26 Feb 2012

The contenders for the Soffe Cup have been found and predictably it will be Icon Sports Tariki Pukekura hosting Sandford's Manaia.  Manaia, fielding their top squad for the semi-final yesterday didn't have an easy day out against Central Finance Rotokare.  Manaia's top men Jordan Fleming and Cameron Koch won their singles matches against Blair Crowley and Malcolm Elder, scores 6-3 6-4 and 6-2 6-4 respectively.  Rotokare's Mike Roberts was the only man to win his singles for the city side; his match against Michael Gates finished 6-2 6-4.  Taranaki's number 1 lady, Nicole Koch was untroubled by Rotokare's Tania L-Ami (6-0 6-1).  The middle order for the ladies were a lot closer with both the 2nd and 3rd ladies matches going to Rotokare.  The surprise of the singles was the close match between Karen Cranston (Rotokare) and Maree Gopperth (Manaia).  Cranston was picked to win this match convincingly, however Gopperth fought hard winning the second set to love.  Cranston had to use all of her experience to win the match 6-2 0-6 7-6.  Frances Gray was the other Rotokare woman to win her singles.  This match also came down to a third set tie-breaker;  Gray beating Manaia's Grace Kelly 7-6 2-6 7-6. 

In the doubles, Rotokare mixed it up with Crowley playing with Shane Devlin at one against Fleming and Koch.  The Manaia duo winning 6-1 6-0.  The shuffle by Rotokare paid off however, with the bottom doubles going to Rotokare's Malcolm Elder (2nd man) and Mike Roberts (3rd man) who played Gates and Tommy Death (6-3 6-1).  All of the ladies doubles were won by Manaia.  Combines were two a piece at the end of the day with Rotokare winning the middle order.  Second combines won by Elder and L'Ami against Cameron Koch and Gopperth (2-6 6-4 7-6) and the 3rd combination won by Roberts and Cranston against Gates and Kelly (6-1 default).  The final score 10-6.

 Icon's Sport Tariki Pukekura hosts a depleted AWE Huatoki side.  Having struggled through the season to front with a consistent squad, team captain Jeremy Wichman will be glad the season is finished.  Without the Rai brothers (Amrit and Ajeet),  Jono Ussher, Alistair Nairn, Murray Keast, Sophie Robertson, Lorraine Heerdegen and Megan Van der Poel, Huatoki still managed to field a squad.  At Number 1, David Innes played Pukekura's Callum Old.  Old winning 6-0 6-0.  At 2 for the men, experienced players Michael Fleming (Pukekura) and Jeremy Wichman (Huatoki) played.  Fleming winning 6-0 6-0.  Pukekura's Chris Jury and Jaimie Simpson also had easy wins over Ben Caskey and Cory Sutherland, 6-1 6-2 and 6-1 6-1 respectively. 

The only singles to go Huatoki's way was to Alice Caskey.  She won her match against Linda Reid 6-1 6-1.    Caskey was the shining light for Huatoki winning all three of her matches.  Her doubles with Chris Wilson 5-7 6-1 7-6 against Reid and Jeanette Harding and her combines with Innes 6-3 7-6.  Final Score 13-3 to Pukekura.

Pukekura 13 v Huatoki 3

Manaia v 10 – Rotokare 6

A2 Top 6

Hawe 10 v Ingle 2

Mana 4 v Puke 8

Stra 5 v Waiw 7

A2 Bottom 6

Mata 3 v Oaku 9

Okai 9 v Roto 3

Hua G Bye

A3 Top 6

Wait 7 v Mana 5

Haw 6 v Strat 6

Waiw G 4 v Puke G 8

A3 Bottom 6

Roto 4 v Opun 8

Puke G v Mana (Puke win due to default)

Huat 10 v Waiw B 2