Aquinas
Soccer: Aquinas College is celebrating football success, its latest achievement being the inclusion of Megan Anderson and Shania Heath in an eminent regional team.
Both Aquinas students have been selected to play for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty women's football team, to play in the women's football league this summer.
The team was picked from the best players in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region, after trials in September in Cambridge.
Megan and Shania will be playing against the best women playing football in New Zealand.
Megan, Year 13, plays in goal and Shania, Year 9, plays in midfield.
Meanwhile, the Aquinas girls First XI competed in Whangarei at the Kathy Seaward football tournament during tournament week, achieving the best ever result for Aquinas football.
In previous efforts at the tournament Aquinas initially finished last two years ago, 11th last year and third this year. The girls worked well together throughout the tournament, losing only two games over the whole week. Star striker Joanna Taris scored eight of the team's 11 goals.
In a nail-biting final game, Aquinas prevailed over Cambridge High to win 2-0 and claim third place. Team coach Colin Foord is already planning next year's tournament and with all but four of the team returning, he has high hopes of striking gold.
He said Aquinas football teams had performed well in big competitions this year, especially the girls' teams.
Cross-country: Also being celebrated at Aquinas is the success of two Year 9 athletes, Dana Welten and Blake Dawson, who competed as part of the Waikato relay team at the North Island Secondary Schools' Cross Country event. The Waikato Junior girls team of four that Dana was a member of won a gold medal and the Junior Boys' Waikato team of four that Blake was part claimed silver medals.
Katikati
Motorsport: Over the school holidays two of our students, Caprice and Yvette Bouzaid, had success in motorsport.
Caprice navigated for her father, John, gaining third overall, and Yvette navigated for Darrel Mason, who came sixth overall, in the Harrays Road Hill Climb.
On October 14 Caprice drove competitively in her own car and was first junior in the autocross and motokana at Baypark.
Mt Maunganui
Beach volleyball: Trials for New Zealand beach teams were held in the holidays and Nate Moore, who is also in the indoor NZ Under-17 team, made the Under-19 team.
Triathlon: Good luck to Sam Durrant and Katie Smith who are on the world stage this weekend competing for New Zealand in the World Triathlon and Aquathon Champs in Auckland.
Sam is racing in the New Zealand Under-19 men's and Katie Smith in the Under-16 women's teams.
Surfing: Mt College has three new squad members in the New Zealand surfing team in Josh Taylor, Kayden Mayes and Luca Cressy.
Surfing New Zealand has announced an extended squad of 37 in preparation for the 2012 ISA World Surfing Championship, which takes place in Nicaragua in July 2013. The squad includes surfers from eight regions throughout New Zealand with 25 boys and 12 girls being named. The Bay of Plenty team who reclaimed the National Scholastic Champs teams' title had several members named in the squad.
Surf lifesaving: The National Pool Champs for surf lifesaving were held in Wellington in the holidays when 500 swim athletes competed in a variety of pool lifesaving events.
Papamoa Surf Club had success with individual national title winners: Mason Pickering two golds, Mason Bryant and Ben Johnston one gold; silver medals went to Mason Pickering; and Ben Johnston won two bronze medals and Malia Josephson one bronze medal.
In the team events gold medals went to Mason Pickering, Ben Johnston, Michael Bryant, silver medals to Danny Hart, Scott Miller, Sam Johnston, Mason Bryant, Jake Hale, Jake Cowdrey, Justin Pickering and Sam Johnston also picked up two bronze medals.
Great results for Papamoa who finished in fifth place overall in the club standings.
Duathlon: NZ Secondary Schools Contact Duathlon champs were held in the holidays with our Under-16 girls team of Alice Walmsley (run), Katie Smith (bike) and Tyala Linke finishing with a silver medal in the 3.5km run, 15km cycle and 2.5km run. Sam Durrant competed in the under-19 division, which was 5km run, 20km cycle, 2.5 km run, and finished in 10th place.
