Swimming Carnival - OVENS WIN

It is the 11th triumph for Ovens since 1953, their first since 2020, and 2nd in the last 21 years (since 2004).

Ovens dominated all day, finishing on 443 points to win easily from defending Champions and winners of 8 of the last 10 years King (357), Wareena (352) and the 2023 Champions (and 2024 runner-up by just 2 points) Merriwa (282).

The talented Ovens Year 12s earned a whopping 194 points themselves to be the most prolific cohort across the school - the Boys earning 120 of those.

The King Year 7s (122 points), Merriwa Year 9s (112), Merriwa Year 7s (96) and Ovens Year 7s (93) were the next strongest groups.

The 14 Ovens House Captains were presented the Shield at the school's PAC by Principal Armstrong, with Senior Captains Tom Ford, Ned O'Kane, Clare Collinsand Claire Christison holding it aloft, flanked by their younger counterparts.

Of the 13 Age Group Champion Medals awarded, Ovens and Wareena had the most (4 each), King 3, and Merriwa 2.

Age Group Champions 2025:

13 Boys - Noah Anderson (Wareena) & Ollie Fisher (Merriwa)

13 Girls - Imogen Rocchiccioli (King)

14 Boys - Henry Lloyd (Wareena) & Mason Skermer (Wareena)

14 Girls - Havarna Long (Ovens)

15 Boys - Oskar McGahan (Ovens)

15 Girls - Inanay Gilson (Merriwa)

16 Girls - Lillian Hooper (King)

17 Boys - Merlin Tzaros (Wareena)

17 Girls - Milly O'Kane (King)

18+ Boys - Ned O'Kane (Ovens)

18+ Girls - Isabelle Hooper (Ovens)

A new star was born, with Year 7 Imogen Rocchiccioli winning every race by a number of body lengths with immaculate technique, even the 50m Butterfly.

Year 11 Merlin Tzaros also won all of his races, and Year 10 Lillian Hooper was was undefeated, however Jada Ryan almost got her in the 50m Backstroke which was an incredible Dead Heat in the best race of the Carnival.

A number of Age Group Champions made significant history. Updated Honour Boards attached here.

Last year's Top 10-in-Australia Triathlete Merlin Tzaros won his 5th straight, and Lillian Hooper her 4th straight. Both are now one step closer to the "Straight Flush (6 Titles). Only 12 have ever accomplished it.

Milly O'Kane and Isabelle Hooper both now have 3 in their quivers, while NE Bushrangers VJBL Basketball gunOskar McGahan and Ned O'Kane are now 2-time Champions.

2025 Under 17 State Netball team member Milly, now climbs to 8th on our All iIme Leaderboard of combined Age Group Championwins (Swimming and Athletics). With 5 Carnivals remaining for the Year 10, she has 5 total, just 3 shy of leader Rowan Barrow who has 8 (6 Swimming, 2 Athletics).

Year 12 Tom Ford, beaten to the medal this year by, ironically, Milly's brother Ned O'Kane, remains on 7. He can still level with Barrow, if he wins at the Athletics Carnival in August.

Year 9 Inanay Gilson also joint that illustrious list. The Murray United FC Soccer star now boasts 3 total, with 7 Carnivals.

Fittingly, Barrow was Special Guest to present the Age Group Champion Medals. Barrow, now P.E teacher at WDSS, is a 6-time Champion, multiple-time State Gold Medalist swimmer, and holds the most All-Time records at our Swimming Carnival (7). She was also a 4-time State Triathlon Champion.

There were too many highlights to mention at the Pool. But what about Year 11 Clara Rocchiccioli, who, during every one of her little sister Imogen's races, walked along the pool deck holding up a hand-painted sign with the slogan "Go Imogen". It was one of the most heat-warming sights staff had ever seen at a Carnival.

Our Year 7 cohort impressed in many ways. In a great sign for W.H.S Sport, they scored the most points (392) of any Year Level on the day, even the Year 12s (391) who were 1 point behind. The Year 9s (221) were the 3rd most active, in front of the Year 11s (166).

Ovens winning continues the nice rotation of winners over the last 6 Carnivals. Every house has won in that time, making it the fairest period in the event's history. This is largely due to each year rotating the Year 7 SEAL groups, which history shows contain the largest number of active swimmers and athletes.

Merriwa get their turn for a SEAL group next year, and if there are 2 SEAL groups (as there is this year which were allocated to King and Ovens), then Wareena will get one too. Due to both timing and overall numbers, it will also be Wareena's turn to get 2 Year 7 groups.

Not that it always helps. Ovens this year got two Year 7 Homerooms (including one SEAL), and yet both classes combined earned 93 points, less than the single Merriwa class (96), and virtually on par with Wareena's single class (81). There is a large element of luck.

The vibe of the Year 7s also got noticed, with many of them on their feet cheering on peers in the water. The Year 12s were outstanding - the most we've seen compete in a number of years.

There were also many students assisting with marshalling and timing duties on the day, greatly assisting staff, who we thank greatly - Year 11 Zoe Taurega-Green especially.

Thank you to all 140 competitors, all attendees for being there and for your House Spirit, all staff undertaking numerous key jobs, the Prefects running the BBQ with Mrs Forman and Mrs Mascas, the VCE-VM students running their Food Stall with Ms Stewart and Mrs Wilson, and the many parents there supporting.

A gargantuan thank you to Sandy "Newmo" Newman who was again the Engine Room behind the scenes in the Lead Up organisation, and handling the Results Entry on the day. It was the 25-year-Sports Coordinator's 27th year in a row, of running the Swimming Carnival.

Thanks to Kev McGennan for the great photos from the Pool. Former-teacher and current parent, he's another great W.H.S person.

We take 50 swimmers to Wodonga Waves on Thursday 27th February for the Upper Hume competition. This will be all race winners, plus a 4x50m Freestyle Relay team for each age group, made up of the Top 4 Freestyle times.

Jud Mullins

Sport Coordinator