Daniel Whitburn loves putting his body through the wringer. The College Sport Auckland Sportsman of the Year is an International Triathlon champion and intends taking up Ironman in the near future.
 
Whitburn recalls the time when the appetite for such punishment was non-existent.
 
“When I was in year six, I got last in the school cross country. My parents weren’t impressed so they entered me into triathlon. It wasn’t until Year 10, I realised I actually enjoyed it. I discovered the further I go, the better I get.”
 
In 2015, Whitburn’s rapid improvement took him to the World Championships for the first time. Valuable experience was gained, but Whitburn was hungry for more international success from that point on.
 
A major victory was achieved in September at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship in Rotterdam, Holland.
 
Whitburn won the U19 Standard Distance gold medal which features a 1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run. Whitburn vividly captures the action:
 
“It was a strange race. In the swim I was caught in the bunch and wasn’t pleased to be there so I veered out to the far right, which wasn’t a good place to be either. When I saw there only four guys in front me it wasn’t so bad when I left the water. On the bike leg I was certain I had passed three riders so I thought I was in second place. When I started the run Dad yelled to me I was in first place. I still have no idea what happened to the leading rider, but I put the foot on the gas and hung on.”
 
To add to the confusion the course was shared by competitors in an older race so the younger athletes were being passed as they progressed.
 
Even more remarkably Whitburn suffered a serious accident two weeks before he left for the Netherlands.  He was T-boned at a road intersection while on a training ride. Whitburn remembers watching the motor vehicle driver, waiting for him to stop, then nothing - until he woke up in the back of an ambulance.

It takes more than a wayward car to keep Whitburn down.
 
In February he won the Auckland Schools championship and he has won the prestigious Erin Baker Trophy awarded to an athlete who completes the four Taupo triathlons annual events that includes the ‘across Lake Taupo’ swim.
 
With such a vast pedigree it should be little surprise that Whitburn was anointed the College Sport Auckland Sportsman of the Year last Sunday, but the 17-year old was genuinely touched by the accolade.  
 
“It was a big honour and surprise to win. There are so many outstanding athletes. To be selected is a real thrill,” he says.
 
Whitburn is the fourth triathlete to win the major College Sport Auckland award. He joins fellow St Kent’s old boy Nathan Richmond (1996), Olympian Terenzo Bozzone (2002) and Daniel Hoy (2016) as recipients of the prize.

Three nights after winning College Sport Auckland's major prize, Whitburn won the Counties Manukau Junior Sportsman of the Year accolade. 
 
Despite his success in triathlon, Whitburn desires a switch to ironman.
 
“I am heading to Dunedin to start a law and politics degree at Otago University next year so I will be having a sabbatical from competition. My goal is to do ironman’s, but I am too young at the moment to be a regular competitor. I will train and bide my time.” Whitburn concludes.

St Cuthbert’s College hockey star Madison Doar and Saint Kentigern College triathlete Daniel Whitburn won this year’s Auckland College Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year female and male accolades late last week.
The 27th annual awards dinner at Eden Park celebrated over 160 outstanding secondary school athletes from all over the greater Auckland area.
 
Doar was co-captain of the St Cuthbert’s College winning Federation Cup hockey team in Winter Tournament Week, having made her Black Sticks debut earlier in the year against India. She is currently in the side contesting the World Hockey League Finals series (playing the Netherlands in the final tonight).
 
Whitburn won gold in the 18-19 age-group at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship, in the Netherlands in September. He the Auckland Schools Championship in February and claimed a top finish in the National Championship in March.
 
Winners below:

Service to Secondary School Sport: Alan Taylor, Botany Downs Secondary College
Service to Secondary School Sport: David Long, Mt Albert Grammar School

Aktive Student Coach of the Year: Paige Butterworth, Sancta Maria College (Hockey)
Aktive Student Official of the Year: Ben Matthews, Long Bay College (Football & Touch)

International Achievement: Gina Galloway, Diocesan School for Girls (Swimming)
International Achievement: Sebastian Lardies, Sacred Heart College (Yachting)
International Achievement: Scott McKenzie, Glendowie College (Yachting)
International Achievement: Joshua Oxenham, Saint Kentigern College (Mountain Biking)

All Rounder Boys: Lachlan Dickson, Auckland Grammar School (Athletics, Cycling, Hockey)
All Rounder Girls: Tori Kolose, Saint Kentigern College (Athletics, Netball, Touch)

