SPORT NEWS
HOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
On Thursday 1 August, McKinnon staff and students were dressed in their ‘M’ inspired outfits all ready for the McKinnon’s Annual Athletics Carnival. It was a chilly start to the day, but this didn’t stop students getting into the spirit of the carnival and competing in many events.
There was much excitement on the track as students competed in hotly contended track and field events, with the closing event of the day being the house captains and staff relay. The staff put up a valiant effort only to be pipped at the post by the students!
In 4th place with 1808 points were Monash
In 3rd place with 2060 points were Chisholm
In 2nd place with 2101 points were Flynn
In 1st place with 3392 points were Gilmore
Well done to all staff and students for their efforts on the day.
Jennifer Pemberton
Athletics Co-ordinator
BOYS NETBALL
The Senior Boys played in the SMR Finals on Friday 26 July. They had two pool games against Berwick and Melbourne High School which were tough encounters.
The boys pulled away in each game to win through to the Final against Elizabeth Murdoch. The boys played their best netball in the Final and won 16 - 24 to advance to the State Finals to be played in September.
Tim Blackwood
Coach
SENIOR BOYS SOCCER: SOUTHERN ZONE
On Wednesday 24 July the Senior Boys Soccer team travelled down to Kingston Heath for a chance to go to the State Finals. Having come from two goals down in the Kingston Division Final in May against Parkdale and then won in a penalty shootout, I was hoping that with private health premiums the way they are that there would be considerably less drama. I was confident that the team would play well; such is their character and skill. This group as I told them have already shown resilience, character and spirit but it is all about seizing the moment. To dare when appropriate and to dig in when needed. All of the above was shown at Kingston Heath.
First up we played Gleneagles. We were a little scrappy but created some chances but unfortunately could not take them. Gleneagles started well but we eventually got better but the match ended in a 0-0 draw. It meant we had to win our next game. With a slight change in structure, we were much more in control of the game. We scored and then had a penalty given against us. The penalty slammed into the post and went over the by line. We then scored another 2 before the half to be up 3-0. We conceded a goal late but still triumphed 3-1 which gave us a fighting chance. The conceded goal meant that our opponents in the last game, Dandenong only had to draw to go through to the Zone Final. The cards were stacked against us when 30 seconds prior to the game, I was told that rather than 15 minute halves our game would be shortened to 12 minutes halves. We needed to win and in a 12 minute display of blistering power and skill, McKinnon scored twice in the first half to run out 2-0 winners and go through to the Zone Final.
In the Zone Final we played Nossal who had surprisingly beaten Narre Warren South 1-0 in their last game to win their pool. Nossal had the benefit of a 40 minute break before the final, we had about 11 minutes. However in sport momentum is everything and within the first minute we scored. We scored again shortly after and again as McKinnon ran riot eventually running out 5-0 winners. I won’t name who played well or scored goals as I believe it is about a team. The 16 playing team members all shone when given a chance to shine. The non-playing members who may have missed out on selection due to injury rallied behind the team, putting their personal disappointment on missing the 16 player cut to support their team.
I am so proud of this team. They are amazing soccer players but they are better people. They can take onboard messages and apply them but they also back each other and work hard for each other. In my opinion, you don’t judge a team when things are easy but you judge them when things are difficult. This team seemed to get better when things get tougher and just find ways to win, representing themselves and the school so very well.
They deserve to be in the State Finals and who knows what will happen there but this team will get one more day in the sun, one more day to show anyone who ventures down to Darebin that this team is a good team and has some great people there.
Playing Squad members:
Matthew Main, Sam De’ath, Tom Johnston, Billy Zontanos, Stefan Simic (Captain), Mannie Psarakis, Liam O’Brien (Vice Captain), Oliver Lopez, Ishan Malakar, Cian Ford, Oscar Yuen, Liston Diaz, Sam Ghobrial, Levi Scholz, Nick Liolios and Marcus Sarra.
Jonathan Jhoomum
Coach
SENIOR BOYS FOOTBALL
The wave of commitment and excitement that took our Senior Boys Football to the State Final in 2017 appears to be back in town with the 2019 boys performing superbly at the SMR Finals on Tuesday 23 July.
The backline, consisting of a core of Old McKinnon players, are starting to show the fruits of regularly playing together on the weekends, and were rock solid all day conceding only a handful of goals.
