25 February 2006

Soffe Cup Review
Competition leader Hooker Pacific Pukekura were given a fright by Accent on Curtains Waiwaka at the Waiwaka courts on Saturday.  Waiwaka men won all their singles,  No 1 Aaron  Hine returned from injury to defeat Zac Wills 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 while no 2 and 3 , Chris Popata and Jordan Stayt were not troubled in their singles against Ben Aves and Meto Snegirev, winning 6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-2. No 4 Rhys Sutton has a close 7-6, 6-4 win over Nick Steventon.
Pukekura's women evened the score, winning all their singles. No 1 Linda Reid defeated Nicki Martin 6-2,6-4 while No 2 Donna Thorne was too good for Clare Fairey. No 3 Kirsten Adam had a close 7-5, 6-4 victory over Jayden Bruce while Jeanette Harding completed the clean sweep winning 6-3, 6-2 over Glenda Frost.
The men's doubles were shared with Pukekura's Wills and Steventon winning in the third set tie break over Hine and Stayt and Waiwaka's Popapta and Sutton having a 6-2, 6-2 win over Aves and Snegirev.
Pukekura won both women's doubles in close games while they won two combines, one by default, to take the tie 9-7.
 
As expected Sandfords Manaia had an easy win over Kaponga. They only dropped one match, No 2 Thomas Luxton lost 6-7, 3-6 to Mark Atkins. The rest of the matches were easy wins except the top women's doubles. Taranaki rep players Nicole Koch and Aleisha Ford were taken to three sets by Krystal Oakes and Maree Jones.
 
Midhirst had an easy 12-4 win at home against Stratford. Playing with only three women, Stratford were always going to struggle to be competitive.
Midhirst's,No 1 Jonathan Ussher defeated Bruce Cleland 6-4, 6-2 while Micheal O'Sullivan beat Grant Kite 6-7, 6-3, 7-6.
Stratford's No 3 and 4 evened the score with Hasley Lobb and Craig Oliver having easy wins over Stephen Uhlenberg and Val Cleaver.
Midhirst's women won all their matches. No 1 and 3, Lyn Stanners and Marlene Foreman had easy wins over Brenda Gibbons and Kelsi Bevins while Emmah Ussher had a close win over Min Zimmerman, 7-5, 7-5.
 
With only one week remaining before the semifinals, the top four have already been decided. Pukekura and Manaia have a big lead over Midhirst and Waiwaka and will be top qualifiers. It is just the order which will be decided on 11th March.
Kaponga is 9.5 points behind Waiwaka on 47 and will not be able to overtake them. Stratford are a distant 6th on 31.
 
Wilson Trophy
Okaiawa 11 Ecolab Manaia 5, Huatoki 12 Oakura 4, Matapu 15 Stratford 1
Sumpter Trophy
Inglewood 13 Matapu 3, Oakura defeated Manaia 1 by default, Huatoki 9 Manaia 7, Okaiawa 11 Waiwaka 5.
 
Points
Soffe Cup
Pukekura 91, Manaia 89.75, Midhirst 64.5, Waiwaka 58.75, Kaponga 47, Stratford 31.5
Wilson Trophy
Okaiawa 93.25, Matapu 91.75, Huatoki 67.75, Manaia 57.75, Oakura 41, Stratford 15.75
Sumpter Trophy
Okaiwa 87.5, Inglewood 84.5, Waiwaka 79, Huatoki 55, Oakura 54.75, Matapu 53, Manaia (1) 52.75, Manaia (2) 43