It has been a big week for our First XV. Fresh off winning the North Harbour 1A final, the team backed it up with a 29–24 victory away at King’s College in the Blues final. This result puts our first XV into the Top 4, to be held in Palmerston North.
The journey to the Blues title began with our First XV rugby team winning its fifth consecutive North Harbour championship with a 39–18 win over Whangārei Boys’ High School at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday, 16 August. The scoreline did not reflect the tight game for much of the afternoon, with our First XV only pulling away in the final minutes. Standout moments included a spectacular 50m diving try from centre Matthew Fleming and a strong performance from blindside flanker Solomone Tu’itupou, who was named player of the day. Late tries from Luke Lemalu and Travis Findlay sealed the result in front of a 2,500-strong crowd. The victory continues Westlake’s remarkable record in the competition, with 22 championship titles since 1985 and just two losses in their past 20 finals.
On top of the Blues final win, our 1R (U85kg) rugby team won its Auckland final for the first time, while our U14 Black team won its North Harbour division. We’d like to thank Archibald & Shorter North Shore, SAS Sport, Gavin Roberts – Auckland House & Properties and Exedy NZ for their ongoing commitment to our school rugby programme.
Football First XI win Auckland League
Our premier football team faced a high-stakes clash against St Kentigern College on Friday, 15 August, needing a win to secure the league title.
The team rose to the challenge in style, racing to a 4–0 lead within the first 30 minutes thanks to goals from Charley Mueller, Billy Higgins, Yassin Ayoub, and Kai Barrett. The scoreline remained unchanged, sealing an emphatic victory and the championship. This is the third year in a row that Westlake Boys High School has taken out this title. The trophy they won was first presented in the 1920s and is likely the oldest Auckland school sports trophy.
Across 14 matches, Westlake Boys delivered consistency and attacking flair, finishing the season with ten wins, two draws, and just two losses, alongside an impressive +34 goal difference. This record highlights not only their dominance on the pitch but also their resilience and composure under pressure.
The team has been expertly guided by head coach Callum Simmonds, whose leadership has fostered a culture of excellence and unity. His tactical insight and ability to bring out the best in his players have been key to the side’s success. He has been well supported throughout the season by assistant coach Mr Dale, manager Mr Douglas, and physio Georgie Carroll. The passion shown by the players in the Westlake Boys shirt reflects the role football plays in shaping character, building lifelong friendships, and performing at the highest youth level in Auckland. This success continues the proud legacy of Westlake Boys football, made possible by the dedication of coaches, administrators, parents, and the wider school community. We’d like to thank our football partners North Shore Toyota, Oceanbridge Shipping and SAS Sport for their continued support.
Westlake musicians strike gold at KBB Festival
Westlake ensembles once again impressed audiences and judges at the KBB Music Festival, held between 11 and 16 August at Holy Trinity Cathedral and St Mary’s in Parnell. Across six days of competition, our students delivered several memorable performances, earning four gold awards:
• Westlake Symphony Orchestra (with Westlake Girls) – gold; Best Performance of a Romantic work (Poet and Peasant Overture); Best Performance of a work in an “Other” style
• Westlake Concert Band (with Westlake Girls) – gold; Best Performance of a New Zealand Work (Luke Ding’s Piano Concerto)
• Westlake Big Band (with Westlake Girls) – gold; Best Performance of a work in an “Other” style (What About Me? by Snarky Puppy)
• Westlake Boys Camerata – gold; Best Performance of a work in an “Other” style (Century One Tusonic)
Other results:
• Chamber Orchestra (with Westlake Girls) – silver
• Symphonic Band – silver
• Stage Band – silver
A special thank you to our directors: Mr David Squire (Symphony Orchestra), Mr Eddie Hare (Stage Band, Big Band), and Mr Warwick Robinson (Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Festival Director). Congratulations to all our talented musicians on another outstanding KBB Festival.