Athletes with a Disability Boys: Alexander Anderson, Auckland Grammar School (Swimming)
Athletes with a Disability Girls: Anna Steven, Westlake Girls High School (Athletics)

Athletics Boys: Oliver Miller, St Peter’s College
Athletics Girls: Mellata Tatola, St Mary’s College

Badminton Boys: Oscar Guo, Westlake Boys High School
Badminton Girls: Sally Fu, Macleans College

Basketball Boys: Daniel Fotu, Rangitoto College
Basketball Girls: Tayla Dalton, Carmel College

Cricket Boys: Adam Jones, Sacred Heart College
Cricket Girls: Bella Armstrong, Epsom Girls Grammar School

Cycling Boys: Aaron Wylie, Auckland Grammar School
Cycling Girls: Abigail Morton, Baradene College of the Sacred Heart

Distance Running Boys: Theo Quax, Macleans College
Distance Running Girls: Kendall Vaughan, St Cuthbert’s College

Football Boys: Max Mata, Saint Kentigern College
Football Girls: Hannah Blake, Saint Kentigern College

Golf Boys: Kevin Koong, Massey High School
Golf Girls: Miree Jung, Lynfield College

Gymsports Boys: Daniel Stoddart, Westlake Boys High School
Gymsports Girls: Estella Matthewson, St Cuthbert’s College

Hockey Boys: Connor Greentree, Kristin School
Hockey Girls: Madison Doar, St Cuthbert’s College

Lacrosse Girls: Nicole Fordyce, Epsom Girls Grammar School

Mountain Biking Boys: George Furniss, Macleans College
Mountain Biking Girls: Dayna Haythorne, Epsom Girls Grammar School

Netball Girls: Theresa Ngata, Aorere College

Orienteering Boys: Kurtis Shuker, Waiuku College
Orienteering Girls: Sofie Safkova, Takapuna Grammar School

Rowing Boys: Daniel Williamson, King’s College
Rowing Girls: Kate Haines, Diocesan School for Girls

Rugby League Boys: Javvier Pitovao, Mt Albert Grammar School

Rugby Union Boys: Etene Nanai, Saint Kentigern College
Rugby Union Girls: Luti Sikoloni, Southern Cross Campus

Softball Boys: Brock Evans, Mt Albert Grammar School
Softball Girls: Maddison Roy, Pakuranga College

Squash Boys: Matthew Lucente, Westlake Boys High School
Squash Girls: Amara Afghan, Westlake Girls High School

Swimming Boys: Jason Churches, Westlake Boys High School
Swimming Girls: Gabrielle Fa’amausili, Avondale College

Table Tennis Boys: Nathan Xu, Saint Kentigern College
Table Tennis Girls: Zhi Ying Cheng, Macleans College

Tennis Boys: Liam Stoica, Saint Kentigern College
Tennis Girls: Elys Ventura, Westlake Girls High School

Touch Boys: Tarkyn Loloselo, St Peter’s College
Touch Girls: Mahina Paul, Saint Kentigern College

Triathlon Boys: Daniel Whitburn, Saint Kentigern College
Triathlon Girls: Jacey Cropp, Rangitoto College

Underwater Hockey Boys: Elliot Sneddon, Mahurangi College
Underwater Hockey Girls: Marieke Bavelaar, Howick College

Volleyball Boys: Henry Ap’e, Manurewa High School
Volleyball Girls: Ariane Pola, Westlake Girls High School

Waka Ama Boys: Daniel Calder, Kaipara College
Waka Ama Girls: Inamaru Tere, Waitakere College

Water Polo Boys: Matthew Morris, Rangitoto College
Water Polo Girls: Bernadette Doyle, St Cuthbert’s College

Yachting Boys: Jackson Keon, Kristin School
Yachting Girls: Rose Dickson, King’s College

Young Sportsman of the Year Finalists:
Oscar Guo, Westlake Boys High School (Badminton)
Matthew Lucente, Westlake Boys High School (Squash)
Matthew Morris, Rangitoto College (Water Polo)
Daniel Whitburn, Saint Kentigern College (Triathlon) – Winner
Aaron Wyllie, Auckland Grammar School (Cycling)

Young Sportswoman of the Year Finalists:
Zhi Ying Chang, Macleans College (Table Tennis)
Madison Doar, St Cuthbert’s College (Hockey) – Winner
Bernadette Doyle, St Cuthbert’s College (Water Polo)
Nicole Fordyce, Epsom Girls Grammar School (Lacrosse)
Sally Fu, Macleans College (Badminton)
Abigail Morton, Baradene College (Cycling)
 

 A wide array of champions here in 2017, poll below. 