Water polo: Congratulations to Simone Couvee who has been just announced in the New Zealand Youth Girls water polo team travelling to the world champs in Perth in December. Simone is the only Tauranga player selected along with ex-pupil Rebecca Parkes, who is now schooling in Auckland.
National age division water polo championships were held in the holidays with several of our players representing the Tauranga region. In the Under-18 men's team Danny Kayes, Jackson Edwards and Isaac Ford won bronze playing in Auckland with Danny winning the Most Outstanding Player award and Simone Couvee won silver playing in her Auckland Marist Under-18 team.
The Under-16s travelled to Invercargill and won bronze while Alisha Winstanley was part of the Under-16 bronze winning team at the Girls Division 2 champs held in Rotorua.
Otumoetai
Basketball: Our boys had a huge trip to Nelson and were privileged to be in the top 24 teams in New Zealand attending National Tournament.
Our standout players Theo Johnson and Alex Schipper were well supported by team members Cole Ebeling, James Gilling, Dwayne Jones, Jack Neale, Alma Ormsby (captain), Cameron Stewart, Jack Stewart and Craig Tims. With mixed results the team did their best and finished up at the lower end of the placings. It is great to see three local schools qualifying for this elite tournament from Tauranga. Thanks to our volunteer coaches Andy MacKay and Leighton Huddleton.
Volleyball: Lots of hard work by our volleyballers over the holiday period paid off with a great win by our Junior Boys A against Tauranga Boys' in the final of the Bethlehem Invitation Tournament. Captained by Jack May, the team played well and has shown some big improvements. Other team members are Bradley Jayden, Isaiah Duncanson, Blake Fairweather, Daniel Hill, Luke Parker, Jordy Ruegg, Scott Wilson, Joseph Young.
The Junior A Girls also had a win at the Girls' College Invitational Tournament. Captained by Jessica Gadsbey, this team was also dominant. Other team members are Roebi Bidois, Kristen Edwards, Emily Farron, Sam Goodrick, Maddie Ragg, Mereru Rondon, Jasmine Tawa, Kahla Tyson and Kelcy Ballantyne. Congratulations also to our 10B and 9A girls who also played well. We hosted the Westlake Girls' Volleyball team for our annual exchange and enjoyed the camaraderie shown between the team's activity and training.
Cricket: The new teams have just been selected with teams looking forward to their competitions. The First XI enjoyed a trip to Hastings over the holiday break and played games against Hastings Boys' and Napier Boys' Under-17s.
Synchronised swimming: Paris Oster attended her first synchronised swimming nationals in Invercargill during the break. She came second in the Dolphin Team Display and was placed fourth in the individual Dolphin section.
Tauranga Boys'
Basketball: Tauranga Boys' College basketball gained their best ever result at the NZSS Championships.
The fifth-place finish confirms the strength that is being developed in the school programme. Congratulations to Ashton McQueed for his 50 points against the national champions Westlake Boys' and his inclusion in the tournament team.
Full results: Cashmere High School 73-69, Nayland College 70-78, Saint Kentigern College 85-57, Nelson College 100-72, Lynfield College 108-63, quarter-final Westlake Boys' High School 71-95, New Plymouth Boys' High School 88-74, Fifth-place match Burnside High School 92-81.
Rowing: In the holidays Sheldon Noyce and Daniel Bridgwater were allowed to trial for the Rowing NZ Under-20 Youth Olympics squad. Facing a large number of older rowers and members of the regional performance centres, both Sheldon and Daniel won their single races and have been selected to represent New Zealand in Australia in January 2013.
Taekwondo: Congratulations to Sam Jacobs who has been selected for the Oceania Championships, being held in the Gold Coast, Australia, in December.
Surfing: At the conclusion of the Scholastic Surfing event the 2013 National Junior training squad was announced. Mac Christie and Jordan Griffin made the Under-18 team and Quin Matenga made the Under-16s.