College Sport: Impressive wins and medals

Bethlehem
A sporting highlight of this year has been the growth of badminton in the College. Many students have had a busy badminton schedule over the past few weeks. The Hawkes Bay Open age group championships were played over Queen's Birthday weekend with teams from Manawatu, Hutt Valley, Wellington, Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty.
Clare Murray, Michael Lewis and Tristan Downs-Hetet came 3rd in their respective under-15 competition, with Joshua Pepper and Scott Young third in the under-17 competition. Some of these players also were represented the College at the Bay of Plenty secondary schools championships.
Our girls' team, made up of Joanna Hewson, Onalee Lindsay, Rachel Murray and Clare Murray, were second in division two. Our boys' team, made up of Vanapan Tanchareon, Scott Young, Tristan Downs-Hetet, Joshua Pepper and Ben Robinson did even better, winning division two. A large team of students competed in the Year 7 and 8 zone crosscountry championships.
In Year 7, McKenzie Ball came a creditable 10th with the best result attained by Reuben Darke, who came 7th. In the Year 8 races, Darren Lam was the first BC boy home and Madison Rennie ran hard for an impressive 4th placing. Bethlehem College faced a tough lineup on the soccer field on Saturday. The first XI boys played the Otumoetai first XI. Having previously been beaten 10-0, the boys were encouraged to cut the losing margin in half!
Despite a loss there were many positives and Will Jordan captained the team strongly.
The BC girls' first XI played Trident High in a tense match. Unfortunately the game slipped away from Bethlehem, despite a strong game by Rachel Young and a fantastic goal by Rebecca Chester from just outside the penalty box. Final score 1-4.
Our rugby teams had a successful weekend. The Colts won 19-15 in a close game against Western Heights 2nd XV. Marinus Abrie, Joshua Croasdale and Jared Keate all scored tries.
The first XV boys played Tauhara College at home. Early dominance from Bethlehem gave the home team a 9-0 lead before two quick tries from Tauhara gave them a one point lead at halftime. The sole second half try from Eremia Tapsell restored the lead and was enough to give us victory 16-13. Player of the day was to Logan McCulloch.
The boys' first XI hockey were unlucky to lose 1-0 in a tight game against the Olympians on Wednesday, missing a few early chances and allowing the men to grind out a narrow win. The girls' first XI won comfortably 7-2 against the Mount Strikers.
Netball continues to enjoy great success. At the recent Junior Harbourside tournament both the Y6 Ferns and the Y8A teams won their respective division one sections. All of the College teams making good progress in their competitions with the 10A team in particular doing well.
Finally in the recent Bay basketball championships the boys were second in division two and the girls third in division two. - Mat Smalberger and Hannah Marshall, sports captains
Tauranga Girls'
There has been a busy week at Tauranga Girls College, and everyone is now ready for a two week holiday to come back to school fresh and ready for term three.
Ariana Moffatt attended the Eastern Region surf lifesaving awards dinner where she was the winner of the cup for under-14 14 female competitor of the year. Her family was very proud of her and big congratulations from Tauranga Girls College.
Our football first XI beat Otumoetai 1st XI in a hugely convincing 11-0 win where Olivia Chance scored seven of the goals.
The Academy team beat Mount College 6-0. And then on Sunday the Academy team travelled to Whakatane to play an Invitational tournament for 2nd X1 teams which they also won without conceding any goals.
Our squash team attended the Bay secondary schools champs where Olivia Bougen, Lauren Clarke, Michelle Predville, Emily McGee, Anna Mahon and Nikki Heerschap finished second in division two. - Zoe Wieringa.
Aquinas
Aquinas College's young cross country runners scored five top 10 placings at the Bay of Plenty interschool competition held in Rotorua's Redwoods.
The Year 8 girls' race was an especially successful event for Aquinas with students Hannah Skelton and Dana Welten finishing second and third respectively. Michelle Dykes was seventh, with Kimberley deMello one place behind. Michelle's brother Sean finished fourth in the Year 7 boys' event.
That competition was hot on the heels of the Bay zone crosscountry championships held last Friday, where Aquinas finished in second place. At that event, Sean Dykes finished third in the Year 7 boys' and Hannah and Dana were once again second and third in the Year 8 girls'. Schools from Rotorua and Waihi joined Western Bay of Plenty schools for that event.
