The Dunstan High School senior A boys basketball team travelled to Westport for the South Island Secondary Schools Tournament for schools under 600. The team won the championship 83-63 in the final against Garin College of Nelson. This was the second time Dunstan has won this event having won previously in 2008 in Timaru.
This year the team had outstanding defence and clinical offensive plays which, saw it unbeaten. It was the fittest team at tournament and had strong depth on the bench.
Dunstan had four other sports codes competing during Winter Tournament Week at the beginning of September. The mixed hockey team travelled to Oamaru, ice hockey and senior A netball teams competed in Dunedin and the under-15 rugby team played in Pleasant Point and Temuka.
All teams represented the school well. Hockey finishing fifth equal; the netball team maintaining its position in A grade for 2013; ice hockey finished seventh and the U15 rugby team was placed third-equal with South Otago High School.
Two Dunstan teams competed at the Otago Secondary Schools top school squash tournament, in Dunedin earlier this month, with one team finishing fourth and the other fifth.
John McGlashan top golf
During tournament week in 2012, the John McGlashan golf team hosted three other schools taking part in the Barry Cotton Cup.
Following some success in Christchurch last year, the seven-man John McGlashan team was ready to fight for the title on home soil against Timaru Boys', Waitaki Boys' and last year's champion, St Andrew's College.
On the first day of play, the John McGlashan team was pitted against a strong Timaru Boys' side at Balmacewen. The entire team delivered and it secured a satisfying win over a difficult opponent.
The gruelling 36-hole marathon of day two began with the highly-anticipated St Andrew's v John McGlashan match. Another stellar performance saw John McGlashan take a narrow win over its Canterbury rival.
The team took a small lead into the final round of the tournament, needing to perform in order to hold off St Andrew's, lurking in second place. The John McGlashan side took to the fairways of Balmacewen with vigour, making things difficult for Waitaki Boys' from the first tee. The demanding morning round took its toll on the Waitaki team as it succumbed to pressure on the back nine, handing victory to the determined home side.
St Andrew's was unable to rally from their disappointing second round and John McGlashan emerged as the victor for the first time in the Barry Cotton Cup. Three wins from three matches left the John McGlashan team alone at the top of the leader board on a lofty 13.5 points, ahead of St Andrew's in second place with 9.
In trapshooting Garth Sanders continued his outstanding results, achieving in skeet 6 high overall and single rise 6 HOA (after a 50+ target shoot-off). He was also selected for the three-man team challenge (highest score from both Otago and Southland shooters). Garth also won the aggregate trophy for top skeet aggregate score over the five intercollegiate events this year and was runner up by one point for the top aggregate score for all down the line events. John McGlashan can lay claim to having the top secondary school shooter in Otago-Southland.
Other highlights include Harry Hasselman (year 10) and Hugh Lindsay being selected for the Otago five-man team triples challenge, which Otago eventually won
Busy term at Otago Girls' High
Term 3 was a busy one for sport at Otago Girls' High School and there were a significant number of team and individual sporting achievements that the school enjoyed celebrating.
It congratulated the 3A4 canoe polo team, which gained second place at the South Island canoe polo championships. It had a hard-fought final against James Hargest High School.
In the winter sports week the senior 3A4 badminton team, of Nicole Kellet, Jess Thompson, Maddy Doran and Michaela Andrews won the South Island secondary badminton championship in Christchurch and, in doing so, gained a bronze medal in the national championships. In the same week, the soccer team gained fourth place at the South Island secondary school tournament. The senior 3A4 hockey, netball and basketball teams, and the intermediate 3A4 netball teams also competed in their respective competitions.
The rock-climbing team recently competed in a South Island tournament in Christchurch and gained third place overall in the female division.
Eight members of the aerobics team competed at the National Aerobics Tournament in Wellington on the weekend of September 22-23. Fallon Voyle made the finals, along with Gabi Pleace, who won a silver medal and Kendyl Taiawa, who won a bronze.
Individual Otago Girls' pupils have also received recognition for their sporting achievements. Mary Gray in year 13, has recently returned from the World Mountain Biking Competition in Austria, where she was 12th overall in the junior women's competition. This was a wonderful achievement for Mary, who enjoyed competing against the best juniors in the world.
