BATHURST High School have amassed a 110-point lead over Orange High School at the halfway point of their home Astley Cup tie, with two emphatic wins in the boys and girls soccer giving the hosts a big advantage.
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The Bathurst girls and boys picked up 4-1 and 4-0 victories respectively at Proctor Park - a 163 to 37 point combined result - while the home side also claimed a 54-42 win in the boys basketball.
Orange did return home with a 64-34 win in the netball, continuing their dominance in the sport.
Bathurst will carry a 254-146 lead into the tennis, girls hockey, boys rugby league and athletics, which were originally scheduled for Thursday but had to be postponed due to snow.
Bathurst High School principal Ken Barwick said the results give the school a much needed buffer ahead of sports where Orange are expected to provide a big challenge.
"It would have been great going into today knowing how far in front or behind we could have been but I think the teams today have really given us a great platform for when we have the catch up games," he said.
"The girls in the netball fought hard to keep that close, and the differential there wasn't that great, and the boys basketball team got on top of Orange late. That made it nearly even going into the soccer.
"To have an 80-20 and 83-17 split from the soccer has now put us more than a whole sport ahead going into the last day against Orange.
"It's really ours to lose now. It's not so much about whether you win or lose now but about not being kept to zero because that's where you lose the big points."
The boys soccer was a great way for Bathurst to round out a memorable day at Proctor Park.
Bathurst got on top just six minutes into the game when Campbell Scott's long range effort skidded into the bottom right corner of the goal.
After a dominant opening 10 minutes from the hosts Orange began to play their way back into the game and created several chances, the best of those opportunities coming from a free kick midway through the half.
Bathurst regained the momentum early in the second half and after Mason Vuki scored the hosts' second goal 10 minutes into the new term it was all one way traffic.
Sam Parker found space at the top of the penalty area to put away goal number three and then some slick moves around several Orange defenders allowed him to earn a penalty kick.
He hit the target from the resulting spot, sealing what could be a crucial win for the Bathurst squad.
Bathurst had fancied their chances in both of the girls and boys soccer games and Barwick said it was great to see the teams realise that potential.
"I've got to give some serious credit to Matthew Baillie, the coach, who really knows what he's doing. He's played a lot of soccer in his life and he's just really good with kids and getting the best out of them," he said.
"When it wasn't working in the first half there for the boys he changed a few things up and they scored three goals in the second half.
"Our girls side has always been strong and it's a credit to them that they always play as a team."
Dates are yet to be confirmed for when the remaining four sports will take place.
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