The side was lead wonderfully all-day by our inspirational skipper Xavier Verdnik, the versatile Jacob Gray, and the explosive Kya Austin, however it was a terrific team effort in the Grand Final that saw us see off the highly fancied Frankston High School.
The boys are now preparing for a state Quarter Final against Galen College from Wangaratta in a couple of weeks’ time.
Chris Hudd and Kirby McConnon
Coaches
YEAR 7 BOYS SOCCER - SOUTHERN METROPOLITAN ZONE (SMR)
On Wednesday 31 August, the Year 7 Boys Soccer Team travelled to Kingston Heath to battle it out to see if they could go through to the State Finals. The team came out of the Year 7 Tuesday Sport class in Term 2 where they went undefeated and did not concede a goal throughout Kingston Division. It was a beautiful day, no sign of the hurricane gale that previous visits to Kingston Heath has made it tough for the beautiful game to prosper.
First up the boys played Gleneagles, a tough assignment and a growing force in the region. Having survived the opening minutes with Gleneagles in the ascendancy, McKinnon settled in to play football. However, an innocuous ball forward caused chaos with the bouncing ball causing a penalty for handball as Gleneagles celebrated their luck. Thirty seconds later their celebrations went sour as keeper Josh Stevens got a hand to a well struck penalty and tapped it onto the crossbar with the ball bouncing harmlessly away. Two minutes later McKinnon celebrated as from a corner, Daniel Yakovlev nodded a bouncing ball over the line to make it 1-0 to McKinnon.
Soon the half time whistle blew and McKinnon were one to the good. In the second half, Gleneagles and McKinnon both attacked early. It was from a Gleneagles corner that was well cleared by the McKinnon defence that an absolute rocket was struck well over 30 metres to make it 1-1. There was nothing that Josh Stevens who was in goal could do. Soon Gleneagles would score the winner with another well-taken shot this time from inside the box. There would still be time for McKinnon to hit the crossbar direct from a corner and spurn some well created and clear chances with the Gleneagles goal leading a charmed life. The whistle blew and McKinnon had lost their first game 2-1. I felt we deserved a point as such was the quality of chances created but it was not to be.
Defeat in the first game meant that McKinnon faced a must win game against Albert Park. With a slight tweak in the formation to allow Terry Tsakiridis to get on the ball more, McKinnon played with carefree abandon with our midfield of Dion Hontzogloy, Luke Sagiadelis and captain Campbell Henderson dominating. Campbell scored a beautiful left footed chip as McKinnon went to the break one up. Terry then scored a delightful chip over the keeper, a just reward for his excellent attacking play. Daniel Yakovlev scored another goal to make it 3-0. With the game seemingly over and some key substitutions made to freshen legs for the third game, Albert Park scored. Then they scored again late to mean McKinnon ran out a somewhat nervy 3-2 winner in a game that was not as close as the scoreline suggested.
Our third game was against Dandenong. McKinnon had to win and they had to hope that Albert Park could upset Gleneagles in the final game for McKinnon to progress to the SMR Final. A little nervous in their play but still creating some chances, McKinnon went to the half time break with both teams scoreless. Daniel Yakovlev soon changed that scoring a quick fire brace after being introduced just before half time. Caolan McLaughlin also scored with his first touch coming on as a substitute late. McKinnon had triumphed 3-0 but would not progress as Gleneagles would win their last game and go onto win the Final.
I feel that the boys played football to an excellent standard. They created chances, moved the ball exceptionally at times and competed very well. They won two games out of the three and with some luck it may have been three. Whilst Gleneagles played very well winning their four games, the McKinnon Boys too played exceptional football. We look forward to hopefully getting the opportunity to atone this year’s result in future years. This team are a great bunch of young men, a joy to coach, polite and respectful. A special thanks to all the parents who came down and supported the team. Also a special thanks to Baptiste Mazuel of Year 9 who in the last week assisted in a training session and on the day as an assistant coach, running a few warm ups.
Congratulations to all the boys who played in the team in the Kingston Division but especially those who represented the school at Southern Metropolitan Region:
Tristan Clatworthy, Jack Carrafa, Vincent Dinh, Campbell Henderson (Captain), Dion Hontzogloy (Vice Captain), Tyne Lee, Ben Mason, Caolan McLaughlin, Josh Podolsky, Luke Sagiadelis, Ethan Sellyn, Josh Stevens, Terry Tsakiridis, Delfin Tsalasi, Andrew Wiraatmadja and Daniel Yakovlev.
(A very proud coach)
Jonathan Jhoomun