Connor Bell - (Westlake Boys’ High School) - It’s almost a laughing matter how far ahead of the discus throwing competition Connor Bell is in New Zealand. The National U18 and U20 champion won the intermediate National Secondary Schools title in December 2016 by over 20-metres. The Australian Under-18 champion was a hot favourite to capture a gold medal at the Junior Commonwealth Games in July and duly delivered with a throw of over 60-metres. Bell is ranked in the top five in the world for his age group.

Lewis Clareburt (Scots College) - Clareburt has cleaned up age group swimming in 2017. In March, Clareburt broke the national age record in the 400m individual medley, previously held by Rio Olympian Bradlee Ashby, with a time of 4 minutes 21.69 seconds, and equalled Danyon Loader's near 25-year-old record in the 200m freestyle, clocking in at 1.51.70. Things got even better for Lewis in July when he won more medals than anybody else at the Junior Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas. The Year 13 won three gold and four silver medals in a hectic and outstanding display of class. There were 1034 athletics representing 64 countries. Clareburt was named College Sport Wellington Sportsman of the Year.

Matt Dell (Sacred Heart College) - Sacred Heart enjoyed another all-conquering season in water polo winning the Auckland, North Island and National titles. Dell was integral to Sacred Heart’s success. He was the stingiest goal-keeper in the Auckland league and his shot-blocking helped Sacred Heart overcome their fierce rivals Saint Kentigern College in a penalty shootout in both the Auckland and National finals. Dell was named tournament MVP at Nationals and will most likely venture to the US on scholarship in 2018.

Oscar Guo (Westlake Boys’ High School) - “I like to play an attacking style of Badminton, hit the shuttlecock close to the lines and take risks. Because I am young I have nothing to lose,” Oscar Guo told College Sport Media in February. This audacious approach has paid rich dividends for Guo who is New Zealand’s top ranked singles player. Guo won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles events at the National Under-17 and 19 championships, becoming the first player to win three National Under-17 singles titles on the trot. Additionally, Westlake won the National Secondary Schools title, sweeping Auckland Grammar School 6-0 in the final. In New Caledonia at the Oceania champs in February, Guo claimed both the singles and doubles crowns and in the former event didn’t drop a set.  He was named Westlake Boys’ High School Sportsman of the Year.

Cameron Jones (Waimea College) – In February, 16-year-old Waimea College multisport athlete Cameron Jones became the youngest ever winner of the 2-day race in the 34-year history of the famous Coast-to-Coast event across the South Island. He held a 10 minute lead after day one and went on to win the individual two-day race by almost 40 minutes in 12hr 19min 5sec. Of note, the second placed finisher was 16-year-old Oliver Thompson of Trident High School. Later in the year the 2016 NZ cross country U17 Mountain Biking champion competed for NZ in the U19 race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns, Australia.

Tom Parker (Christchurch Boys’ High School) - Before this year, Christchurch’s golf team hadn’t made the National tourney since 1999, but in their first appearance in nearly two decades they won the tourney trouncing local rivals and defending champions Burnside High School by eight shots. Christchurch’s efforts were spearheaded by Parker who won the individual crown, finishing three shots ahead of teammate Ben Baker. Parker fired the round of the tournament with a 66, recovering from a slow start. Christchurch also won all four of their interschool exchanges and Parker often competes overseas having travelled to China, Hong Kong and New Caledonia alone this season. In 2018, Parker will shift to the US on a golf scholarship at the University of Oregon. Oregon was second in the National championships this year and won the title in 2016, making it one of the top collegiate programs in the world.

Sam Tanner (Bethlehem College)  “I knew there was going to be a heap of guys who were really fast and fit, but I was just preparing myself to push my body to its limit,” said Sam on winning this year’s NZSS Cross Country Championship win in June. “I didn’t have to quite do that, where I hit the wall, but it was a tough race.” The Waikato-Bay of Plenty champion headed a strong field of some 220 runners in the 6km, three-lap Senior Boys race, beating Hamilton Boys’ High School’s Isaiah Priddey by a second in a sprint finish and with local St Bede’s College’s Nick Moulai 10 seconds back in third. Tanner also won the National U18 cross country title and in September, he completed a trifecta of wins in 2017 by winning the National U18 Road Race title.

