17 March 2007

AWE Huatoki will host Sandfords Manaia in the Soffe cup final next Saturday. Huatoki defeated Hooker Pacific Pukekura 11- 5 at home while Sandfords Manaia defeated Rotokare 9-7 at Manaia.
In the clash between the two New Plymouth sides, the singles matches were shared 4 all. Pukekura No 1 and 2 MIchael Fleming defeated Jonathan Ussher  6-4, 6-3 and Meto Snegirev defeated Roy Gaskin  7-6, 6-2. Huatoki's Neil Bridgeman and Rakesh Rai beat Andy Erb and Paul Simpson in the No 3 and 4 matches.
In the women's singles, Huatoki's top two players, Lucy Barlow and Saori Han had easy wins over Linda Reid and Donna Thorne, while Pukekura's Kirsten Adam and Jeanette Harding won their singles against Janice Taylor and Robyn Hinton.
Huatoki's doubles combinations proved superior however and they only lost one further match, Snegirev and Thorne defeated Hinton 9-6 in the No 2 mixed match.
 
In the Sandfords Manaia - Rotokare match, it was close all the way. Rotokare won three men's singles with No 1 Chris Popata defeating Thomas Luxton 6-1, 6-0, Greg Hareb winning 6-1, 6-4 against Alaister Murdoch and Mike Roberts winning in the third set tie- break over Michael Gates. Manaia's No 2 Jason Mills defeated Mark Atkins 6-1, 6-0.
Manaia won the top three singles easily with Nicole Koch ,Alesha Ford and Ashlee Murdoch winning against Leith Atkins, Val McLoughlin and Michelle Atkins. Rotokare's No 4, Maureen Whiting won her singles 6-1, 7-6 over Ginny Death to make it 4 all going into the doubles.
The men's doubles were one a piece but Manaia won both women's doubles which was crucial. Koch and Ford had an easy win over Leith and Michelle Atkins but Murdoch and Death won in the third set tie-break over McLoughlin and Whiting.
 The mixed were shared 2 all.
 
 
In the Wilson Trophy Oakura (1) and Matapu have qualified to play in the Soffe Cup next season after they won their semifinals. Oakura defeated Manaia 15-1 while Matapu triumphed against Okaiawa (1 ) 11- 5.
It was a double celebration for Huatoki as their Sumpter Trophy team also won through to the final. They will host Team Hawera after they beat Manaia 11-5 and Hawera defeated Waitara 13-3.
 
Soffe Cup
AWE Huatoki 11 Hooker Pacific Pukekura 5, Sandfords Manaia 9 Rotokare 7
 
Wilson Trophy
Oakura (1) 15 Manaia 1, Matapu 11 Okaiawa (1) 5
 
Sumpter Trophy
Huatoki 11 Manaia 5, Hawera 13 Waitara 3