The Logan Park girls' football team capped off its season by
meeting Annalie Longo recently. Longo, a midfielder for the
NZ Football Ferns, is the youngest player to represent NZ.
The team not only met Annalie, but also talked about what it
takes to play at the top; plus it trained and played a game
with her. The team has had some notable successes this year,
beating OGHS for the first time and also winning the
coeducational schools football competition.
Congratulations to the senior B girls basketball team which
had a magnificent season and just missed winning the final in
its grade. And well done to the year 10 A boys basketball and
9 A girls basketball teams which both finished third.
The school netball teams had wonderful seasons with both the
senior A and 9 A teams winning all their games - that is,
until the final games. Then, sadly, both teams narrowly lost.
Also well done to the junior A team and senior B teams which
both made it into third-fourth playoffs.
Junior rugby players at LPHS have joined Sassenachs club this
season.
About 12 boys have been playing in two teams with students
from other schools.
The A1s won their final game at OBHS 55-10. Sean Hall scored
the last two tries.
The boys show great commitment and promise for 2013.
During Winter Tournament, the LPHS girls hockey team played
in Invercargill and the boys hockey team played in Gore,
competing against a dozen other schools.
The girls won two games, the best against South Otago, which
they won on goal strokes.
Good sportsmanship
Ten Queen's High School girls travelled to Wellington on the
weekend of September 22-23 to compete in the New Zealand
Federation national schools aerobics championships. Eight of
these girls made finals: Mahalia Finnie, Lydia Bernard, Emily
White, Danielle Gaudelius, Makayla Spiers, Christina Ashton,
Alannah Taggart and Kerry Remon. Alannah was third in the
junior open year 9-10 and Kerry Remon third in the junior
open novice.
Christina not only finished second in the junior open year
9-10 but also received the Mihi Aston Trophy for artistic
excellence. The Queen's team was also awarded the
Sportsmanship Trophy.
Teacher and Coach of the team Helen Lowther was awarded life
membership for services to NZCAF in coaching. Ex-student and
Queen's coach, Annelise Lowther won the adult open individual
section. Sister Gemma was third in the FISAF adult elite
division of the competition.
Caitlin Orr, a year 10 student who plays for the school team
and the southern women's ice hockey team, has been selected
in the New Zealand under-18 Ice Ferns team. Caitlin was
chosen when she attended the national women's tournament in
Auckland recently. The under-18 squad trains with the senior
Ice Ferns team preparing for the world ice-skating
championships. Caitlin is not eligible for this team until
2015.
St Hilda's winter sports
This season has been another successful season for the 1st Xl
football team which went through the season unbeaten, scoring
86 goals and conceding only six in 12 games. During
tournament week, the team competed in the Lotto premier
tournament in Taupo, playing against many top schools with
Football Academies in New Zealand. The team managed to top
its pool with wins over Auckland Dio, Wellington East and
Freyberg, and a win against Waimea after a penalty shootout
ensured the team a quarterfinal spot. A 2-1 win over
defending champion St Peters from Cambridge resulted in it
playing Tauranga Girls in the semifinal. After a 1-1 draw, St
Hilda's lost the shootout 4-3 but bounced back to beat Epsom
Girls 3-1 in the 3rd-4th playoff to secure the bronze medal.
The 1st X1 hockey team was very competitive at the Federation
Cup. An eighth-placed finish after many very close games
ending with penalty shots ensured it remains in this
tournament next year.
The year 10 basketball team competed in the South Island
tournament in Nelson, losing the final to Ashburton College.
This was a great result for the team which had a very
successful season. On Friday September 14 at the Dunedin
secondary schools basketball finals, St Hilda's three teams
were playing in the finals after having successful seasons
and good wins in the semis. The year 9 and 10 teams played
well in the final, beating Otago Girls' 35-31.
The year 10 team, coached by Angela Ruske, continued on from
its South Island success with a strong game against Otago
Girls'. The game was even at halftime but St Hilda's
dominated the second half and won 55-27.
The senior A team, coached by Dean Ruske, played Kavanagh in
the final. It was a very tough game and St Hilda's was behind
for most of the game. With one minute left and some great
free-throw shots from Zoe Richards and Aleisha Ruske, St
Hilda's took the lead and won 44-43.
Columba: duathlon and cycling
Columba College dominated the team section of the Otago
Secondary Schools duathlon championships for the second
consecutive year. The dedicated training put in by its
cyclists and runners was evident as the girls stood out.
Columba also had four students competing in the individual
section -- Anna Macdonald, Jodie Llewellyn and Olivia Jones,
who are part of the Otago junior triathlon development squad,
and Tara Bennett who is part of Columba's senior cycling team
and just recently completed the Dunedin half-marathon.
All four performed well, showing their athleticism and
endurance.
The duathlon served as a perfect lead-up event for the
Columba College senior cycling team which competed at the New
Zealand Secondary Schools road cycling championships in
Feilding and Levin from September 29 to October 1. The team
of Laura Carruthers, Laura Bridger, Tara Bennett, Georgie
Wood, Bailey Saville and Kaitlynn Wheeler have been training
hard and honing their racing skills at the Cycling Otago
events during the winter season and were in top form leading
into this event. The girls were the only representatives from
Otago at the event and are the first team from Columba to
compete at the national level in road cycling. The team would
like to acknowledge the support of Chris Drake and Suzy Pryde
as their cycling mentors and also to Olivia Kennedy, Columba
College Old Girl, for her help as an assistant manager and
mentor.
Taking on the nation in League
Alex Faulkner is a year 13 student at Otago Boys' High
School. Competing for the year 11-13 team in 2011, his talent
caught the eye of Otago Whalers coach David Reedy.
With his performance in helping Otago Boys to victory in
2011, Alex was selected for the Otago under-17 team that
played at the South Island 15s and 17s tournament in the term
one holidays this year. Again Alex performed creditably and
gained recognition with selection in the South Island
Scorpions under-17 squad. After attending a couple of
training camps in Christchurch, Alex made the final team cut
and has played in each of the Scorpions matches in the
national competition.
Teams involved are Northern Swords, Akarana Falcons, Counties
Manakau Stingrays, Waicoa Bay Stallions, Central Vipers,
Wellington Orcas and South Island Scorpions. Playing in this
competition allows Alex to be watched by many NRL scouts.
King's coaching camp
Dan Koni and King's High School opened the doors to Paora
Peawini to run an elite touch coaching course on September
29-30. Otago's best young talent was invited to attend.
Peawini is the New Zealand under-19 men's coach, and New
Zealand open mixed assistant coach.
Players selected were New Zealand reps, or those who have the
potential to represent New Zealand in the new season and
beyond.
King's High: Hamish McCallion, Ben Fleming, Kereama Joseph,
MacKenzie Haugh.
St Hilda's: Laura McKenzie, Olivia Hickman, Holly Johnstone,
Kate Morris.
Otago Girls': Kiana Pelasio.
Kaikorai Valley College: Nicole McCutcheon, Jessica Wilson,
Jayde PeatSouth Otago High School: Reuben Gray, Mikayla
Latta, Sam Hollows, Jayden Dovey
• These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools
Sports Association (OSSSA). Contact Nicki Paterson, Otago
Regional Sports Director, PO Box 6303, Dunedin. Email:
nicki@osssa.org.nz
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