Sport

Rowing

College rowers shine at Rowing Victoria State Championships

Blustery winds, choppy water and challenging racing conditions greeted competitors at last weekend’s Rowing Victoria State Championships on Lake Wendouree. For College rowers, however, the weather felt very familiar. With conditions closely resembling the often-unpredictable waters of Lake Hamilton — where our crews train week in and week out — College rowers showed resilience and composure, returning home with an impressive collection of medals and strong finals performances across both school and club events.

College enjoyed a standout championship campaign, securing multiple podium finishes across Saturday’s school events and Sunday’s club-grade and age racing. Several crews converted strong heat performances into outstanding final results, highlighting the depth and continued development of the College rowing program.

Seamus McDonald and Finn Hawthorne claimed gold in the Under 15 Double Scull, an outstanding achievement in Finn’s first season in the sport.
Seamus secured gold in the Under 15 Single and Finn added a bronze medal.
Freddie Nagorcka took out silver in the Under 15 Double, alongside Horsham’s Rory Flynn.
Seamus, Finn, Freddy, Teddy Dabernig, with Archie Aitken as coxswain, to claimed bronze in the Male Under 17 Quad Scull.
Louisa and Mhairi McDonald delivered an impressive victory in Saturday’s Female School Double Scull Year 10 Division 1.
Louisa secured gold in Sunday’s Under 15 Single.
Mhairi received silver in the Under 17 Single.
The Open School Division 3 Quad Scull crew of Teddy Dabernig, Finlay Hunt, Rupert Merrin and Archie Young, coxed by Heston Small came second in the 2000m final.

Across Sunday’s racing, several College crews narrowly missed podium positions but delivered impressive performances in difficult conditions, maintaining strong rhythm and technique in rough water.

The State Championships represent an important milestone in the rowing season, and the results provide strong momentum as the College prepares for upcoming regattas.

Over the next two weeks, our crews will continue training ahead of the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta on the Barwon River — the largest schoolgirls rowing event in the southern hemisphere — while the College boys will travel to Nagambie for the Scotch Mercantile Regatta.

Netball

It was another great netball week, with clear weather and focus on the courts.

Year 9–12 College Mavericks took on Baimbridge with a well‑earned 21–19 win. It was a great game from all players, and the girls really showed up for each other. Everyone played their part and was a true team player. One of our standouts for the game was Ava Cottle, who was put into a position she wouldn’t normally play. She took many intercepts and was very encouraging to everyone. I would also like to thank our fill‑ins for the day—Grace O’Sullivan, Elodie Cochran and Ellie Lewis. These girls did an excellent job playing with our older year levels, holding their own and taking on players who were taller than they were.

Year 9–12 College Diamonds played Monivae Gold and secured another great win for the College, 39–24. These girls were also very grateful for their fill‑ins, so thank you to Ava Murrihy, Mischa Wear and Elsie Brown, who stepped up and showed wonderful commitment to helping our College teams. An outstanding player today was Ruby Hausler, who was on fire with her goals, working closely alongside Saskia Gould.

Year 7/8 College Firebirds had their best game this season, working incredibly well together and making sure every player felt included. Their teamwork resulted in a strong 44–11 win against Good Shepherd. Although everyone played as a team and encouraged one another, Aida Adamson, who wouldn’t normally play in goals, stepped into the position and showed great determination and strength, scoring two goals alongside her partner Annika. Patty McDonald was another outstanding player, taking many intercepts.

Year 7/8 College Mavericks played Monivae Sky Blue in a tough contest. The score was 1-7. Despite the loss, we congratulate Clare Haldane and Grace McGuigan for an impressive four quarters of netball, with excellent efforts by Maelys and Livvy Bell, who worked hard across the court.

Year 5/6 College Sapphires had a great win against Gray Street Maroon, with a score of 17–4. Every player performed to the best of their ability and showed fantastic teamwork, enthusiasm and a positive attitude on and off the court.

Year 3/4 College Rubies played Gray Street Navy and had a fabulous 9–5 win. Every player was thrilled and proud of their team's efforts. The best players of the day could have gone to everyone, but Emily McVeigh and Diani Burmeister showed great determination in getting the ball and taking intercepts. Their coaches, Pepper and Lily, are very proud of the team.

Finally, I’d like to thank all our umpires, coaches, scorers, team managers, and parents for bringing their kids along— and most importantly, our College players. It’s incredible to see such a range of players joining our College teams. Thank you!

Izzy Malseed

Netball Co-Captain