Aquinas is also celebrating netball success. Year 8 student Taylah Stack has been selected as Player of the Year for the Harbourside Year 8 rep team. And, over the weekend, the college's Year 8 A netball team travelled to Auckland to compete in, and win, an interschool tournament at the AMI Stadium. The team played against teams from St Cuthberts, Baradene and two club teams.
In the finals Aquinas came up against one of the club teams that included two boys and win 14-11. The winning team comprised Dana Welten, Michelle Dykes, Nathalie Guernier, Brianagh Boyle, Taylah Stack, Catilin Tavendale, Hannah Skelton, Jamie Egging, Lourdes Swan and Jennifer Hume.
Meanwhile, Aquinas gymnasts competed at regional level last week and came home with a healthy number of medals, predominantly gold. Sharnelle Robinson won gold for first overall flyer novice (floor, vault and beam), Sophie Joretalso scored gold, winning first overall flyer rhythmic (ribbon and ball), as did Lucy Houghton who took away the gold medal for overall women's junior club (floor, vault, beam and uneven bars).
Joshua Healy-Ormrod added to his already impressive gold medal collection with first overall in the men's junior club (floor, vault, pommel, parallel bar).
The aerobic team comprising Sharnelle Robinson, Emily Burke, Kate Simon, Petra Gough, Aileen Harwood, Emily Kellett, Vicky McArthur, Emma Abbot and Olivia McManaway came second overall, while Joshua went on to compete in Tauranga over the weekend and won six medals, which placed him third overall, with the first and second placegetters national champions.
In hockey a good number of Aquinas students have been selected for representative teams. Year 7 girls Nikki Anderson and Meg Johnston are in the Collier girls' team and Macy Adams in the Collier development team.
Liam Burn, Year 8, was selected for the Hatch A squad, while Blair O'Connor (Year 8), Dylan Hassett (Year 8) and Jamie Sutherland (Year 7) made the Hatch development team. Isaac Amaru was selected as one of four goalies. Mathew Stewart (Year 10) is in the under-15 premier boys' team and Georgia Child, also Year 10, is in the under-15 premier girls' team.
Papamoa
Congratulations to student Leighton Stronach who recently competed in the Oceania ITF taekwondo championships in Wellington and placed 3rd in the 30-50kg division. He also competed in the under-18 Star Series in Levin and was 3rd in the same division.
Papamoa College recently held its school crosscountry, with the top three students progressing to the Western Bay intermediate schools crosscountry. Isobel Straffon was 2nd in Year 7 girls and Ethan Severinsen won the Year 7 boys with Papamoa College placing 4th overall school. Students who placed at Western Bay competed in the Bay of Plenty regional cross-country championships, with Ethan Severinsen 3rd in the Year 7 boys.
Our netball girls are doing us proud in the Harbourside competition with Year 7C, Year 8A and Year 9B all coming top of their grades. Year 7A are currently second in their grade and competed in a tournament on the weekend in Waitakere in Auckland, where they were second overall. Year 9A and 7B are turning up and playing good competitive netball but are outmatched by their opponents.
Papamoa College has two teams in the intermediate hockey competition. Both teams have progressed in their skills and ability over the season. Our hockey boys played against Pyes Pa, winning 9-0. The girls team have had mixed results, the most recent a loss to Mount Intermediate 6-1.
Congratulations to Keegan Millington and Louie McLeod for selection in the Western Bay under-11 rugby team.
Otumoetai
Our junior girls' football team played in a tournament in Whakatane, losing 2-0 to the Tauranga Girls College Academy, followed by a 1-1 draw against Bethlehem College second XI. Trident girls' second XI won 3-0 the third game before we beat Whakatane Hotshots 1-0.
The junior girls and boys basketball teams head off to the national premiership tournament in North Harbour tomorrow.
Our first XV had a loss against Western Heights in Rotorua on Saturday. In an evenly contested battle the team that adapted to the wind and the rain was the winning side on the day.
