King's 144 (Saxon Gough 45)
Lost by 30 runs
Junior A1 (Year 9 side) vs Auckland Grammar School
AGS 182 for 5
King's 164 for 6 (Aidan Morgan 41, Sean Roberton 31)
Lost by 18 runs
Junior A2 (Year 10 side) vs Macleans College
King's 174 for 4 (Casey McGuire 62)
Maclean's 162 for 4
Won by 12 runs
The Girls' First XI Cricket team had a disappointing loss in their first game of the season against Lynfield College. King's scored 99 runs for 3 off 20 overs and Lynfield came back with 100 runs for 2 off the second to last over. Player of the day was April Kerr, playing an outstanding game scoring 43 runs not out and collecting two catches.
Softball
Congratulations to Trent Fa’aofo on his selection in the New Zealand Under-14 Softball Squad.
Tennis
The Senior 1 Boys’ Tennis team took part in the qualifying tournament for the National Championships. Playing against Auckland Grammar School, the team was up against it from the beginning. In their singles matches Jacque Anderson and Kristian Gurshin were well beaten. Timothy Youn playing at no.4 had a closer match, eventually going down 6-3, 6-4. Luc Anderson had a tight battle against the Grammar no.1. Having lost the first set 6-4, Luc Anderson came back to win the second set 6-4 before succumbing 6-3 in the final set.
Touch
Some touch players, very tired after athletics, found themselves down 0-2 after two minutes against De La Salle College. Huge credit to their composure and resilience that they managed to rally and easily win the game 6-2.
The poor start aside, the team is starting to learn that their strength is in their passing and expansive game, and even after a torrid day of athletics, their fitness is better than other teams in this competition and needs to be utilised. Some of the passing in this game was of great quality and the interchange amongst Moses Puru, Ciarahn Matoe, Lukas Halls and Bailyn Sullivan in the middles was excellent.
Next week will be the real test when all of the unbeaten teams play in round-robin, and Mangere College and Aorere College will be challenges to King’s retaining their South Auckland title.
Also, congratulations to Moses Puru who was named in the New Zealand Under-17 Boys' team after last week's National Provincial Tournament.
Water Polo
Two water polo games were played at the end of last week.
The first at the Epsom Girls' Grammar School pool last Friday night against Sacred Heart College Red was a good lesson for us about fitness and how to stop a counter-attacking game. No doubt as the season progresses we will improve in these areas. In a game peppered with unpunished off-the-ball activity, with a paucity of major fouls awarded against our opponents, we managed to score 3 goals (Henry Gelb, Alex Williams and Jordan Hope) to their 12 which were mostly scored off counter attacks. The lessons of this match have been banked for future games.
Our second game last Sunday at the Sacred Heart College pool against Macleans College told a different story. Tight defence and excellent goalkeeping from Caleb Brooke provided us with a winning platform, but it could have been so much more had the boys thrown more than just their handbags and purses at the goal. Timothy Guy provided 2 goals, 1 each in the first two quarters and we led 2-0 at half-time.
Goals from Jordan Hope and Tevyn Anitelea put us 4-1 up at the end of the third quarter and goals from Timothy Guy, Jordan Hope and Tevyn Anitelea finished the game off with a 7-3 win. Excellent guarding by Tevyn Anitelea and the rest of the team proved correct the old adage that the best attack comes from excellent defence. Things to work on this week will be shooting and not throwing the ball at the opposition goalkeeper. Top corners would be better.
