SPORT NEWS

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL 2023

On Thursday 3 August, McKinnon staff and students were dressed in their Movie character inspired outfits all ready for the McKinnon’s Annual Athletics Carnival at Duncan Mackinnon Reserve.

There was much excitement around the track as students hotly contested in all the track & field events and the annual Year 12 Quidditch competition, to earn valuable points for their house.

It was a closely run event with only a few points separating the houses on the scoreboard.

The final scores for the day were finally tallied and…

4th place with 2495 points was Chisholm
3rd place with 2547 points was Monash
2nd place with 3108 points was Flynn
1st place with 3162 points was....

GILMORE!

Congratulations to all the Gilmore students who participated in as many events as possible and provided valuable house points.

Congratulations also to all the students who won their age group events and have qualified to compete at the Kingston Division Championships on Thursday 24 August.

Jennifer Pemberton

Head of Physical Education/Sport

ALL SCHOOLS NETBALL

On Tuesday 8 August the Year 8 Girls, Senior Girls and Senior Boys Netball teams headed out to the State Netball Centre to compete in the All Schools Netball Championships. The teams played some excellent Netball competing against the best Private, Catholic and Public Schools in the State.

Both girls’ teams had some successful games defeating teams from Lilydale High, Saint Ignatius College, Patterson River, Caulfield Grammar and Bentleigh Secondary College, but unfortunately didn’t make it through to the finals.

Well done to all students who participated in this competition, it was an amazing experience, and the students should be very proud of their achievements.

Jennifer Pemberton

Head of Physical Education/Sport

SENIOR GIRLS BADMINTON

Embarking on a journey laden with dedication and perseverance, the Senior Girls' Badminton Team graced the Springers Leisure Centre on Wednesday 19 July, for the SMR finals. This opportunity not only allowed us to exhibit our exceptional skills, but also stood as a testament to the unwavering commitment and laborious efforts we had invested to reach this juncture.

Weeks of relentless training paved the way for the Senior Girls' Badminton Team's remarkable run. Post-school drills, intensive practice matches, and rigorous conditioning sessions became the hallmark of our preparation. Under the guidance of Mr Bridges and Mr Adlington, the team demonstrated an unswerving dedication to refining techniques, crafting strategies, and building endurance, serving as a wellspring of inspiration.

The path to the SMR Finals was adorned with remarkable triumphs in preceding rounds. Our journey commenced with an emphatic display of dominance at the Kingston Division Championships, a testament to our impeccable teamwork and strategic finesse. The harmonious coordination on the court and an unmatched mastery over shuttle control propelled us to a deserving victory, catapulting us into the regional qualifiers.

However, the regional qualifiers introduced us to an array of formidable opponents from schools statewide. Despite falling short of the finals amidst intense competition, the Senior Girls' Badminton team exhibited unwavering sportsmanship and a zeal for improvement. This experience, rather than a setback, emerged as a platform for honing our badminton prowess, leaving us with valuable lessons and cherished memories.

In retrospect, our journey has been one marked by triumphs, challenges, and an unquenchable thirst for excellence. As we continue to strive for greatness, we remain undeterred, fuelled by the spirit of camaraderie and the aspiration to soar to new heights in the world of badminton.

Bernice Koh

Year 11 Student

YEAR 8 AFL SMR FINALS

The Year 8 Football team set off to play in the SMR Finals for 2023 where Le Page Oval hosted a few talented teams to play off for the highly regarded Pennet.

The boys arrived early, eager to achieve the ultimate success and progress through to the State Finals. The first two games were won in a similar fashion against both Alkira Secondary College and Berwick Secondary College.

McKinnon started off very strong in both games, electing to go with the wind. Led by the midfield of Eamonn Walker, Erik Hennequin, Connor Hughes and Sam Howley, the boys dominated the inside contest which gave the forwards plenty of entries inside fifty and opportunities to put on scoreboard pressure. The second half saw Alex Bridges move to a spare down in defence, allowing McKinnon to stop any resurgence from the opposition. His intercept ability all day allowed McKinnon to maintain control of the game when against the deemed “four-goal” breeze.

With the boys cemented in the finals, the third game allowed for more rotations ensuring our squad of 26 got their chance to be exposed to a variety of positions. The boys played with great endeavour and hunger for the win despite going down by a goal. A notable mention should go to Archer Hankin who had a best on ground performance replacing the hard-working Sam Howley. The injection of athleticism and strategic ball use was admirable by Hankin in the loss. With many boys rested and in elite form, McKinnon set out to play Frankston High School in the Grand Final.

The boys set off to a flying start with the breeze taking a two-goal lead at the half-time break. With the wind pushing towards the opposition's goal face, McKinnon rolled a few loose into defence to prevent any goals from leaking through. As well as creating a rebounding defence line that could run and carry into the breeze.

Whilst the team held strong and put in what was a great performance, unfortunately Frankston were able to break down the walls of our defensive line and sneak home a few game winning goals. This led to Frankston taking the win and our boys going down in what was a hard-fought battle. The effort, intensity and passion could not be questioned and both Mr Reid and Mr Hoskin were very proud of the squad’s efforts.

Special thanks to our goal umpire Josh Bridges (Year 10) and our voted ‘Players Player” Zac Finnigan enduring the demands of ball retriever, water boy and team morale leader. Well done to the Year 8 Football team, hopefully we can achieve something spectacular in the Intermediate Division next year.

Mr Reid & Mr Hoskin

Coaches