 The Champion of Champion series is not intended to be a definitive list of the ‘best’ athletes in each code, rather it celebrates many of the leading athletes and teams in each that College Sport Media has followed this year. Preference has gone to those individuals/teams that CSM has interviewed and profiled in 2017. Got a story? Email [email protected]

Some outstanding female athletes to celebrate in this category this year, across a variety of sports. Who would your pick be from the names below?
​
Ellesse Andrews (St Peter’s School, Cambridge) - In August, St Peter’s School, Cambridge, Year 13 cyclist Ellesse Andrews added ‘world record holder’ to her long list of achievements. Competing at the 2017 UCI Junior World Track Cycling Championships in Montichiari, Italy, Ellesse won a world title for the second year running. After winning gold in the Team Sprint (with Emma Cummings) and bronze in the 2km Individual Pursuit in Switzerland in 2016, Ellesse stepped it up another notch this year, smashing the 2km Individual Pursuit world record by four seconds. It rounded off a successful week of racing for Andrews, who along with team mates Nicole Shields, Katie Smith and Emily Sharman, also won silver for New Zealand in the 4km Team Pursuit.

Amelia Kerr (Tawa College) - Amelia Kerr can now put her opponents in a spin fulltime – in September she became the youngest ever contracted White Fern at 16-years. Having made her debut last November, she played every match at the Women's Cricket World Cup in England in June. The leg spinner finished inside the top ten wicket-takers at the tournament, something coach Haidee Tiffen said was down to her having a cool head in pressure situations. Kerr is a year 12 student at Tawa College. She is also a handy bat – in February she scored 119 for Wellington, which was the 100th century scored in the women’s domestic One-Day competition and she became the youngest ever centurion in the competition – a tick over two years younger than Suzie Bates was when she scored 183 not out against Auckland when she was 18.

Phoenix Paniora (Trident High School) - “I love my sports, I don’t know where I would be without my sports,” Phoenix told College Sport Media in April. She plays volleyball, netball and Touch having played for both her school and for Bay of Plenty representative sides on a regular basis over the past few years. Volleyball was her focus for much of 2017 though – having played for the New Zealand U18 Women’s volleyball Team that finished eighth in the Asian Youth U18 Girls Volleyball Championship in China and then named as the girls tournament MVP at the NZSS secondary School Volleyball Championships, after helping her Trident team win the Division 1title for the first time. Phoneix was then selected for the full NZ Women’s Volleyball team, making her full international debut at the 2017 Asian Women's Senior Volleyball Championship in the the Philippines in August. She has also been named in the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Beko netball squad for 2018.

Pallas Potter (Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt) - In late July Pallas Potter captained the youthful Junior White Sox (Women’s U19s) team at the Junior World Series in Florida. This was her second time in this team after making it as a year 11 in 2015, and she is eligible for the 2019 Junior World Series too. She recently won Softball New Zealand’s Emerging Player of the Year award and has now been selected in the senior White Sox squad and is already footing it in the senior ranks at the highest level. Pallas also played as a defender in the Sacred Heart College netball team that finished a credible 10th of 16 teams at the October NZSS Netball Championships.

Olivia McTaggart (Kristin School)  - In January, Kristin School Year 13 pole vaulter Olivia McTaggart jumped a personal best of 4.40m in Hastings, which was just .05 metres away from Rio bronze medallist and training partner Eliza McCartney's New Zealand U18 record. “The feeling off the top of the pole is seriously amazing, if you do it properly, it just feels like you’re flying for that split second and it’s what it’s all about when you get over that bar, Olivia told College Sport Media in February. The New Zealand U20 champion went on to finish third to McCartney at the Australian Athletics championships and spent a month in the New Zealand winter competing in Europe.  Will be one of the drawcards at this year’s NZSS Track and Field Championships in the Hawke’s Bay.

Zoi Sadowski Synnott (Mount Aspiring College) - In September Wanaka snowboarder Zoi Sadowski Synnott, 16, was named Snow Sports NZ's top athlete for 2017. The Mt Aspiring College student won her first snowboard world cup earlier this year, making her just the third Kiwi to win a world cup. Sadowski Synnott I was subsequently selected for the New Zealand team to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Sadowski Synnot's World Cup win came during her first season competing on the Northern Hemisphere world cup circuit. She is currently ranked third on the International Ski Federation (FIS) world cup standings for women's snowboard slopestyle. Her world cup triumph in the Czech Republic at the end of March was hot on the heels of a silver medal at the world championships in Spain. She also claimed a world cup bronze in Snowboard Big Air in Quebec, Canada in February. Sadowski Synnott also won a world cup slopestyle bronze medal in front of her Cardrona home crowd at the Audi Quattro Winter Games NZ in August.

