Sport

Term 4 Sport

Term 4 Sport has wrapped up at SPC and it’s been a very exciting finish to the sporting year. Our BAS 1st XI and 2nd XI Cricket teams both came away with fantastic Grand Final victories this week on our Main Oval against Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat Clarendon, respectively. Match reports below.

We were victorious in the BAS Junior Netball competition and enjoyed successful seasons in the BAS Junior Tennis and BAS Junior Volleyball. Unfortunately, the weather was against us most weeks for our Fishing Club, but they still managed to enjoy some great afternoons over at Lake Wendouree and our youngest students were able to develop their golf games at Golf City on a couple of occasions. 

The Rowing season has commenced with our crews busy training and participating in Regattas in the lead up to their intensive training camps.

Thanks to all staff who have coached or managed our sporting teams and to the grounds crew for keeping our playing surfaces in fantastic condition.

We look forward to sport starting up in Term 1 next year with a huge number of key events taking place.

Term 1 Sport 2026

Junior Baseball

Intermediate Tennis 

Senior Tennis (1st's & 2nd's)

Senior Volleyball

1st XI Cricket (ACC)

1st XI BAS Cricket 

2nd XI Cricket (Boarders)

Junior Cricket (Yr 7 & 8) Dual pitch

SPC House Soccer

Rowing

Shooting

SPC House Athletics Carnival

BAS Athletics Carnival

ACC Athletics Carnival

Head of the Lake Rowing Regatta

BAS Tennis Singles Championships

BAS Golf Championships

ACC Swimming Carnival

Basketball – Australian School Championships 

A team of 10 young basketballers from Year 10 (2025) are travelling to the Gold Coast from 30 November to 6 December, where they will take on schools from all over Australia in the National Schools Championships. 

Thank you to staff members Eric Hayes and Simon Dwyer who will be travelling with and coaching the boys. Also, a huge thankyou to Head of Basketball Josh Ebbels, who has put together a fantastic trip for the following boys to experience: Joseph Buckle, Lucas Byrne, Sam Keating, Archer Martin, Noah Phillips, Ned Porter, Oliver Quick, James Sheehan and Jayde Smyth.

Cricket: BAS 1st XI - Premiers!

After a torrential downpour in the morning, Sean Willmott had the ground in pristine conditions by 4pm for the BAS 1st XI Grand Final. Losing the toss, we were sent in to bat. A couple of changes were required as an unfortunate injury to Ollie Behrens and Ryder O’Brien leaving to start an apprenticeship. We had very capable replacements in Harry Scardamaglia and Ollie Potter in for their first game of the season.

Harry and Albie Cheeseman opened the batting and were away to a solid start with a 40- run opening partnership. Albie was first to be dismissed for 16. Harry followed shortly after as we stumbled to 2/46. Lachlan Rea and Xavier Coutts then added 48, before Xavier was out for a game high 29 off 28 balls. Levi Munyard fell in the same over to have us at 4/94 with 26 balls remaining. Excellent running between the wickets helped Lachlan to 24 before he was dismissed. Hugh Weidemann went quickly as we again lost two quick wickets—6/101 with 13 balls to go, every run would be valuable. Jack McMahon 5 not out and Harry Hoffman 8 not out helped to boost the score to 6/113 from our 20 overs,10 more than we made against Grammar in the home and away match.

The boys were quietly confident of defending this score, but without Ollie and Ryder in the bowling attack, the rest of the team would need to step up. Jack McMahon and Ollie Potter opened the bowling. Grammar made a steady start, but a bowling change in the fourth over changed the match. Hugh Weidemann claimed their two best batsmen in his first over, with Tyler Kelly and Xavier Coutts taking the chances. At 2/18, the game swung in our favour. They steadied until Xavier Coutts claimed the other opener, 3/39 after 8. Grammar started to fall behind the required run rate. When Lewis Harrington removed their last remaining dangerous batsman, they were at 4/64, with 50 required from only six overs. The boys had been great in the field, with many runs saved. Great bowling in the last five overs saw us not concede a single boundary. We managed to restrict Grammar to 96 for a 15-run victory and back-to-back BAS 1st XI titles. Congratulations to the boys and their coach Spence Jenks. Spence has led this team all season and the boys have performed well in all four matches.

Cricket: BAS 2nd XI - Premiers!