Western Heights were content to kick and chase and set lineout drives and mauls. Otumoetai made the better use of the running game and eventually Kurt Christophersen crashed over for a well earned try. Aidan Ross had a huge game for the team and did a great job at the rucks and on defence, with Jamal McGruer's linebreaks strong.
Jordan Tahere was unlucky not to score after counterattacking, finishing only a metre short after a 30m run. The final score of 16-8 showed both teams were competitive but Otumoetai College had the better finish to the game. The team's next game is during the second week on the holidays in the Toll Cup tournament when Otumoetai College take on the best Co-ed schools from the Waikato and Counties-Manukau (Cambridge High School and Rosehill College).
Congratulations to Jay Michalik who has been selected to trial for the Chiefs under-18 rugby team during the holidays. Only 44 College players have been selected from five provinces so it's a fantastic achievement for a super talented athlete.
Our football boys' first XI had a good win over Bethlehem 5-0. Luke Wakley, Cameron Lee and Rodrigo Maiiante all scored.
Our girls' team won division two at the Bay secondary schools badminton finals last week. The team was Alyse Barclay, Alex Gardner, Aneta Buckley and Alexis O'Brien.
Two past pupils, Mitchell Brown and Nigel Old, have won gold on the world stage in Athens at the Special Olympics. Mitchell won the men's 4x100m relay and Nigel the nine-hole golf.
Te Puke
Girls hockey: Tuesday night saw Te Puke High's first XI play Tauranga Girls' second XI in the playoff for third and fourth in the first round of competition.
Te Puke started well and continually applied pressure on the opposition. Jade Beaver scored a great goal to put our team 1-0 up after 20 minutes and, due to the proficiency of both goalkeepers this turned out be the only goal of the game.
Te Puke team played constructively and showed improvement in retaining possession, resulting in being awarded more penalty corners than the opposition. Georgia Nichols led the forwards on several attacking runs with Lisa McMeikan, Innes Linton and Teiarere Stephens feeding great balls to the strike forwards.
Goalkeeper Sam Rowe did well to keep out some great shots from the Tauranga attack. Once again the umpiring was of a good standard and this allowed the players from both teams to play a free flowing game of hockey.
Boys' football: In Baywide youth premier football, the sequence of drawn matches with Taupo AFC continued on Saturday as Te Puke High School's boys' 1st XI again took the final result right to the wire. In the first half Te Puke put together several sequences of passing as they built attacks from their defensive end - but still conceded an early goal.
Te Puke side drew level late in the first half through a Richard Ireland strike following a rare midfield break. In the second half both sides scored further goals as Te Puke kept going with their short-passing game. However their attacks were often foiled by Taupo's well-drilled defenders.
Fortunately Te Puke also possesses a strong defensive unit, with many breaks from Taupo being repelled by the experienced trio of Brendan Taylor, Ezra Edwards and Keegan Wilson. Final score: Te Puke High 2 Taupo AFC 2.
Boys' hockey: The boys' hockey first XI played Otumoetai College second XI this week in a non-competition game. The boys battled horizontal rain for the first 15 minutes before James Bristow scored a stunning goal with a controlled flick from an acute angle to leave the score 1-0 at half time. After the break Otumoetai scored two goals to take the lead. Otumoetai's goalkeeper appeared impossible to pass but persistence paid off with Michael Scott, who had a great game down the right side, rewarded with the equaliser.
Mount Maunganui
The girls' hockey final between Aquinas and Mount was held in extreme weather conditions with driving rain, wind and icy temperatures. The match was the final of the first round, the Samantha Charlton Cup.
Both teams persevered and it was halfway through the first half that Sophia Millar dribbled the ball to the top of the circle and fired a long shot which found the back of the net, putting Mount 1-0 up. Mount forced eight penalty corners but were unable to add to the scoreline with the final score 1-0. The girls played with determination that they pulled out for the final and the whole team performed out of their skins in defence and attack to hold onto the win. A heartfelt thanks to all the staff and supporters who braved the elements to watch this exciting match.
Congratulations to Year 13 student Kelly Nathan, who went to the Special Olympics swim meet in Te Awamutu and came home with three gold, silver and a bronze. Kelly trains once a week throughout the year for his swimming, with his next meet in Auckland in the holidays.