Sports Report

As we near the end of term and some sports have finished, others continue their seasons or are about to start, I would like to thank all our students, staff, parents and friends of the College who volunteer their time to play, coach, manage, umpire or be involved in other ways in our extensive sporting program. A function will be held next term to recognise those people who give up their time to ensure we can offer the size of sporting program we currently do. More information and invitations will be sent soon next term.

It has been another successful winter of sport with many hockey premierships and the College Magpies Under 16 boys contributing to their team’s success. Our shooters have been doing well and have some competitions to go. The growth of soccer at the school continues and two of our teams are in the Grand Final this week.

Well done to our Head of Cricket Stephen Mirtschin who worked tirelessly over the year and this term in particular to organize the inaugural “Adelaide Cricket Tour” for the school. Departing Friday after school and not returning until the Thursday during week one of the holidays, this tour will see Year 7/8 and Year 9/10 cricket teams travel interstate to play against some of the leading Adelaide schools in various styles of matches the sport offers. The players have been training hard over the last month and it should be an exciting opportunity for them to play some more cricket as a school team and develop their own individual games also.

Well done to all our students who have had individual and team success with their community sporting teams over the winter. It is great to hear about and/or see in the media and share your successes.

Year 10 student and star swimmer Jack Sharp has been having great success recently at various Victorian club events and swam at MSAC last weekend for the Vic Open SC Champs. Jack has been training very hard and smashing many PBs for his events at these competitions.

Good luck to our Year 7 students Isaac Hocking and Phoebe Russell who will compete at the national under 13 hockey titles in Tasmania over the holidays. This is a great opportunity for them to compete at such a high level. Congratulations also to Year 11 student Chloe Andersen who has been chosen to umpire at the tournament. Well done Chloe!

Finally, congratulations to Todd O’Sullivan (father of Bella, Tom, Sam, Yolanda and Grace) and Co-coach of the College Magpies Under 13 side, who has won the AFL Western District Junior Youth ‘Coach of the Year’. He is now in the running to win this category for the Victorian Coach of the Year.

Leigh Alexander

Director of Sport

Girls' Hockey

What an amazing end to the 2018 hockey season with premierships in both the A and B Grade competitions.

In balmy conditions on Friday night the Division One Women completed the perfect season defeating Coleraine 4-1. Isabelle Musson was again the star up forward scoring three goals. Erin Powell, Shayleigh Ingelse and Maddi Mutch continued their brilliant seasons working alongside Isabelle to dominate the forward play. The backline of Chloe Andersen, Hannah Russell, Abby Hayes, Nikita Cavill and Chloe Russell have only conceded 7 goals for the whole season and they were again superb. Lindy Hayes was as solid as a rock in goals when needed and she can certainly retire on a high. Young Guns Oliva Allen, Ruby Cush, Phoebe Russell and Millie Dopheide were all key contributors and all have been vital in the success of this team. Congratulations to super coach Peter Musson and manager Sally Allen who have been so important guiding this team throughout the season.

Better Players: Chloe Russell, Isabelle Musson, Hannah Russell, Chloe Andersen and Maddi Mutch.

Best on Ground as voted by the Umpires – Isabelle Musson

Hannah Russell was Runners Up in the Association Best and Fairest

Isabelle Musson and Hannah Russell Association highest goal scorers.

Chloe Russell was awarded the Baulch Family Trophy as the Best U16 Club person.

The conditions in the B Grade Women’s Grand Final were the polar opposite to Friday night. The girls endured gale force winds, hail and sideways rain. At one point my phone was saying it was -1! Despite the conditions the Scorchers played their best game of the season defeating Demons 2-0. Phoebe Russell scored first with a superb back stick goal that would have beaten the Australian Goalie. Gracie Austin followed up with a great running goal to put the game beyond doubt. Phoebe Russell, Gracie Austin, Chloe Lyons, Lucy Roberts, Emily Ash and Amy Boland were all stand outs in the game. Every player on the team contributed and I know coach James Russell was proud of the team effort. It was certainly a special day for our Mums: Di Austin, Sarah Roberts, Chantel Butcher, Kerri Ross and Jodie Russell. For one it was her first Grand Final ever. Credit to James Russell who has worked so hard with this team all season and their development has been quite amazing. Congratulations also to Captain Claire Dempsey for her inspirational leadership of the College Scorchers.

Well done to Phoebe Russell who was named best on ground by the umpires and to Georgie Snodgrass who was runners-up in the Association Best and Fairest.

Kristen Waldron

Boys' Hockey

The Open team commenced Grand Final proceedings last Friday but quickly found themselves on the back foot as our opponents, the Coleraine Bulls, stated very strongly. Although we weathered the initial onslaught, we remained on the back foot and found ourselves down 0-2 at half time.

Our second half was much stronger and, at times, we had the run of the ball and felt the game was still alive. A goal was needed to reward the effort and we went close a couple of times but, unfortunately, could not find the net. Bulls scored a late goal to seal a 3-0 victory and they were clearly the better team on the night.

Reagan Simons was named Player of the Final, an award determined by the umpires, after an excellent game where his poise under pressure stood out.

