Congratulations to Sam Hollows, Abby Erwood and Sophie Erwood who made the tournament team and thank you to the coach, Cheryl Blair.
The SOHS under-15 rugby team finished third of 29 teams at the recent co-ed tournament in South Canterbury.
It accounted for Menzies College (10-0), Lincoln High School (37-0) and Waimea College (27-12) during pool play, losing only to St Andrew's College (19-37). The side then lost 12-0 in the semifinals against a strong Ashburton College team which then went on to beat St Andrew's 24-0 in the final to take the overall title.
It was a good team effort by SOHS, but two players to stand out were Damian Wilson (team MVP) and Josh Kain (tournament team).
South Otago girls, and one player from Catlins Area School, competed in the Jenny McDonald secondary schools girls hockey tournament in Invercargill. They played seven games in five days against teams from all over the South Island and finished the week with two exciting games. The semifinal against Logan Park went to strokes and South Otago lost by one goal. However, the team finished on a high with a 6-2 win against Queen's High.
The boys hockey team also competed in the secondary schools tournament and finished 16th.
Gold medallists
The Columba First XI hockey team has had a very impressive season in 2012, claiming the Dunedin secondary schools premier title by beating Otago Girls' First XI 9-1 in the final. Columba last held the trophy in 2007. The team won 15 games in a 15-week season, scoring a record 109 goals. This provided an excellent platform for tournament week when the team competed in the Jenny McDonald South Island tournament in Invercargill. The team remained unbeaten in the seven games, scoring 53 goals and winning the gold medal by beating Southland Girls' 6-2 in the final.
School director of sport Shona Harvey is the team's coach.
Samara Dalziel was the MVP for Columba College. Phoebe Steele will join Samara at a high performance IASP camp in Auckland during the September holidays.
Congratulations to Hanna English who has been selected in the New Zealand secondary schools under-16 football team to play in Fiji in December.
Columba's First XI football team competed at the satellite football tournament in Dunedin, where it finished fifth. The team has made tremendous progress. Its only loss was to the eventual winning team.
Kate Guildford, who is in the New Zealand talent ID squad, was Columba's MVP.
At the South Island netball tournament in Dunedin, the senior A team finished a creditable 10th.
Bridget Thayer was named in the tournament team which was just reward for a strong season and she was Columba's MVP of the tournament. The team has been privileged to have quality coaching from Janine Southby over the past four years.
Mt Aspiring College
The proactive A netball team had a very successful South Island secondary schools netball tournament, finishing sixth of 32 teams in the B grade, The team finished with six wins from eight games, the two losses being narrow defeats to much bigger schools. Gen Scurr was named in the B grade talented players list, recognition for her and for the great team effort over the week.
The first XI football team competed in the Jim Wishart tournament in Ashburton. The team played eight games and won five at the tournament, finishing sixth in only its second tournament.
The under-15 rugby team played in the South Island secondary schools Rural Livestock tournament in Temuka-Pleasant Point during tournament week. Over the three days, five games of 40 minutes each were played. Players that stood out were Bailey Nolet, Fin Sinnott, Teegan Vink and Tom Scurr. The team ended up fifth-equal out of the 22 teams in the B grade.
Hailee Humphrey and Kenzie Findlay competed in the New Zealand secondary school swimming championships in Hamilton. It was a great weekend with good results and experiences for both girls. Kenzie made the podium in two of her events (second in the 50m freestyle and third in the 100m freestyle) and also recorded three fourths. Hailey recorded a best result of eighth in the 100m butterfly and achieved several personal bests.
Blue Mountain College
In July, 16-year-old Gavin Stark from Blue Mountain College attended the Highlanders regional rugby camp at John McGlashan College in Dunedin. After the camp, he was nominated by the Highlanders franchise for New Zealand secondary schools selection in 2012.
Over a six-week period, his rugby was closely monitored for playing form, physical conditioning and injuries. In early September, he was selected as one of 60 players throughout New Zealand to attend a specialised camp in Rotorua this month. Following this camp, players to represent the New Zealand secondary schools and New Zealand Barbarians school teams will be announced.
Gavin is just one of six year 12 pupils chosen to attend this camp.
No year 12 students will be selected for the New Zealand secondary schools team as only year 13 and year 14 students are eligible.
However, year 12 students are able to be selected for the New Zealand Barbarians team. This is a remarkable achievement for this talented young athlete who has been to nationals over the past four years in three sporting codes: swimming (NZ juniors 2008 and nationals 2009), athletics (NZ Secondary schools U16 100m champion 2010) and now rugby.
