Pupils enjoy their sports home and away
Dunstan High School
Sports teams have had a successful week at summer tournaments.
The school’s rowers topped off their season with some fantastic results at Maadi. The squad made several A finals and were placed in six of them getting three gold, one silver and two bronze medals to finish eighth overall on the medal table out of 128 Schools.
The athletics team also had a strong season finish. It competed at the South Island Secondary School meet and won four gold, one silver and three bronze medals. The senior girls 4x100m relay team defended their title for the third year in a row.
Dunstan’s boys and girls softball teams competed in the division two South Island Secondary Schools Championships. Both teams played some excellent softball so the boys finished in third place and the girls won their competition.
The school’s kayakers competed in the New Zealand Secondary Schools event at which they have traditionally done well. This year was no exception and the team won several medals for its efforts.
For the first time in many years, Dunstan had boys and girls compete in the South Island Secondary Schools Volleyball Championships. Both teams had some tough games but managed a few wins and will be better for the experience.
John McGlashan College
Summer tournament week provides the majority of the highlights for this report.
Heading the list; Liam Wilson broke his own New Zealand record in the Parafed long Jump at the South Island Secondary School Athletics. Liam also broke the South Island record in the 100m. Josh Hou broke yet another record, this time in the 1500m at the same event. He then combined with Nathan Harrison, Ben Lund and Dom Morrison to break the 4 x 400m relay. Dom, Nathan along with George Bell and Riley Meason all gained placings.
One of the best races ever seen at Maadi was how Jack McLaughlan’s under 17 singles race was described. To come from dead last to win in the last 30m was a sensational effort. For his efforts, Jack won a $15,000 boat for his school. He then combined with Nic Chamberlain to win the under17 double. The medal haul promoted McGlashan to fourthranked boys school in the country. Tim Churnside was awarded MVP at the South Island water polo tournament held recently in Dunedin. Sailors Oliver Paige and Jake South were first in the South Island nonspinnaker class also held in Dunedin. Shay Veitch was second top goal scorer at the national futsal tournament in Wellington, even though his team finished midtable.
Kaikorai Valley College
A very busy term one started with the school athletics day when pupils were encouraged to dress in house colours. All events were on the school grounds and the weather was perfect.
The overnight summer sports exchange with Riccarton High School took place in Christchurch. Riccarton High School pupils will travel to Dunedin in June for the winter exchange.
The 1000k challenge and sports expo day was again a huge success. This is the eighth year it has been running and the final year Neil Mackenzie will be involved. This event was Mr Mackenzie’s initiative with the intention of fundraising for the school with the sponsored run (1000k challenge) and also to promote a variety of sports to a large number of pupils (sports expo day). The school would like to thank Mr Mackenzie for his tireless work over the years.
The school crosscountry was run last Thursday in perfect conditions on the school grounds.
The Onyx Militaires marching teams travelled to Hamilton recently to compete in the NZ Marching Championships. The under12 grade placed second in display, fifth in technical and fifth NZ under12 team out of 19 teams. KVC marchers were Jenna Thompson, Paskell Scorringe and Talia Low. The under16 team placed first in NZ champion and technical and third in display, out of 15 teams. KVC marchers were: Tessa Brownlie, Sarah Broad, Demi Thompson and Shianne Wright.
King’s High School
During tournament week, King’s was well represented in a variety of sports around the country.
King’s High School represented the Otago region at the NZCT junior boys cricket nationals in Palmerston North for the third time in the past four years.
In the clash for South Island supremacy, the team registered a comprehensive win against St Andrew’s and finished in fifth place overall.
Following on from this, the King’s first XI cricket team won the Otago qualifying final against Southland Boys’ to now also represent the Otago region in the first XI Cup to be held in December.
The senior A volleyball team travelled to Palmerston North and finished a creditable 43rd at NZSSVC and look forward to improving on this next year.
The rowing squad attended the Maadi Cup and will benefit greatly from that experience.
Athletes travelled to Timaru to compete at the SISS champs. A squad of 30 athletes brought home six gold, one silver and seven bronze medals.
King’s entered two teams at the SISS water polo champs at Moana Pool with the senior A team finishing a very credible third.
Finally, the senior A touch team travelled to Christchurch for the SISS tournament and this very young side came fifth overall.
Logan Park High School
Pupils have had some outstanding results locally, regionally and nationally recently.
In Marching, Jacinta Burney and Cassara Keen represented Otago at the national championships in Hamilton in March and their team, Onyx Militaires was named overall national champions of their grade.
In the South Island sailing regatta Theo Molteno and Linus Molteno won the Gee Trophy in the nonspinnaker silver division and Ella Molteno and Pepa Cloughley were second. Miriam Barton and Anna Walrond won the first girls crew with Ella and Pepa third. They were second in the Shearer Cup, third in the teams racing event, and third school overall.
In the South Island Secondary Schools athletics champs Zack Hibbert was first in the under14 hammer throw and set a record with 30.8m. Nirvana HepiBreen was second in the under14 discus and second in shot put.
Annie Kennedy Atchison continues to excel in surf lifesaving. At the 2018 South Island Championships, she was the under16 ski champion, under16 tube rescue champion and was second in the under19 ironwoman.