Veronica Wall (Ashburton College)  - In 2016, Ashburton College rower Veronica Wall became the first person to win the U16, U17 and U18 single sculls events at the Maadi Cup regatta, and also won , the U18 coxed quad. This year at Lake Karapiro, the 17-year old repeated the dose, winning four more golds , swapping the U16 single sculls for the U18 double sculls,  She won the U17 single sculls by nine seconds, the U18 single sculls by 12 seconds, the U18 double sculls, with Grace Wilson, by nearly four seconds, and the U18 coxed quad, with Wilson, Mollie Gibson, Olivia Gibson and cox Emma Jansen, by slightly more than four seconds. In August she competed for New Zealand at the 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships in Lithuania. 

​The Champion of Champion series is not intended to be a definitive list of the ‘best’ athletes in each code, rather it celebrates many of the leading athletes and teams in each that College Sport Media has followed this year. Preference has gone to those individuals/teams that CSM has interviewed and profiled in 2017. Got a story? Email [email protected]

The first of up to 90 New Zealand athletes to contest the third Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires next year has been selected.
​
The selection of Wellington Girls’ College climber Sarah Tetzlaff marks the first time that a New Zealand sport climbing athlete has ever been involved in the Olympic programme, with the discipline making its debut at the Youth Olympic Games before being contested at Tokyo 2020.

Tetzlaff says she's extremely proud to be named to the team, following a rapid rise within the sport.

“I didn't have a coach for at one point so I was planning and running all my trainings myself for quite a while,” she said.

"It was time consuming but well worth it. I love the sport as well, it's so creative and fun and I've met a lot of great people in this community as well."

Sarah has been climbing for five years and qualified by winning the combined U18 climbing competition at the Oceania Climbing Championships in Noumea, New Caledonia in October.

She saw off competition from Australian and New Caledonian climbers to place first in speed climbing, second in lead climbing and fifth in bouldering, giving her the overall highest placing in the combined disciplines.

Climbing New Zealand CEO David Sanders says the selection is the result of a tireless work ethic.

“We are absolutely delighted at both Sarah’s success at the Oceania’s and that she’s been selected for the Youth Olympic Games,” he said.

“She is an amazing climber but more than that she is dedicated to her climbing programme and to her sport. She’s made rapid improvements over the past year because of her dedication to her training.”

NZOC CEO Kereyn Smith extended her congratulations to Sarah.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Sarah to the team and I know she’ll be working hard to be at her best next October. It’s a fantastic achievement to be selected so early in the piece and it’s come due to the determination and hard work she’s put in over a long period of time,” she said.

“The Youth Olympic Games are a great event and help athletes on the performance pathway to further success on the world stage”

The Youth Olympic Games will take place on 6–18 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For more about Climbing, follow the Climbing New Zealand Facebook page here

Just like last summer, the end of the school year and the upcoming summer holidays means more time to train for and play the sports that Parris Mason loves.

The year 10 New Plymouth Girls’ High School student has been nominated for Junior Sportswoman of the Year at the upcoming Taranaki Daily News Secondary School Sports Awards, which is no surprise given her list of achievements in 2017.

Parris’s three chosen sports are netball, basketball and touch, all of which she has represented New Zealand teams in this year.
​
Hard work and dedication to training, practicing and keeping fit over the 2016/17 summer break, paid off for Parris by making the New Zealand Academy squads and traveling overseas in each of her three sports. 

In May, aged 14, Parris toured Fiji with the Aotearoa Maori Netball International Secondary School (AMNISS) team, her sporting highlight so far, as she explains:
​
“In the trials I was up against girls up to four years older than me. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and soon learnt to grow up and within 24 hours had to pull off some of the best netball I had in me to keep up with these talented players who only two months earlier at a training camp I was idolising them, never imagining I would get to play alongside them. 

“We went to Fiji where we won gold – beating Australia [40-28] in the final.”

After regular trips to Auckland attending basketball camps, and twice picking up Player of the Camp awards, Parris made the New Zealand U16 basketball team that travelled to Perth in July that played against the Australian state sides and finished fifth overall.

