The King's sporting year culminated with the annual sports awards evening, when the staff and boys were entertained by Black Cap and old boy Nathan McCullum, who was the guest speaker.
During the evening the two top awards for sporting excellence were presented. The best individual year 13 sportsman receives the Salter Trophy and this year the recipient was Taylor Haugh. He is a brilliant all-round sportsman, with rugby and touch standouts for him. The team of the year award went to King's senior A touch team for its performances in the last 12 months.
Term four is a particularly busy time in the school calendar and the sporting arena is no exception. Amid study, examinations, prizegivings and farewells, sporting endeavours continue to take place. King's teams fared well at the recent junior tournament week, winning year 10 cricket, softball and touch competitions, and gaining second place in year 10 volleyball and dodgeball. The water polo and tennis teams also competed and all involved enjoyed the competition.
With the school year drawing to a close, the school can reflect on many wonderful individual and team performances across a wide variety of sports during the past 12 months. The school wishes the athletes and touch players good luck for their upcoming NZSS events in early December in Timaru and Auckland respectively.
Sincere thanks goes go to all those who make themselves available to support King's High School sport. Parents, coaches, referees, managers, administrators and all who contribute time and energy to enable teams to take the field are all truly appreciated by the students and staff.
Roxburgh Area School
At the end of year senior prizegiving, several students were recognised for their sporting achievements. Amelia Pasco received the Altenberg Trophy for best all-round sportsperson, Bronwyn Smith Trophy for contribution to sport, Pasco Trophy for basketball and Whyte Trophy for swimming. Jonty McKinnel also received the Altenberg Trophy with Amelia and the Crosson Trophy for rugby along with Zoe Moore. He also received the Whyte Trophy for Swimming. Mara McCurdy received the Pringle Trophy for netball and Erin Vernon the Rooney Cup for most improved netballer. The junior sportsman of the year was Tiaan McKinnel, and Brooke Johnston was the junior sportswoman of the year. Special sports awards were received by Jonty, Zoe, Mara, Erin and Ashlyn Reid for gaining New Zealand representative status.
Teams from Roxburgh have participated in the junior tournament week in golf, dodgeball, volleyball and touch. The mixed touch team had a stunning win in the final against Cromwell and won their grade in the volleyball as well.
Logan Park High School
The junior sports tournament week was a great opportunity for participation and for students to try out new sports. Teams competed in cricket, dodgeball, handball, touch, volleyball and water polo. In twenty20 cricket, Logan Park beat King's and Tokomairiro to qualify second in its pool. It lost to a strong Kavanagh team in the semifinals and played John McGlashan for third and fourth. It set McGlashan 117 runs, which was its best score of the tournament. The game went down to the last over, with McGlashan prevailing. Finn Lillis was the standout player of the tournament. For many of the boys it was the first time they had played cricket, so overall it was a pleasing performance. In handball, Logan Park faced East Otago in a hard-fought and close final, losing 5-4.
The mixed water polo team was second and the girls' volleyball team was third.
In dodgeball, Logan Park entered two boys' teams and a mixed team. The top boys' team placed third. The summer sports competitions are starting to wind down. The junior boys futsal first team is top of the round robin and will play in the final on December 1. It is favourite to win, having dominated the competition.
Tennis finishes this week. The two girls' teams have won every game in the beginners' grade.
Girls' volleyball finished last week and the girls have improved significantly. Touch has finished for the season. The mixed junior team won all its games in the mixed division. In fencing, George Sabonadiere is doing well, competing in the Otago competition last weekend. Year 9 student Annie Kennedy Atchison continues to impress in surf life-saving. She has qualified as a surf life guard and is going to the surf life-saving nationals and kayak sprint nationals at the start of next year.
Otago Girls' High School
Otago Girls' High School is very proud of its junior volleyball teams, which competed in the recent Otago secondary schools' junior volleyball championships. The year 10A team was the overall champion and did not drop a set all tournament, while the year 10B was fifth overall. The 9A team was placed a credible ninth overall and was the highest ranked year 9 team at the tournament. The year 9B team placed 15th.
Kiana Pelasio has been selected for the Otago open women's touch team for the 2015-16 season and Talei Pelasio has been selected for the Otago under-15 girls' team. Josie Pirie has been selected in the Otago U17 girls' team. Carina Donegan competed in the annual White Island race and she was the first girl back in the Under-19/16 age group on paddleboard. Last week, the school had a number of students competing in the Dunedin junior sports tournament week. The junior water polo team came through the B grade as winner and the dodgeball teams came first and second in their competition. In the tennis competition, the year 10 team of Sarah Hubbard and Ariana Knudson-Hollebon won all of their games. In touch, the year 9A team was second in the A girls' grade and the year 10 team was fourth in the mixed league. The 10A and 10B volleyball teams both won their grades. The school had a large number of students competing and was delighted by the way they all upheld the school values of respect, positivity and integrity.
John McGlashan College
Fencer Louis Jennings capped off a hugely successful year by placing third in New Zealand and sixth in the Australasia men's open, epee championships.
The JMC first XI has returned home from a successful trip to Melbourne. It enjoyed some wonderful cricket facilities and valuable pre-season preparations. Consequently, Anjas Bhogal, Jordan Gain, Angus Simmers and Ryan Whelan were named in the Otago under-17 squad. Josh Preston played his 100th game for his school during the McCullum Cup. The presenting of a 100 cap recognised this. The 9A cricket side has progressed to the final of the NZCT cup. All team members have been named in various under-15 representative squads. Woody Kirkwood won the best all-rounder at senior prizegiving. Woody was named in the Highlanders training camp as well as the under-18 Otago rugby side. He made an amazing three Maadi finals this year as well as playing for the first basketball team. Oli Chignell and Rory Ferguson shared the highest sporting performance award. Rory won MVP forward for the New Zealand under-18 rugby league team, while Oli had an incredible year, placing fourth in both New Zealand secondary schools cross-country and road race.
Dunstan High School
Summer sports are now well under way at Dunstan. The school's three cricket teams have begun their season in the local competition. The first XI has made a good start to its season by winning its first two matches of the year.
Dunstan's athletics team continues to build towards nationals. With the event fast approaching, there has been a clear increase in training intensity and time trials are now being run to gauge progress.
The school's volleyball squad has had a busy schedule, with two tournaments, the Otago Junior Championships and the OSSSA tournament being held over the past week. The junior softball teams also competed in the recent OSSSA tournament, along with competing in the local competition.
Finally, the rowing squad is training hard and competing at various regattas around the South Island leading into the secondary schools events at the beginning of next year.
• These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association (OSSSA) which is proudly sponsored by Perpetual Guardian.
