Sport

Rowing

College rowing season came to an exciting close over the weekend, with students competing at the prestigious Head of Schoolgirls (HOSG) Regatta in Geelong and the Scotch Mercantile Regatta at Nagambie Lakes.

Head of Schoolgirls Regatta – Geelong

Held on the Barwon River, the 41st Head of Schoolgirls Regatta brought together more than 2,100 athletes across three days of competition. The Hamilton and Alexandra College fielded five crews, each demonstrating determination, growth and competitive spirit.

A highlight of the weekend was Year 9 rower Mhairi McDonald, who continued her outstanding season. After a dominant heat win, Mhairi progressed through to the A Final of the single scull, where she delivered a composed performance to secure silver in a time of 4:32.09 — an exceptional result at one of the country’s premier schoolgirl regattas.

In a milestone moment for the College, three crews competed in the Year 9 quad scull, part of a massive field of 178 boats.

The Division 1 crew of Elsie Brown, Annabelle Wenn, Billie Carmody and Hannah Young (cox: Zoe Bell) finished 12th overall, highlighted by a strong heat win and their fastest row of the weekend in the C Final.
The Division 3 crew of Zoe Bell, Daisy Hall, Annie Colliton and Poppy Malseed (cox: Ava Ryan) showed resilience, improving their times across the weekend to finish second in the F Final.
The Division 4 crew, made up of Year 8 students Mi-Ha Kim, Lu Lu McDonald and Georgia Brown, Leila Cryer (cox: Isabelle Bricknall), impressed against older competitors. Their campaign culminated in a thrilling come-from-behind race to reach the E Final, where they finished second, capping off a remarkable debut at this level.

In the Open Double Scull, Year 12 students Phoebe Baker and Georgina Russell balanced their final year studies with competition. The pair progressed to the B Final, where they finished third, closing out their school rowing careers with a strong performance.

Both athletes were also awarded the Morongo Medal, recognising their commitment to the sport and participation in three Head of Schoolgirls Regattas.

Scotch Mercantile Regatta – Nagambie

While the girls raced in Geelong, the College’s boys crews travelled to Nagambie Lakes for the Scotch Mercantile Regatta, delivering an impressive set of results.

The Year 8 Boys Quad (Oliver Copley, Fred Nagorcka, Finn Hawthorne, Seamus McDonald; cox: Archie Aitken) produced a standout performance. After progressing from their heat, they surged in the final to claim silver, finishing strongly in the closing stages.
Henry Horne continued his consistent form in the single scull, placing fourth in both his heat and final.
The Senior Boys Quad (Teddy Dabernig, Finlay Hunt, Rupert Merrin, Archie Young; cox: Heston Small) delivered a dominant performance. After winning their heat convincingly, they led from start to finish in the final to secure gold in a time of 7:23.76.

Netball

It was another successful week for our College teams, despite a cool start to the morning. The Year 9–12 College Mavericks went up against Monivae Gold, going down 21–17 in a tightly contested game. Each player put in a great effort; although they didn’t come away with the win, they continued to fight hard for the ball. Players of the day were Felicity Rentsch, who worked well alongside Fionnuala—an excellent new asset to the College netball family. Both defenders combined beautifully, taking countless intercepts and supporting the team whenever needed. A special thank you to Ellie Lewis, who filled in and supported our team.

Our Year 9–12 College Diamonds played Baimbridge, coming away with an impressive 42–21 win. Although the Diamonds required extra players, everyone put in an outstanding effort and demonstrated strong teamwork. Player of the match was Ava Murrihy, who was only filling in, yet managed several intercepts and maintained possession brilliantly, showing her determination and helping the team secure the win.

The Year 7–8 College Mavericks faced Monivae Maroon and unfortunately went down 29–22. Each player showed up ready to play and demonstrated how much they wanted to be on the court. Having already filled in for the Year 9–12 team, Ellie Lewis again stood out for her strong shooting.

The enthusiastic Year 3–4 College Rubies played Gray Street Navy Blue. The team proudly wore their matching ribbons provided by coaches Pepper and Lily. The team had their listening ears on and demonstrated great teamwork throughout the court. Players of the day were Annie Barber for her incredible work in GK—gaining numerous touches and turnovers—and Edie, who stepped into GS and scored several fantastic goals.

The College Sapphires took on the Saint Mary’s Swifts, securing a strong 26–0 win. Every player fought for the ball, showing their coach they wanted to be making an impact on the court. Players of the day were Mila McCabe and Eloise Bufton, who worked outstandingly well together in the ring as the main shooters, helping the team achieve this impressive victory.

College Firebirds had a bye this weekend.

A huge thank you to all parents, HNA, umpires, coaches, team managers, and all players who are part of the College community. We are incredibly grateful for your time and effort. A special thanks also goes to Mrs Ogle, who is there every week either umpiring or helping teams—it never goes unnoticed. Thank you.

Izzy Malseed

Netball Co-Captain