In September she was with the New Zealand U16 mixed Touch team that toured the Gold Coast.  “We played in many modules over there during the day and night. I was named co-captain of the team with another boy being named the boys captain.”

There is plenty coming up for Parris. As well as regular touch modules at home in Taranaki and some trips away with representative touch teams, she recently attended a Netball Central Talent Development Advanced Camp and will go to Cambridge in January to participate in the 60-strong NZSS netball trials camp.

Parris plays goal-keep and goal-defence in netball and as a small forward and sometimes a shooting guard in basketball.

As well as representative success, Parris looks set to be a key member in her school’s sporting teams for the next three years whilst she is at New Plymouth Girls’ High School.

NPGHS hasn’t qualified for December’s touch nationals, while they finished down in 21st of 24 teams at the AA basketball nationals in September. “We were put in a really even pool and lost some close games by just a couple of points so we didn’t finish so well there this year.”

The Senior A netballers had a promising year though.

“We missed out on qualifying for the netball nationals this year by one point. We lost closely to Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt [28-29] at the Lower North Island tournament and if we had beaten them in that game we would have got into nationals.”

Teammates Brooke and Paige Neilson were selected in the LNISS tournament team. 

The future bodes well for the NPGHS netballers. “This year I was one of two year 10s in the Senior A netball team, but we had no year 13s. So next year we will have the same team.”

What have been some of the challenges devoting so much time to her sports?

“I have had to deal with 13 coaches across all the codes from school level, regional, national and International level.

“Thankfully fitness testing was similar across all codes and keeping physically and mentally prepared became a huge part in my success. I was fortunate that my coaches were very understanding and even spoke to each other to make sure I could fulfill my achievements at International level. Plus the extra sessions with Hannah Kelly and Trent Adams from Sport Taranaki proved invaluable”

Technically, the change between codes can be challenging. “It’s very easy to move from netball to basketball but I find that moving from basketball to netball is a lot harder because basketball is lot more contact oriented so you get to get away with more stuff but netball is much stricter in that regard,”

“It’s been a big year and I have learnt so much and come such a long way and have enjoyed every step to realizing what it is to be at the top and get to the top and both mean a lot of hard work and time, your natural talent only gets you so far,” concludes Parris.

​There have been some outstanding performances by girls teams in NZSS events in 2017, including first time winners in several codes, others back on top after several years and an epic defence on the water.  

Vote for your favourite performance from the ones we have featured below.

Auckland Diocesan School for Girls Rowing - It’s said that defending NZSS rowing eights titles is one of the hardest assignments in secondary school team sport, such is the competitive and prestige of the Maadi Cup regatta. Auckland Dio did just that on Lake Karapiro in early April, winning back-to-back Levin 75th Jubilee Cup U18 titles and becoming the first North Island female crew in 27 years to do so. They came from behind in a thriller to win the 2000m race by three-quarters of a boat length to Hamilton's St Paul's Collegiate and Christchurch’s' St Margaret's College. Prior to the Maadi regatta, the Dio U18 eight won their third consecutive title at the NISS Rowing Championships at the same venue. This year, Maadi attracted more than 2200 competitors, solidifying its position as the largest secondary school rowing competition in the southern hemisphere.

Howick College Netball Perhaps the fairytale win of the year? “This is the first time for our school at Nationals and we are excited to be there", captain Lasalle Lefale told CSM before the NZSS Netball Nationals in early October. Many hoped, but few expected they’d go all the way and win in their first attempt, after qualifying fifth out of six teams in the UNISS tournament and coming fifth in the Auckland Premier competition. But that is what they did, beating rivals and defending champions Saint Kentigern College 30-27 in their opening game and winning five more matches before beating St Kent’s again in the final, 33-25. Three players in the tournament team – shooter Leehava Saverio, wing defence Iva Livani and goal keep Nanise Waqaira. A multitalented side, most  of the squad play other sports such as Touch, Sevens and volleyball to a high level.
 
St Cuthbert’s College Hockey - St Cuthbert’s College won their third Federation Cup Hockey title and their first since 2012, beating Christchurch’s Rangi Ruru Girls’ School 1-0 in the final, a year after much of the same group of players lost the final to Villa Maria College in extra time. Completing an unbeaten season, St Cuthbert’s had beaten neighbours and rivals Auckland Diocesan in the finals of both the Auckland and Super City competition, including winning 5-1 in the latter final. The team scored 101 goals and conceded just six in the Auckland Super City competitions and scored 43 goals and let in two in the Federation Cup (144 -8 combined score all season). Co-captain Madi Doar made her debut for the Black Sticks earlier this year, while Madi, Katie Doar and Sophia Howard all represented Auckland at the senior National Hockey League tournament. Madi, Katie, Sophia, Tonya Botherway and Kendall Vaughan were selected in the New Zealand U18 squad.
 
