Nor'West News: September 13, 2016

NOR’WEST NEWS Tuesday September 13 2016 17
Burnside hooker picked
for national schools’ team
SPORTS
• By Gordon Findlater
PERRY KARATI has been
named in the New Zealand
Schools’ rugby squad after
a stand-out season with the
Burnside High School first XV.
The hooker was all nerves last
Monday, hoping for the phone to
ring and hear that he had been
named in the squad.
He knew that those selected in
the team would be given a call at
some stage on Monday.
However, it wasn’t until the
evening that Karati’s phone rung
to deliver the good news.
“It was a long day, (but) when
I found out I was stoked. I had
finally made it – one more step towards
the next goal,” said Karati.
Karati will now take part in a
three-day training camp at the
end of the month in Auckland.
He is also hopeful of gaining
a rugby scholarship at Lincoln
University through the Crusaders
academy as he looks to push his
case for provincial and Super
Rugby in the future.
The year 13 student is now in
his fourth year with the Burnside
first XV and has been one of the
school’s longest serving players,
bringing up his 50th cap earlier
this year.
Karati’s time at Burnside has
come with plenty of ups and
downs. When he first played for
NATIONAL HONOURS: Burnside hooker Perry Karati will take
part in a three-day camp with the New Zealand Schools squad in
Auckland later this month. ​
the first XV as a year 10 student,
they were considered one of the
easy beats in the UC Championship.
That has certainly changed in
recent years. Burnside won the
championship plate 12 months
ago and last month advanced to
the national top four co-ed tournament
after winning the South
Island co-ed title by defeating
South Otago High School 20-14.
The three-day camp begins on
September 24.
The New Zealand Schools’
team will play against Australia
Schools and Fiji Schools in early
October.
SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPS: Christchurch Boys’ High School
have been crowned South Island basketball champions
after defeating Otago Boys’ High School 92-57 in the grandfinal.
The South Island schools tournament took place over
four days at Ashburton’s EA Networks Centre. CBHS faced
some familiar opposition on their way to the title, defeating
Cashmere High School 94-75 in the semi-final. Jack Lang
proved the difference hitting eight three pointers in the
semi-final victory. The tournament win means that CBHS
have booked a spot in the national tournament, which will be
played in Palmerston North at the end of the month. They will
be joined by Cashmere and Christ’s College. Meanwhile, the
Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Middleton Grange and Rangiora High
School girls’ teams have also qualified for nationals.
“A vote for me is a
vote for traffic lights
at the intersection of
Harewood/Breens/
Gardiners Roads.”
Aaron
Keown
Councillor for Harewood
Authorised by P. Gatonyi, 228 Milton St.