SPORT NEWS
2019 KINGSTON ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Following on from the success of the school carnival, on Thursday 1 August; 117 students descended on Duncan Mackinnon Reserve to represent the school at the Kingston Division Athletics Championships on the Wednesday 4 September.
It was a real team effort, with McKinnon placing on the podium in a lot of the events on the day. Out of the 117 students competing, 43 have successfully qualified to represent the district at the Southern Metropolitan Regional Finals in October. The team also brought home the pennants for Junior, Intermediate and Senior Girls, Overall Boys and Girls aggregate and the Overall Team Pennant. We also had a number of students who won the age group champions, these were Calum Smith, Cara Smith, Genevieve O’Brien and Xavier Vednik.
Good luck to all the students competing in SMR at the start of Term 4.
Jennifer Pemberton
Coach
SENIOR BOYS SOCCER - STATE FINAL REPORT
On Wednesday 4 September the Senior Boys Soccer team jumped on a bus and headed to Darebin for their State Final Day. Avid readers of previous reports would no doubt be aware that having come through the SMR region hopes were high. As previously stated, I have been very impressed not only by their footballing activity but their conduct as well and the State Finals were no exception.
Unfortunately, whilst the day didn’t go to plan in terms of results, I was so proud of the team and their efforts throughout 2019. The team lost their first game and won their next two in a challenging day. State Finals are a step up and whilst the boys won two games out of their three, it was an opening game loss to the eventual State Champions in Notre Dame from Shepparton that put the McKinnon boys on the back foot. Despite that opening loss, the team responded beating both Trafalgar and Terang to finish second in the group and thus fourth in the State.
I would like to thank all the boys who played in the Senior Boys Soccer team at Kingston Division back in May, Southern Metropolitan Region last month and State Finals in September. There is considerable competition for spots and for many boys, especially those in Year 12 the need to balance time between their important academic pursuits and the joy that comes from kicking a round ball into a giant onion bag. All have been a pleasure to coach and it is fair to say I have especially enjoyed it.
The squad that went to State was: Matt Main, Sam De’ath, Tom Johnston, Billy Zontanos, Stefan Simic (Captain), Mannie Psarakis, Liam O’Brien, Oliver Lopez, Ishan Malakar, Cian Ford, Oscar Yuen, Liston Diaz, Sam Ghobrial, Levi Scholz, Nick Liolios, Killian Ford and Omer Steinberg.
A special thanks to the Year 12 boys ably led by Stefan Simic. I would also like to thank Matt Main, Tom Johnston, Billy Zontanos, Liam O’Brien, Liston Diaz, Nick Liolios, Omer Steinberg and Liam Atchison who was injured in the lead up but has been a big part of the team over the past two years. If you ever need a club, Monash University Soccer Club would be happy to accommodate you if I have any say in the matter.
To the Year 11 boys, I hope to see you again next year where hopefully we can replicate and improve upon the success of 2019.
Jonathan Jhoomun
Coach
SENIOR BOYS NETBALL
Netball, to some it’s a hobby, to some it’s a sport but to the Senior Boy’s Netball team, it’s a way of life. Training every Wednesday after school since Year 10 we have had our eyes set on one prize and one prize only, coming first in the state. After easing past districts and regionals and making it to states, the boys were getting closer and closer to their goal. After easily defeating Wanganui Park Secondary College, Lavalla Catholic College and Marian College Ballarat in the group stages, the medals were in the palm of our hands. The Semi-Finals was a challenge for the team, being eight points down against Bendigo Secondary with a quarter left, it felt like the dream was over. But no, not for McKinnon, Jesse Marlow (Year 12) had other ideas, helping the team win by six points with victory being just around the corner.
However, unfortunately this isn’t a success story, this is a story about how a group of young boys became men. Whilst tears run down my face as I write this, it saddens me to write that MCK lost in the finals to Box Hill Secondary. The despair, the agony, the frustration, it has taught us all a lesson. After years and years of destroying opposing schools since Junior Boys Netball, it’s times like these that really make you look back on your legacy and appreciate just how much we have done. Boys Netball has transformed each of the players within the team to not only value the sport, but to admire each other and to appreciate what hard work and dedication looks like. Shoutout to Mr Blackwood for sticking with us through thick and thin and we hope future year levels will carry on this legacy.
Michael Pupko
Year 12 Student
YEAR 7 GIRLS TENNIS REPORT
On Friday 13 September, the Year 7 Girls Tennis Team FINALLY played the Southern Metropolitan Regional Finals, after three washouts!
Kripa Shrestha, Kate Nguyen, Phoebe Rodda and Cheshta Phulara played the teams in their pool; Mentone Girls and Dromana High, winning against both in straight sets. The Finals were held against Frankston High, who had also won their pool. They were tough competition but we won three of our four singles. We needed to win at least one of our doubles but sadly Kripa and Kate lost their doubles.
The pressure was now on Phoebe and Cheshta. Phoebe and Cheshta had a tight match, winning 4-2. Mrs Hooper dropped in to watch the deciding match point and was very proud of us! We celebrated with cookies, fruit drinks and shapes.
Congratulations must go to Kripa who was undefeated in her singles all day! We are now in the STATE FINALS on Friday 22 November in Term 4, playing the best seven other girls’ teams around Victoria.
We’d like to thank Burt Daniels-Naim (Assistant Coach), Liam and Mrs Hooper for being there on the day.
Phoebe Rodda, Cheshta Phulara, Kate Nguyen and Kripa Shresha
2019 SMR Champions
LUNCHTIME SPORT - TERM 3
Lunchtime sport continued in Term 3 with badminton and table tennis being the sports in focus. Qualifying rounds/weeks for each year level were held throughout the term with an Asian Week bonanza of finals action.
In the table tennis tournament we saw the very impressive Tim Nicolaides take the Year 7 section against a gallant Sarvine Jaya Raj.
Year 8 saw Kevin Zhou v Matthew Kwong and these two boys were pounding it back to each other with Kevin finally holding sway in two very intense sets.
The ever present Zong Yu Li was a powerful presence in the Year 9 competition and he cruised to victory in the final against a gritty Harry Mills.
The badminton competition was equally as fierce with the highlight being the final played between Kevin Feng and Marco Guo in the Year 9 division. Kevin finally got the better of Marco in three very tight sets.
Calum MacGregor smashed his way to victory over table tennis winner Kevin Zhou in the Year 8 competition.
Finally, we saw crowd favourite Tam Do show his class to beat Jeffery Guan in the final of the Year 10, 11 & 12 section.
Thank you to the number of students who participated across the term and to ‘Flyin’ Ryan O’Meara for his efforts in organising the fixtures.
Greg Hoskin
Lunchtime Sport Co-ordinator