Saint Kentigern College Football – Ending rival school Mount Albert Grammar School’s recent dominance of both the Auckland and NZSS Girls Football titles, the Saint Kentigern College First XI won three lots of silverware in 2017 – the Auckland Premiership, the Auckland Knockout Cup and the NZSS Lotto Premier title in Taupo. St Kent’s went unbeaten throughout the Auckland season with just two draws against Rangitoto College and MAGS (2-2 on their annual exchange day) during league play. Having won the Auckland League, they went on to beat Baradene College 3-0 to win the Auckland Premier Championship title. On to Taupo, and, after beating Westlake Girls’ High School in their NZSS semi-final, St Kent’s found themselves trailing MAGS 0-2 at halftime in the final. They fought back to level at 2-2 on fulltime. This was then 4-4 after extra time, sending the final into a penalty shootout, which St Kent’s won after three rounds of sudden death.
 
St Mary’s College Basketball – Went through the season unbeaten to win the Wellington, Zone 3 and National titles - the former for the first time. Combined, these competitions amount to winning 26 games in a row. St Mary’s successfully defended their Wellington title overcoming Hutt Valley High School in the final, the same opponent they foiled in the regional decider. At the Nationals, St Mary’s failed to contain the brilliance of St Peter’s, Cambridge tournament MVP Charlisse Leger-Walker in the final. Charlisse scored 48 points, but St Mary’s had the collective ammunition to overcome the twice defending champions 68-62. Captain Grace Hunter, Sariah Penese and Renee Savai’inaea were selected in the tournament team. Coach Nixon Penese was named Coach of the Year at the College Sport Wellington awards while the team shared the team of the year accolade with the St Mary’s College Rugby team.
 
St Mary’s College Rugby – “We beat Hamilton Girls in a tough semi-final, and were too complacent heading into the final. We thought we had beaten the best team,” Renee Savai'inaea conceded to College Sport Media in October when reflecting on the 2016 National Top Four rugby final between Southland Girls’ High School and St Mary’s College. St Mary’s was well beaten, but bounced back a better side. In December 2016, St Mary’s became the first Wellington school of any gender to win the Condor Sevens title, beating defending champions Hamilton Girls’ High School 19-17 in the final. As a result of this success, St Mary’s was invited to the Sanix World Youth Invitational even in Japan in April and won that tourney undefeated. In First XV rugby, St Mary’s was close to unstoppable. They won the Wellington final 51-12 against Aotea College and after a tough win in the semi-finals of the National Top Four against Auckland champions Southern Cross Campus, comfortably beat Hamilton Girls’ High School 29-12 to became national champions for the first time.
 
Trident High School - Volleyball Team unity and strong courtside support were to two factors that carried Trident High School’s Senior A Girls volleyball team to this year’s NZSS title. “Five of us have been playing together since 2014 and we won the Junior North Islands that year together, and other players that have joined us since then have all fitted in well, we’re really close-knit and that helped us win some tight games,” team captain Courtney McConkey told CSM in April.“ We also got a big boost from our supporters. We were surprised that so many came down from Whakatane. Seeing so many people dressed up in Trident colours really lifted us.” Trident beat New Plymouth GHS 3-1 in the final to win their maiden NZSS title. Overall the team played and won nine games in five days, winning their matches by a combined 27 sets to six. Phoenix Paniora and Mana Kume made the tournament team and Year 12 Phoenix was the Tournament MVP.

The Champion of Champion series is not intended to be a definitive list of the ‘best’ athletes in each code, rather it celebrates many of the leading athletes and teams in each that College Sport Media has followed this year. Preference has gone to those individuals/teams that CSM has interviewed and profiled in 2017. Got a story? Email [email protected]

View the Champion of Champions Boys Teams at: https://www.collegesportmedia.co.nz/other/champion-of-champions-boys-teams8963679 

What if we had a Halberg award for the best College sports team during the year. Who would win?

​Normally in school sport it is relatively easy to find the top team within a code, but can you pick who has achieved more in 2017, when comparing codes?

