Mount Aspiring College
Mount Aspiring athletes have had a busy and successful summer. Here is a summary of some of the highlights. -
MAC mountain bikers spent several days learning the tricks of the trade from Anton Cooper and, despite some minor spills, demonstrated their new skills at the New Zealand Cup and national championships.
Paul Wright earned himself enough UCI points to compete at the world junior race in Andorra later this year.
Swimming at Mount Aspiring is still strong, and this was reflected recently by Jack Findlay at the national junior championships.
Hank Bilous and Aiden Cassaidy both impressed at the national kayak championships in Hawea, placing fourth and second respectively in their age-groups.
Fourteen MAC athletes recently competed at the Otago schools championships. Standout performances came from Sammy Burke, John Steven, Laura MacCulloch and Gregor Findlay. Seven school records were broken at the school athletics championships last week.
In waterskiing, Meg Harraway does not know how not to win - winning her age-group at the Otago-Southland championships, and the Canterbury slalom championships.
Multisport is big in Wanaka, and a group of triathletes have made their mark at the Otago and South Island secondary schools championships. There were individual podium places for Janus Staufenberg, Matthew Prince, Gregor Findlay, Phoebe Young and Julius Staufenberg.
In a slightly longer race, Godzone, 16-year-old Craig Murray battled the elements and some top adventure racers from around the world, finishing eighth out of more than 50 teams.
The cricket, futsal, volleyball, basketball, hockey, football, netball and rugby teams are all preparing for the season ahead, with an increase in players this year.
Kavanagh College
On February 27, Kavanagh College held its annual athletics day at the Caledonian Ground. The school had four records broken: Helene Elisara, under-12 girls shot put (8.18m); Tim O'Farrell, under-15 boys 400m (58.69sec); Tim O'Farrell, under-15 boys discus (33.19m); and Brigid Corson, under-15 girls high jump (1.48m). Kavanagh also had some excellent results at the Otago athletics championships. Jessie Murphy was first in the 3000m and the 800m; Brigid Corson first in long jump and 100m, and second in hurdles and 200m; Tim O'Farrell second in both the 100m and 200m, and third in shot put; Eila Chirnside first in the 800m, second in the 400m and third in the 3000m; and Felix Bello third in the high jump, the hurdles and the long jump.
The first XI cricket team had a good win over St Kevin's in their annual interschool game recently. Kavanagh batted first and made an imposing 301 for six. Michael Fraser (95), Logan Griffin (47) and Tim King (41) were the major contributors. In reply, St Kevin's was bowled out for 96, Alex Nettleton taking three for nine and Jordan Henderson two for 25 as Kavanagh won by 205 runs.
Queen's High School
Queen's pupils and some parents took advantage of the sports and cultural expo, which displays a wide range of activities available to the girls, and 13 pupils took part in the Coaches in Schools programme, run by Sport Otago.
Fifteen girls competed in the Otago secondary schools athletics championships. The outstanding athlete at this Otago event was Christina Ashton, who broke three senior records: 100m (12.57sec), 200m (25.67sec) and 100m hurdles (14.73sec). Thirteen girls qualified to compete at the Otago-Southland championships on March 20-21. Another athlete of note is Kylie Lyders, who won the junior women's heptathlon at the Otago championships.
Caitlin Orr has been selected again to play for the Ice Ferns and will be travelling to Scotland and Prague.
Six Queen's girls are in the Otago under-15 softball team and five of them - Terena Ramsay, Darcy Hunt-Murphy, Heaven Samson-Loffley, Kacey Farquhar, Shavaughn Keelan and Lorraine Nyamugafata - went to Blenheim for the national championships.
Columba College
Claudia Carruthers has been selected in the New Zealand under-15 mixed touch team to compete in Australia later this year. Maia Aoake has gained selection in the New Zealand under-15 water polo squad.
Maddy Spence broke the Columba 400m record for senior girls, and Niamh Paterson broke the under-12 shot put record.
A large group was selected for the Otago athletics championships in which Meg Breen won four titles and Chenoa Metua three. School athletics captain Maddy Spence broke two records, in the senior 300m hurdles and the 400m. Ellie Duncan showed her speed, breaking the under-15 200m record, and Kaitlynn Wheeler broke the senior hammer record.
Forty girls attended the recent Otago-Southland triathlon in Cromwell. Jodi Llewllyn was second in the senior individual race, and the senior and junior teams claimed the first three places. Teams also excelled at the South Island event in Oamaru, claiming the first three places in both the junior and senior triathlon races, and the junior duathlon team placed second.
The tennis team of Rileigh Fields (captain), Annabellee Alloo, Laura Hamilton and Sennah Lee won the Otago secondary schools title for the first time in 20 years, gaining entry to the South Island event.
South Otago High School
South Otago pupils have been active in a variety of sports this term. The mixed tennis team, of Ashton Tourell, Abby Edwards, Mason Tourell, Hannah Botting and Sinead Grant, won the Otago secondary schools championships last month. The team gained entry to the South Island tournament in Timaru.
The mixed touch team also successfully defended its Otago title and will head to the South Island championships in Christchurch later in the month.
Several pupils gained placings in both the Otago and South Island duathlon and triathlon championships held recently in Cromwell and Oamaru respectively.
Trials and pre-season training for winter sports are under way and a range of pupils will be involved in the upcoming summer interschools with Gore High School and Taieri College. The sports contested will be touch, tennis, cricket, basketball and theatre sports.
• These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association (OSSSA), which is proudly sponsored by Perpetual Guardian.