Esmae Knox and Claudia Flaws have recently been selected for the under-18 New Zealand Korus basketball team, and Jessie Clark-Grant has been chosen for the under 16 team in this category.
Melissa Thomson (year 11) was selected as a member of the New Zealand rhythmic gymnastic team to compete in Australia. Alice Moran (year 9), won bronze in the 100m backstroke and silver in the 200m backstroke at the South Island Swimming Championships in Timaru.
Congratulations to Jaimee Wood (year 12), who played in a combined OGHS-OBHS ice hockey team who were second in the South Island Secondary Schools' tournament. Jaimee was also a member of the Southern ice hockey team which played in the national tournament.
Rianna Mitchell (year 11), broke four New Zealand resident records at the South Island short track speed skating championship in July and finished runner-up at the championships. Rianna is a member of the New Zealand development squad preparing for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Phoebe Lee (year 11), won gold, silver and bronze medals in her events at the tae kwon do nationals.
Competing in badminton, Michaela Andrews was first in the singles, doubles and mixed under-17 at the South Island championships and Nicole Kellet was first in the singles, double and mixed under-15 at the same competition.
Bria Noble recently competed in the secondary schools biathlon championship and was placed second in the girls overall under-18 biathlon and first in her under-18 race.
Achievement at Taieri
Taieri College has had a busy and successful term. It was great to hear about Holly Robinson's campaign to the Paralympics and her results were outstanding. She ended up in seventh place and threw some personal best distances while in London. The senior A netball team competed at the SISS tournament in Dunedin, enjoying a home town advantage. The first day saw the team play the eventual winner, Waimea and it was commendable that they held Waimea to within three goals in the second half, after having given them a head start in the first quarter. A close game against Roncalli in the afternoon resulted in a one-goal victory and the team went into the next day knowing that a win in the first game would see the team in the top 16 teams out of 78. A clinical display was produced against St Kevin's before the team went on to face Rangi Ruru in the afternoon.
The team finished 16th and was the second-highest placed school in the Dunedin area and third-highest in Otago. Ryah Christiaans was selected in the tournament talented players squad.
The under-15 rugby team went to the Rural Livestock co-ed rugby tournament in Temuka and gained some valuable experience against some good competition from around the South Island.
The team had close losses against Mt Hutt, St Kevin's and Westland. The draw against Roncalli and a big win against Waimate was a satisfying finish to the tournament.
At the recent Otago secondary school duathlon championship, held on the Taieri Plain, the pupils had a very successful day. There were strong performances from both boys and girls in the individual section. In the teams sections the mixed teams came out first junior mixed, first and second intermediate, and second in senior mixed teams.
King's High School
The King's under-15 hockey team took part in the prestigious Jon Tanner Cup in Hamilton during tournament week. This tournament hosts some of the biggest names in secondary school hockey, including schools from the North Island. King's High School was one of only two South Island teams invited to attend, the other being Christ's College.
King's started their campaign with a game against Auckland Grammar. The team was a bit nervous about playing against such a huge school, but acquitted itself extremely well by drawing 0-0.
Unfortunately, it then had to regroup for a game against Scot's College only four hours later which was a big ask, considering it was Scot's College's first game. The boys lost this game 4-0, which was no disgrace, considering Scot's went on to earn a place in the final.
The next day the team regrouped and steeled itself for a game against the tournament host, St Paul's Collegiate. King's started the game very strongly and captain Caleb Booth, showed some outstanding skills. He scored two out of the team's three goals and showed real commitment.
Defensive lapses towards the end of the match allowed St Paul's to score a couple of goals, but King's held on for a well-deserved win.
Things did not get any easier for the team, with the next game scheduled against a strong Tauranga Boy's team. However, the team did not have to worry too much because, although bigger and faster, the Tauranga Team struggled to match the passing structure of King's. King's dominated the midfield and Dylan Thomas showed why he has outstanding prospects. With a 2-1 win, the team then started preparing for its final match against the skilful Wellington College Team.
Although King's ended up losing this game 2-1, it played some of its best hockey of the tournament.
It was pleasing to see Solomon Baldock really stamp his authority on this game.
• 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
