Sporting News

Sandhurst Basketball

Congratulations to Girton Boys and Girls teams that competed at the annual Sandhurst carnival on Friday 5 September at the Bendigo stadium. Our girls were competitive from the start and played a great team game with some very nice set plays and shooting.

They finished the day with 5 wins and 1 loss, narrowly missing finals.

Our Boys won 3 games and lost 3. 2 losses were only by 2 points and 1 point.

We would like to thank Mr Mark Alabakov for his assistance and coaching. His basketball knowledge and feedback for our players was invaluable. Thank you also to Julian Boucher (10 Millward) and Sophie Mahony (9 Frew) for helping our Junior School teams on the day.

Mark Di Fede (boys coach)

Paul Flanagan (girls coach)

Soccer Schools Cup Invitational

Boys Division

On Tuesday 9 September, the Year 9/10 girls and Year 9/10 boys travelled down to the City Vista in Melbourne to play in the Schools Cup Invitational. Both teams prepared well in advance, with numerous training sessions being held at the school in high spirits. The boys' first game was against North Geelong Secondary College (NGSC), ending in a fierce 0-0 draw. With many positives to take out of the game, the boys were keen for the next match against Keilor Downs College. 

The game opened with a heated intensity, with the boys going up 1-0 early due to a clinical mistake from the opposition keeper. Yet, Keilor lifted, they pressed the boys with everything they had. The team managed to maintain their composure and seal a massive 1-0 win. In our last group stage game, we faced off against Western Heights College, renowned for its soccer academy teams, loaded with talent. 

Coming off a great win, the boys had found their flow and were ready for the challenge that Western was bound to give them. The game was one that we expected, tight and would come down to a singular moment. That moment came when our captain Hugo Byrne (10 Riley) won a corner and delivered it beautifully, put away with an impressive header from Tom Evennett (10 Frew), who leapt above the rest. The boys then changed shape and thanks to a few massive saves from goalkeeper, Will De Vries (10 Jenkin), and a huge team effort, the boys held out for another 1-0 win. This resulted in us finishing top of the group with two wins, one draw and no goals conceded going into the final. 

The final was played straight after our last game, giving the boys no time to rest or recover. The boys faced up against NGSC, the team we had drawn with that morning. The confidence was flowing out of this team, yet the fatigue was starting to kick in as a few cramps arose in the final's opening minutes. It was an end-to-end game, with many chances for either side to capitalise on, but another strong display from our defence saw us end the game 0-0 and go into penalties. This team had already faced a penalty shootout at ICCES, coming out victorious, and that did not change. The lads went 5/5 in penalties and won 5-3 as NGSC sent one over the bar. 

I would just like to take a moment to thank the boys. They were really awesome to work with throughout the year, and what an experience it was to lift a trophy during our first time at the invitational cup. Also, thank you to special guest coach Mr Mac Hilson, Mr Hoyte and Mr Whitsed — your ongoing support for the boys has all contributed massively to this result for Girton.

Archie Lee (11 Frew)

Girls Division 

Congratulations to our Year 9/10 girls' team on winning the Schools Cup Invitational in Melbourne on Tuesday 9 September. There were some late withdrawals the night before the competition, so special thanks to the Year 7/8 girls who stepped in.

Our round robin games saw two wins and one loss, which placed us second on the table and gave us a shot at the trophy. The final vs Keilor was physical, but our girls stood up to the intensity and pressure, securing a 1-0 win.

All girls played well but a big congratulations to some standout performers across the carnival: Ona Mateo Thomas (10 Jenkin), Ruby Flanagan (10 Jenkin), Madeleine Lane (10 Jones), Sarah Crowley (10 Jones), Sophie O’Connell (10 Aherne) and Darcey Whitsed (9 Riley).

Mr Paul Flanagan

Coach

The winter season has been a fantastic basketball season with 15 teams taking part — eight from Senior School and seven from Junior School.

I hope all players have enjoyed the games, the challenges, and the fun that comes with representing your school on the court.

A huge thank you to our training coaches from the Sharpshooter Project and also to Mark Alabakov. Your basketball knowledge, enthusiasm, and guidance have been incredible.

I'm sure every player has gained not just new skills, but a deeper love and understanding of the game.

Thank you as well to the staff who coached and managed our teams on game nights — your dedication is what makes our program run smoothly.

To the parents and families - thank you for being the ultimate supporters, from the countless drives to games to cheering from the sidelines.

And finally, to all of our players — thank you for your commitment to training, your effort during games, and the amazing sportspersonship you’ve shown all season.

You have all represented your school with pride.

Congratulations to all the teams who are playing in the finals and to all the award winners — well done on a fantastic season!

Deirdre Tunzi

SMC Basketball