In tournament week, the A netball team participated in the South Island secondary schools tournament in Dunedin, finishing ninth of 32 teams in the B section.
Queen's netball success
The intermediate A netball team won the Dunedin competition in its grade, beating Bayfield in a close final. Team members Michala Halford-Feron (captain), Jessica White, Brooke Roberts, Nicole Matthews, Madalyn Fox, Grace McIntyre, Abby Johnson, Mariana Dean, Taylor Murray and Ariana Harris-Bray are all year 10 students and most of them played in the junior A team last year. The side was coached by teacher Chrissie Sayer.
The All Blacks were welcomed to Dunedin on September 9 by the Queen's and King's kapa haka group. Manager of the First XV Carol Dyas and captain Lisa Goral, an international student from Germany, attended a closed training at Forsyth Barr Stadium on September 11.
The 12-strong aerobics team is training hard with two national competitions coming up in the holidays. Gymnasts Emily White and Sarah Morrison are also training hard for the nationals in the holidays.
OBHS national success
Throughout 2012, Otago Boys' has continued a long tradition of competing successfully at the highest level in many codes, with teams entering in, or qualifying for, national tournaments. These include high-profile events such as the Top Four (first XV rugby), Maadi Cup (rowing), Gillette Cup and the NZCT Cup (first XI and year 10 cricket), Rankin Cup (top-16 hockey), Lotto football tournament (top 24), as well as competing in national championships in basketball, badminton, colts rugby, squash and water polo.
The badminton team travelled to Christchurch where it maintained its high national ranking of fourth. Two basketball teams competed in Nelson (juniors) and Dunedin (seniors), with each team winning its respective tournament. For the top team it meant qualifying yet again for the national finals next month.
Hockey was another sport in which OBHS competed against the best in the country. In a particularly even competition, Otago Boys' won a penalty shoot-out against Christchurch Boys' to retain its place in hockey's premier tournament.
The school's top footballers finished the Lotto tournament in Nelson ranked 17th in New Zealand.
Earlier in the month, the OBHS squash team finished 10th in the New Zealand championships in Tauranga.
Ice Hockey was also to the fore with the OBHS team finishing second in the South Island championship.
In rugby, the success of the school's first XV has been well documented, but the efforts of the under-15 Blue team also warrant attention. Despite losing its first two games (to the eventual finalists) the team bounced back to go through the rest of the week unbeaten in the national under-15 tournament in Rotorua to win the second division.
Bayfield report
This year, Bayfield High School was fortunate to secure Kiwisport funding for several initiatives to promote participation and increase the skill level of students in the school. The year 10 pupils went to Moana Pool where they were split into groups and participated in a shallow water aqua fitness class, water polo and aqua jogging. There is now enough interest for both male and female volleyball teams.
Other positive things that have come out of the funding are extra coaching in primary schools have-a-go activity afternoons with a focus on summer and winter sports to encourage participation and involvement, extra coaching sessions for junior netball teams to increase ball skills and lunchtime games and activities.
As part of the Sport Development Programme (programme for elite athletes in the school), teacher in charge Trista Townsend sees the necessity for the athletes involved to coach others in their chosen sport.
She believes it helps highlight the time and effort others put into sport on a volunteer basis and improves communication and leadership, both important elements in high level sport. The schools Bayfield sport development students have visited so far are Tainui, Musselburgh and Andersons Bay. They have offered coaching in netball and basketball.
The Bayfield senior A netball team attended the South Island secondary schools tournament in Dunedin, the 50th anniversary of the tournament.
Bayfield had good wins against Cromwell College and Avonside Girls', but losses against Hillmorton High School, Papanui High School and Garin College. Bayfield showed steady improvement, finishing three places higher than last year.
The hockey boys also improved on last year's placing in the Coaches Cup tournament in Gore. Matt Krawiec was named as MVP and top goal-scorer of the team. Morgan Harris (head boy) captained the team and it came 11th overall. A positive end to a successful season, as this team was runner-up in the secondary school 2A division, losing by one goal to Kavanagh in a hard-fought game.
The football girls competed in the South Island satellite tournament in Dunedin. They had a 5-3 win against Buller High School and two draws over the course of the week.
Year 13 students Louise Rutherford, Ashleigh Strang and Esme Gray-McCoy used their skill and experience to help create a cohesive team.
Calendar of Events
Today: Otago SS Petanque Caversham Club
September 20: Otago SS Duathlon North Taieri
September 28: Term 3 ends
• These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association (OSSSA) which is proudly sponsored by Perpetual Trust. Contact Des Smith, Otago Regional Sports director, PO Box 6303, Dunedin. Email: des@osssa.org.nz