Last week, the senior mixed A team won the water polo B grade boys final against OBHS in a closely fought battle.
Rawinia CooperParata is in the under19 South Island Maori netball team and played strongly at the Aotearoa Maori netball tournament in Gisborne at the end of March.
The school had a Japanese High School Kendo martial arts group visit last month — 20 pupils practise Kendo on Monday evenings.
The sports council has been busy with organising interhouse events and the hotly contested dodgeball final will be held this Friday.
Otago Girls’ High School
Lucy Matehaere has been selected to travel to Bulgaria to compete at the ICF canoe sprint junior World Championships. Libby Briggs, Ella Gomez and Abby Harris were selected for the Otago under15 girls basketball team, while Oceana Campbell, Isabella Henderson, Zanthe Herbert, Hannah Matehaere and Jenna Paterson were selected for the Otago under17 team.
Sophie Dijkstra, Crystal van Gorp, Abby Vinicombe, Tahlia Roome, Morgan Whitson, Ruby Anderson and Gracie Vaafusuaga have been selected to play for the Dunedin Technical under17 football team. Carina Donegan won a bronze medal at the National Surf Lifesaving Championship in the under19 women surf team race.
The senior A volleyball team finished seventh overall in division one at the national secondary schools’ volleyball championships. A member of this team, Jenna Thorne, was selected for the overall National Super Seven Team.
Lucy Merriman who won the B final in her singles race at the Maadi Cup making her ninth nationally.
At the South Island Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships the following girls won medals: Emma McKay under15 first triple jump, second long jump, third shot put; Jordan EvansTobata under14 second 400m; Rebekah Hill under16 second 3000m, second 1500m; Gemma Millar senior second hammer; under14 4 x 100m relay (Lavinia Penese, Jordan EvansTobata, Amelie EastGiles,Jesika Sebelin) second; under16 4 x 100m relay (Emily Hall, Caitlin O’Donnell, Sophie Miller, Katie Wong) third; under16 4 x 400m relay (Jordan EvansTobata, Jesika Sebelin, Sophie Miller, Caitlin O’Donnell) first, breaking the record by just over 5sec.
Roxburgh Area School
Katie and Sarah Gunn took part in the South Island Secondary Schools Athletics Championship in Timaru recently. Sarah was eighth in the 800m and 15th in the triple jump and Katie was 10th in the triple jump.
Haidyn Pringle achieved outstanding success at the New Zealand second division swimming championships held in Rotorua recently. Haidyn achieved personal best results in most of his races and came home with a silver Medal (100m butterfly) and a gold medal (50m butterfly).
In equestrian, Brooke Johnston recently competed in Whanganui in the New Zealand Individual event and was placed third.
Teams are preparing for the annual area school tournament to be held in Tuatapere in May. They will be competing in basketball, touch, football, ki o rahi, netball, volleyball and other sporting activities. The Southern team will be selected from this tournament to attend the national tournament in Christchurch.
St Hilda’s Collegiate School
A total of 24 SHCS rowers recently returned from Maadi resulting in four A finals and four B finals. A highlight was the bronze medal from the under15 octuple who qualified seventh for the final but managed to find an extra gear in the final race for an impressive third place finish.
A small team went to Timaru for the South Island Secondary School Athletics Champs. Georgie Jessop was fourth in javelin, Cecilia Crooks fifth in 3000m and Sarah Langsbury first in Long Jump, second in 80m Hurdles and second in 300m Hurdles.
Cecilia Crooks won first place in the senior event at the national secondary school triathlon champs with an impressive sprint finish. This was a top effort as Cecilia has only been competing in triathlon for four to five months.
Touch teams recently competed at the South Island Secondary School Champs. The girls qualified top in their group and ultimately went on to the final where honours went to a very capable Columba side. It is great to see all players developing and stepping up at game time as they look ahead to Nationals in December
Cricket continues to go from strength to strength at St Hilda’s, the first XI winning the Bates Cup for the ninth consecutive year to qualify for the 2018 Secondary Schools Nationals in December.
Taieri College
Pupils have continued to excel in a range of sports. Haylee Budd competed well against tough competition at the Maadi Cup in Twizel. She placed fifth in the under18 girl’s single sculls and managed to set a personal best along the way. Laura Bungard competed at the New Zealand Division II Swimming Championships in Rotorua in the 16 and over female age group and swam in nine events over the four days. Laura won four gold medals. She won the 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley and a silver medal in the 100m individual medley. Recently, pupils travelled to Timaru to the South Island Secondary Schools Athletics. Several gained placings while others also gained new personal bests. This is an exciting era of athletics for Taieri College — we will look forward to seeing these students doing well at the nationals in Dunedin later this year. Hamish Mears first shot put and first discus, Ben Baines first javelin and first shotput, Zharna Beattie first discus and second shot put, Tara McNally first 300m hurdles and first 80m hurdles, Shyah Beattie third discus.
Last week, Taieri College participated in the annual summer interchange with South Otago High School. There were hardfought games and great fun across the seven codes on offer. The rivalry between the two coed schools continues with Taieri just edging out South Otago 43.