Christ’s College Hockey - Christ’s won the Rankin Cup for the first win since 1991 after a dogged victory on penalties against Christchurch Boys’ High School in the final. Christ’s recovered from a defeat to King’s High School in pool play to foil Wairarapa College 4-1 in the round of 16,  Paraparaumu College, 4-1 in the quarter-finals and King’s College, 1-0 in the semi-finals. In addition to their Rankin Cup triumph, Christ’s successfully defended their Canterbury title taming St Andrew’s College on penalties in the final.
 
Hamilton Boys’ High School Football - Won the National championship for the first time, thus becoming the first school from the Waikato region to capture the crown. Hamilton stunned defending champions Sacred Heart College on penalties in the final after earlier eliminating fellow Auckland powerhouse St Kentigern College in the quarter finals. Hamilton won their local title for the 13th time in 14 years and were runners up to Napier Boys’ High School in the Super 8.
 
Hastings Boys’ High School Rugby - Became the 13th team since the inception of the National Top Four in 1982 to win the title unbeaten. Hastings have only lost one of their past 40 matches and scored over 1000 points in 2017, while holding eight opponents scoreless. Hastings remarkably beat St Pats Town (106-7), Palmerston North BHS (100-0) and Wellington College (78-0), the largest defeats any of those proud rugby institutions have suffered. Hastings success was rewarded when they had no less than half a dozen selections in the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ teams, including No.8 Devan Flanders who won the Bronze Boot award as the best player in the annual trans-tasman test against Australia.

Rosmini College Basketball - Rosmini bounced back from their defeat in the Auckland final to Rangitoto College to beat the defending National champions in both the Zone I and National finals. In the latter event Rosmini won all eight games foiling Zone 4 champions Christ’s College in extra time in the semi-finals and resisting Rangitoto 87-79 in the decider to became national champions for the first time since 2011.

Manurewa High School Volleyball - Manurewa have been the dominant force in Auckland volleyball winning the Auckland title for the past three years. After a series of narrow misses at Nationals, Manurewa finally broke through in 2017 to claim the mantle as the top team in the country. Manurewa was beaten in pool play at Nationals by Western Heights High School, but bounced back hard to reach the final where they beat Orewa College in straight sets 25-16, 25-23, 25-23. Three Manurewa players made the tournament team: Wanyae Suafo’a, Henry Ap’e (Captain) and Tala Potifara (Tournament MVP).

Mount Albert Grammar School Softball - MAGS claimed a record fifth-straight title at the National Secondary Schools Division 1 competition at Rosedale Park, beating Hastings Boys’ High School in the final 6-3. However, it didn't come easy for defending champions, who were beaten twice by Hastings Boys throughout the tournament. MAGS won the Auckland title for the fifth year on the trot to and their all-round excellence was awarded at Nationals when Harley Maynard was named top pitcher, Max Earley the top catcher award and Toby Bourgeois tournament MVP. Additionally Brock Evans, Floyd Nola and coach Stu Kinghorn joined the other three in the Tournament Team.
 
St Andrew’s College Rowing - Celebrating their centenary, St Andrew’s (STAC) coxed eight created history by winning the Maadi Cup for the first time. At Lake Karapiro, St Andrew’s finished ahead of defending champions Christ's College and perennial contenders Hamilton Boys’ High School. A day earlier Ben Taylor,  Zackary Rumble, Thomas Russell and Mitchell White also won the coxed four Springbox Shield for STAC for the first time since 1983. The other members of the STAC eight were: Sam Paterson, Oliver Bailey, Flynn Dijkstra and Hamish Veitch. Tom Flavil was coxswain and the the head coach was Dale Maher.

Sacred Heart College Football - It was another stellar year for the Sacred Heart First XI winning the Auckland Premier League for the fourth consecutive year and repeating the knockout cup/league double. Sacred Heart trailed St Kentigern College in the league standings for much of the season, but scored 24 goals in their last three games to overtake their presbyterian rivals. Additionally Sacred Heart finished fifth in the International School Sport Federation's World Schools Championships in Prague. The event feature 36 teams from 24 countries with Sacred Heart becoming the first New Zealand team to compete. In the quarter-finals Sacred Heart lost to eventual champions Qatar in controversial fashion, Qatar was a million dollar sponsored team. Sacred Heart failed to defend their National title, but were runners up to Hamilton Boys’ High School despite missing three of their leading players who were selected for the New Zealand Under-17 squad.