Senior School Cocurricular Program 

• Fixtures
• Athletics 
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Summer Squash
• Summer Tennis
• Swimming
• Rugby

Fixtures

Athletics

Season Wrap-Up

Upon completion of the ISA Carnival, several St Pius X students progressed to competing at NSW All Schools Athletics Championships.

The results were as follows:

Hunter Austin

 - 2nd in U13 shot put with 14.63m

Joel Pagano 

- 7th in U12B High Jump with 1.45m

Andrew May 

- 2nd in U19 Javelin with 48.49m

Cristiano Calcarao

- 1st in U13 1500m with 4:22.48

- 1st in U13 800m with 2:04.63 (a big PB and a win on the line by 0.05sec!!)

It is interesting to note that the Under 18 boys 4x100m relay finished 3rd at the CIS carnival and were awarded CIS Merit Team.

Unfortunately, Ben Fogale and James Mikan were injured and DNS. These two young men had amazing seasons and deserve recognition.

Congratulations to Cristiano, Andrew and Hunter who have qualified for Australian All Schools on 6-8 December in Queensland. What a talented group of young men.

I would like to thank all the parents, staff and coaches who assisted me through my year of Athletics, stepping in for Ms Lee. I enjoyed every minute.

Mr Scott Steinman - Athletics Convenor

Basketball

This past week saw our basketball teams display outstanding commitment, teamwork, and determination across their various fixtures. The players brought their energy from training onto the court, showing resilience and competitive spirit in each game.

Several teams achieved impressive victories, reflecting their dedication to practice and strategy. The 13Es, 13Fs, and 15Cs were among those who dominated their games, while others, like the 2nd V and 6th V, showcased their ability to persevere under pressure, resulting in hard-fought wins. Our teams across all grades competed with great sportsmanship and enthusiasm, demonstrating our St Pius X values.

As we move through the early rounds of the season, the commitment and enthusiasm shown by our teams is already setting a strong foundation. With just two rounds completed, players have grown in confidence, teamwork, and skill, which are only set to improve as the season progresses. With continued dedication to training and strategy, we look forward to seeing our teams strengthen and achieve even greater success in the weeks ahead. Keep up the great work, everyone – the best is yet to come!

Training and Game Attendance

A huge thank you to the players for the increase in attendance at training. As a reminder, any absences due to illness, injury, or significant commitments should be logged on Clipboard prior to training to ensure accurate records and to help us manage the program effectively. Attendance is key to your son's development and team growth.

Uniform Expectations

Thank you to all the boys for their positive response to our uniform expectations. It was great to see many of you taking pride in wearing the correct SPX basketball shorts and singlet on game day, as outlined in last week’s message. This attention to uniform not only reflects our commitment to representing the College with pride but also reinforces a professional and united team image. Let’s keep up this standard – please remember that all players must wear full SPX-branded attire when traveling to and from games and during games. No Crocs, white t-shirts, hoodies, or non-uniform track pants. Thank you for your cooperation.

Upcoming Fixtures

Please check Clipboard for fixtures, which will be confirmed during the week as details are received. Fixture changes can occur late in the week, so ensure notifications are enabled to stay updated. 

Round 3 Bathurst Trip

As we gear up for Round 3, several teams will be travelling to Bathurst this Saturday, 9 November. We wish all players a safe journey and the best of luck in their games! A reminder that all players are expected to attend, unless a valid reason like illness or injury has been communicated. 

A final reminder for the bus option for the five teams, with staff and coaches accompanying the players. This provides an affordable travel solution and fosters a sense of community within SPX Basketball. There are still a few seats available on the bus for those interested. A registration link can be accessed via Clipboard- Activity Selections. 

13/14 Development Squad Update

Following this weekend's games, we’ll be introducing a reshuffle of the 13s/14s Development Squads. This adjustment will give players the opportunity to work with different coaches and teammates across Year 7 and 8, further enhancing their skills and building new connections on the court. Your son’s new team will be shown in Clipboard next week, prior to the Round 4 games. They will need to return and collect a new singlet if moved teams. 

A big congratulations to all the students for their dedication and hard work so far - your commitment is already showing in the significant improvements we are seeing each week. Keep up the fantastic effort as we continue to grow together as a squad!

Quote of the Week

'Trust in the process, believe in your potential, and let your hard work pave the way. Success is built step by step.'

Fide et Labore - Faith and Hard Work

Mr James Bourke - Basketball Convenor

Cricket

1st XI Cricket v Chevalier College

1st XI – 3 wickets for 61 (Oliver Freeman 27, Toby Moran 24 not out) defeated Chevalier 60 (Flynn Mansbridge 6 for 17, Luke Austin 2 for 17)

The 1st XI travelled to a very cool Bowral for Round 2 of the ISA competition. Having lost the toss, the team were in the field and began well with a wicket to Jared Fernandes via a fine catch by wicket keeper Oliver Freeman and two clean bowled wickets to Luke Austin. A hard hitting 40 from one Chevalier batsman took the score to 3 for 56 before Flynn Mansbridge went to work. In a spell of fast, straight bowling he took 6 for 1 with five wickets bowled and the other leg before wicket. Lucas Gleeson took the other wicket to fall as the home side were bowled out for 60. Toby Moran and Oliver Freeman batted sensibly to put on 47 as the target was reached three wickets down. The team are back at home this week against St Augustine’s who are also coming off a strong win. 