Our BAS 2nd XI earned a home grand final on Thursday, 27 November. As it turned out, we were the only team that had won two lead-up games. Ballarat Clarendon College came into the final on the back of a forfeit from Ballarat High School and a win over Ballarat Grammar in an extra game on Monday (due to a washout earlier in term). 

It was a new look BCC team that took to the field after our last encounter. Indeed, only two of last week's team remained, and that was their classy opening batting pair Will and Fred.

In contrast, we had all our veteran rockstars except for Hunter (captain last week) which was on paper a major blow.

We were sent in to bat and we never faltered. The run rate started at six and never dipped below five. After 10 overs we were 68 and on target to match last week! Dane had batted great for a quick fire 10 – exactly the nature of T20 cricket. Henry shared in a 50-run partnership before he departed for a classy 22. Caius came and went as Caius does (hunting runs) and we were 3 for 82 after 12. New guy Kai (2nd game but trained the house down on Tuesday) joined a rollicking but high quality Jack and they broke the game open. We scored 71 off the last eight overs without losing a wicket. 

Clarendon were despondent – appropriately. These diminutive guys had pummelled the attack to all parts of the ground, and once they even ran a four! Brute force is more the norm in these onslaughts, but nothing could be further from the truth here. They took 17 off the last over from their returning opening bowler! And we made 155 – virtually eight runs an over. Jack was not out 63 (after an executive decision by Henry not to retire him at 50) with Kai unbeaten on 28. An unbroken partnership of 73 had really put us in the driver's seat.

It was sad in some ways that only five people got to bat – and we did admittedly prioritise winning the Grand Final over participation. 

Clarendon batted and batted great. Early wickets were crucial and indeed their scary opening pair were both done at 2 for 20 after four. But they hung around! They were only five or six runs below the worm and put on a 74-run partnership. But they too were diminutive and did not have quite the class or timing or aggression of our dynamic duo. 

When we broke that stand, they still needed 50 with just three overs left. Henry had done an amazing job as captain. Making all decisions himself – all backed with meticulous planning – he had done his absolute best to give everyone a go. Zephyr had bowled wonderfully, as had Harry – also on the back of great training on Tuesday. But the icing on the cake was Walter getting his turn in the spotlight for over 19. He initially struggled, but he grew. He was aggressive and he held his nerve. It was ace to see.

We held them comfortably to 132 and the last ball was a celebration with a slips cordon of nine for our spinner Kai.

Thanks all – especially parents and families who supported by presence or cooperation, and to the help with boundary marker collection and equipment in general. The season was quite a rush, and we couldn’t do it without you. 

- Ian Lovel, Coach

BAS 2nd XI - Week 7

We were 50 per cent win-loss going into the final game against Clarendon. The same scenario as Keniry footy when the final game was called off due to weather and we were savagely disappointed. This time the weather was clear and cool, but it seemed like we were going to begin with eight players and doomsday loomed. 

There were promises aplenty that guys were going to turn up, but that proof would be in the pudding. We did have new guys Jack and Kai raring to go whilst our spiritual skipper Hunter returned (and did a selfless, wonderful job allowing each person a fair go whilst sacrificing himself and having a win first).

We won the toss and batted (giving those promising ones every chance to show up for the team) which they did. Indeed, we assembled a full team down to number 11 and everyone was a good batter. What a team!

We did lose Henry and Kai early and were unsettled at 2 for 12 after 3 overs. But Dane La Franchi and newbie Kai settled that ship and when Kai departed, we were 3 for 38 after six. That run rate never faltered as every batsman knew the pressures and expectations of T20 cricket and chased runs accordingly – through boundaries and through aggressive running between wickets. Harry batted great again and we were 5 for 74 after twelve with Dane still simmering on 17. Caius, Will, Zephyr and Azaad all played cameos and after Dane exploded to a 35 (retired), we had a commanding 131 on the board.

Last week against High School we had bowled too short and wayward. Though still wayward (15 wides) our pitch was way better. Clarendon barely nudged, at best, three per over and when their best batsman fell to a great catch from Dane from Azaad’s beaut bowling, they were 3 for 38 after 11. Kai took two more catches (one a juggler) and Jack one as we held them to a final total of 7 for 62. Joey was fearsome with the ball with three wickets and looms as a key for us. It was also delightful that Kai and Henry each bowled classy spin with sensible fields to support their craft.

Parent support was amazing! Player support was amazing!

- Ian Lovel, Coach