Despite the loss, the boys have much to be proud of. I was delighted with their resilience on Friday and we have played some very good hockey throughout the season. With the ICCES success in July, there is much to look back on very positively. They are a great group of young men too!

On Saturday morning, the two Division 2 teams, Blue and Gold met in their Grand Final. This was a pulsating game, particularly in the first half, and very impressive team play and strong skills were displayed by both teams. Blue have been on top all season and play an excellent brand of hockey; the younger Gold team has shown huge development and improvement.

Blue won 7-3. Ferg Roberts scored six of the goals and Tane Nelson the other for Blue, their senior experience showing out. Ferg was named Player of the Final and Leading Scorer for the Division while Tane won the Association Best and Fairest for Division Two. For Gold, Jock Adamson, Isaac Hocking and Nick Gunn found the net. There were many good players on each side and Gold missed the steadiness of Clancy Munro in defence in the second half after he received a nasty hit right on half time.

It has been a good season. Many thanks to all the parents who have assisted by transporting and supporting their sons to games. Many thanks also to my year Twelves: Sami, Jack, Lach and Josh. Great young blokes and I hope they keep playing hockey wherever they end up next year.

Neil MacLean

Hockey Dinner

Last Saturday night’s Hockey Dinner attracted some 190 people and we were able to celebrate the season with strong representation from all eleven teams which competed in the local competition and also acknowledge the additional two ICCES teams and the Hockey Sevens squad. It’s been a great year!

We had four Premierships and two runners-up achievements to celebrate last weekend but the Dinner also provided a relaxed and informal time to enjoy the company of team-mates and parents and to celebrate the playing of the game.

The Coach and Captain(s) of each team spoke and various awards were presented. Each coach had two trophies they could award and the awardees were as follows:

Division 4 Numbats: Tom Stratmann (best team player) and Natalie Featherston (most improved);

Division 4 Bandicoots: Finley Hiscock (most improved) and Gabe Marshall (best and fairest);

Division 4 Tassie Devils: Phoebe Russell (best and fairest) and Hamish Jeffery (most committed);

Division 4 Drop Bears: Angus Dohle (most improved) and Charlotte Rowe (best team player);

B Grade Blades: Jordy Brown (best and fairest) and Georgie Snodgrass (coach’s award);

B Grade Scorchers: Amy Boland (most improved) and Lucy Roberts (best and fairest);

Under 16 Gold: Zac Cunningham (best and fairest) and Isaac Hocking (best team player);

Under 16 Blue: Tane Nelson (best and fairest) and Ferg Roberts (highest goalscorer);

Women’s A Grade Thundersticks: Hannah Nichols (best and fairest) and Phoebe Sweeney (highest goalscorer);

Women’s A Grade Strikers: Ruby Cush (most improved) and Hannah Russell and Isabelle Musson (equal highest goalscorers);

Men’s A Grade: Josh Read (best and fairest) and Ferg Roberts (highest goalscorer).

The Captains introduced a series of quizzes this year and these gained considerable interest – and some questionable tactics as tables competed against each other!

Coaches and managers were thanked for their work and we acknowledged the wonderful support we have from parents who provide side-line encouragement, player transportation and fill a range of team-support duties. Thank you all very much.

Neil MacLean, Stephen Nelson, Kristen Waldron

Netball

The second season of netball begins the first week back after holidays and we are in the midst of finalising arrangements. The dates for the season are Saturday 13th October – Saturday 8th December, and I believe there will be a bye the week of the St Mary’s Christmas parade in Hamilton. Teams have been entered and we are awaiting finalisation of a draw from the Association (who meet this week). We have entered 3 senior teams (15U/open combined) and 2 x 13U teams.

Please contact me if you are willing to be a manager for a team; this mainly involves scoring, collecting forms, communicating messages and the like. It is a simple role but one where we need to have an official person representing each team.

Trainings will be Tuesday lunch times at this stage in our sports stadium, so I ask that students are prepared and committed. Training begins on THE FIRST DAY BACK OF SCHOOL next term (Tuesday for the students) so I ask students to be prepared.

Fees need to be paid online so please jump online during the holidays and arrange payment. I have attached the HNA information pack for details about fees and forms to sign. This all must be finalised before the third game.

Draws are posted every week on the HNA (Hamilton Netball Association) facebook page, so it might be worth each parent and player liking the page so they can access the information quickly.

In other netball news, a number of our netballers have been involved in teams playing in Grand Finals in local leagues. Some have been winners, some unfortunately not, but it has been an impressive season by many of our school students and staff! Congratulations to all students and staff playing in the surrounding leagues this season; many have been involved in finals and have been strong performers in league and club vote counts.

Some notable local league achievements that I am aware of have been:

South West District - League runner up in the 17U division – Amy Waters
Mininera District – League winner for the 15U division - Olivia Anagnostou
Mininera District – League winner for the 17U division - Louise Millear
Mininera District – League runner up for the 17U division – Kate Millear

I look forward to seeing you all courtside in Term 4.

Jody Ogle

Head of Netball

The Hamilton and Alexandra College Newsletter

Issue 29 · 20 Sep 2018

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