Flynn Mansbridge takes 6 wickets for 17 runs!

2nd XI – 5 wickets for 169 (Alessio Spillane 49, Harry Arnold 25) defeated St Augustine’s College 10 wickets for 96 (Tom Costain 3 for 9, Brody Mendel 2 for 11, Oliver Costain 2 for 12, Jack English 2 for 19)

ISA Round 3 – Saturday 9 November 2024

1st XI v St Augustine’s College at  Oxford Falls #1

2nd XI v St Patrick’s College at St Patrick’s College Strathfield

Mr David Reay - ISA Cricket Convenor

MWJCA Cricket

Match Report: Peninsula Pacers 6/134 defeated SPX Green 3/125 on run rate

In a rain-reduced match, SPX Green elected to bowl first on a challenging, damp pitch. After securing an early wicket, Peninsula managed to form a solid partnership, taking advantage of the difficult conditions. Despite the soggy field and steady rain, the players persevered, though it was far from ideal for fielding. By the 19th over, Peninsula had reached 1/109 and appeared poised to accelerate in the final 5 overs. However, a turning point came when Anthony Kennedy (2/15) claimed two crucial wickets in the 20th over, injecting new energy into the SPX Green fielding side. This momentum shift enabled SPX Green to execute three run outs in the final 4 overs, ultimately containing Peninsula to a total of 6/134.

Henry Gardner (43*) and Zac Nadeem opened strongly for SPX Green, demonstrating smart running between the wickets and capitalising on loose deliveries to build an early lead. Their efforts resulted in an initial 47 runs in the first 8 overs. Ben Costain (20) joined Gardner, and together they added another 36 runs before Gardner retired, placing the side at 1/83 at the midway point. Although SPX Green lost two wickets in the 15th over, the chase was well in hand, with only 32 runs required from the final 9 overs. Anthony Kennedy (26*) concluded the match swiftly, hitting two sixes, one of which was a remarkable strike that landed in Narrabeen Lagoon! It was an impressive batting display and a well-deserved victory in challenging conditions for the U14/1 side.

Mr Ryan Balboa- MWJCA Cricket Convenor

Summer Tennis

NSTA

Another great weekend of tennis was had by all. Luckily for the NSTA players we were able to play through the small amount of rain we had  to get all the games in at Talus St. 

At 8:00 am, SPX25 and SPX27 were very well matched in their games, with SPX25 just winning by 14 games to 13, their doubles came down to a nail-biting finish. Nathan Hon and Eric Park, SPX24, played some excellent tennis against Redlands 23, the girls from Redlands tried their best but they were outplayed on the day. Ollie Willems and Henry Auer, SPX20, played an excellent doubles match against Reddam 7, winning 6 games to 3. Thank you again to Lachlan and Jake Yu for helping us out on the day. 

The 10:00 am matches began with a little sprinkle of rain but this didn’t dampen the spirits of the players. Alex Dal Molin and Aiden Chan, SPX3, played some awesome tennis, both winning their singles 6-4 and 6-2 respectively. Alfred Hu, Patrick Hu and Noah Safarian, SPX6, Angus Gibson, Nicholas Kwan and Andrew Buskens, SPX7, and James Stapleton and Ben Crichton, SPX10, all showed their strength against their opponents from Redlands all winning all 3 sets. 

GREEN BALL

Unfortunately the rain at Oxford Falls pooled on the courts and the green ball games had to be cancelled. 

Don’t forget if it does rain, please make sure that you check the College app for any updates on the status of play at the various venues. 

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - Summer Tennis  Convenor

Swimming

Invitational Carnival

On Friday 8 November the College has its first invitational carnival hosted by St Patrick's College. It will be at Ryde Aquatic centre starting at 7.00pm. All swimmers who swam in Term 1 will be swimming in this carnival as it is a compulsory event in the swimming schedule. A list of events is up on the student noticeboard. All students need a school cap and to be wearing blue or black swimming costumes. Swimmers need to attend the sports meeting on Friday to find out more details regarding the carnival.

School Swimming Squad Training – Term 4, 2024

Swimming squad training continues this week. Participants are expected to attend the majority of the 10 training sessions. Either Ms Proc (Senior Swimming Convenor) or Mr Bourke will be present at each session.

Training Details:

• Time and Location: 7:10 am at Fitness First, Chatswood (24 Endeavour St, Chatswood)
• Requirements: Suitable swimwear, goggles, and a swim cap are essential (no cap, no swim)
• Attire: Students should wear the PE/Pius Sports Uniform to the sessions. At 8:15 am, staff will walk the boys back to school, where they can change into their school uniform. A snack or breakfast is also recommended after the session.
• Training Days/Dates:

Ms Leisa Proc - Senior Swimming Convenor

Rugby

Annual General Meeting - Rugby Club

The Rugby Club AGM will be conducted on 25 November from 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend the meeting as we plan for the future of SPX rugby.

Please do not hesitate to reach out via email (jgates@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) if you have any questions. 

Term 3 Rugby Dates for the Diary:

• Monday 25 November - RUGBY CLUB AGM - 6:00 pm – Sarto Centre

Mr Justin Gates - Rugby Convenor

Squash

Mr Joe Madani - Squash Convenor