Sports News Term 2, Week 8

This is the last sport newsletter for what has been a busy sporting term.  We started the term by celebrating all our marvellous achievements from our summer sports season.  We had trials, selected teams and started into the winter competitions.  There have been great wins, some losses and a few non-events the last couple of weeks due to the rain and wet grounds.  Cold mornings, thermals and blankets are the norm at this time of the year, with muddy, wet clothing making regular visits to laundry rooms.  Along with this, there have also been some great competitions and high levels of enjoyment being had, with lots of laughs and smiles at all competitions.

As sport starts to wrap up for the term it is timely that we say a huge thank you to all the coaches and managers who have made the start of the season go so smoothly.  We have a large number of parent managers across our sports this season and we are so thankful for your assistance, because without you, we simply wouldn’t be able to field so many teams.  

Over the holidays ,we host some netball and basketball exchanges with schools from Australia and Dubai. It will be exciting times for our girls getting to have some international competition right here at SMC.

Enjoy the holiday break and a wee break from school sport before a very busy term 3.

Basketball
Last Tuesday the Senior A girls had a tough game against National runners up StAC.  Although the scoreboard wasn’t kind to the SMC girls, they were able to execute a lot of the things they have been working on at practice and could walk away with their heads held high.  Next Tuesday, they take on Rangiora High at Mainpower Stadium in the final game for the term.  Good luck girls.

The Junior A girls have racked up two more wins in their Friday night Junior Premier competition, putting them third in their pool.  Our other Friday night teams had their last games for the term on Friday, with a mixed lot of results. The girls now take a break until the first week back of term 3. 

Cricket
Congratulations to Lexie Boon, Y10 who has been selected into the Canterbury Girls Academy for Cricket (outdoor)! This is the greatest performance pathway stepping stone for 14-18 yr olds with only 12 girls selected from the greater Canterbury/South Canterbury region.  Well done Lexi, another amazing achievement. 

Cross Country/Road Race
Sascha Mitchell, Y9 has been away competing at the NZSS Cross Country Championships, held in Whangarei on the 14th/15th June.  After convincing wins at the Canterbury Secondary Schools Road Race and Cross Country events, Sascha had qualified to represent SMC at this national event.  On Saturday, Sascha competed in the Year 9 individual 3km event, where she was in the lead pack with 3 others for the majority of the race.  About halfway, one runner pulled slightly ahead and at this stage Sascha suffered from a stitch, but she pushed on through.  With the finish line approaching Sascha surged ahead of the 3rd place getter and crossed the line in 2nd place, 7 seconds behind the leader but 11 seconds in front of the 3rd place runner in a time of 10:56mins.  On Sunday, Sascha then competed as part of the Canterbury girls team in the 2km relay run, where Sascha and her team finished 1st.  What an amazing finish to what has been an absolutely outstanding season of running for Sascha.  Way to go Sascha!

Canterbury Primary Schools Cross Country
On Wednesday, we had five runners competing in the Canterbury Primary Schools Cross Country event at Nga Puna Wai.  The Y5/6 girls ran 2km and the Y7/8 ran 3km in this event.

Rosa Smallman, Y5 - 5th 
Isla Foley, Yr 6 - 6th
Charlotte Robertson, Y7 - 7th
Lyla O’Sullivan Y8, - 10th
Sophia Foley Y8, - 46th

Hockey 
Our St Margaret’s Hockey teams have had a great start to the season.  

Our 1st XI have retained the Challenge shield in their unbeaten run at the top of the Secondary School Premier Grade.  They had a great game against StAC last Friday, going up 2-0 in the first half and holding off the challenge from the StAC girls to take the win 2-1.  They play this Thursday night, 7:50pm at Nga Puna Wai. This will be their last game for three weeks due to the holidays. It would be so great to have some supporters down there cheering on our outstanding girls.

The 2nd XI face top of the table Cashmere this week, to keep them in the running for the top spot.  With a win and two draws this season they are right in the mix of Div 1 of the Secondary School League.

The Red team remain unbeaten also and sit at the top of the table of Div 2. While the Green and White teams face each other in an SMC showdown this Wednesday, with both teams also at the top of the table in their Div 3 competition, it will be a fierce battle.  Rounding out the teams is SMC Silver in Div 4, taking on Lincoln this week, looking for another win to stay in the top four of this grade.

Korfball
Congratulations to Emma Hoskins, Y13 who has been called into the New Zealand U21 Korfball team heading to China for the IKF U21 Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship.  Best of luck Emma for your trip at the end of July.

Life Saving - Royal
Congratulations to the following girls who have passed their Royal Life Saving exams and have gained the following badges

Bronze Star: Antoinette Beasley, Katherine Beasley, Sophie MacKenzie-Rickards, Sascha Mitchell, Phoebe Quested, Milly Siegrist, Vera Bergin

Bronze Medallion: Annika Gale, Cece Acland, Jessica Gearry, Rachel Kim, Maia Lacey

Bronze Cross: Annaliese McFarlane, Ruby Wells, Hannah Millar

Award of Merit: Maddie Coughlan, Kieva Hanlon

Netball
Over the weekend we had two Year 9 teams entered into the Christchurch Netball tournament.  The 9B team coached by Vicky Taggart finished 3rd in Div 2, while the 9A team coached by Leanne Chambers came 3rd in Div 1, also taking out the converted best dressed title.  Well done girls, way to represent SMC

Rock Climbing
Every week our SMC Rock Climbing group heads to Uprising in town, to practice their bouldering and climbing skills.  Min Lee is our lead for this, taking our keen climbers each Thursday.  If anyone is interested in joining this group, please contact Alicia Davis in the Sport office.

Volleyball
Congratulations to Delilah Brown, Y12 and Julia Mitchell, Y12, who have been named in the New Zealand U20 Women’s Volleyball team to travel to Fukuoka, Japan, in July. Well done, girls, and we can’t wait to hear of your experiences. 

Table Tennis
Tracey Hsia, Y10 has another Table Tennis achievement, and this time it’s a big one. Tracey is now ranked the number 1 Women’s Table Tennis player in New Zealand.  What an amazing achievement at just 14 years old.  With such a bright future ahead, there are sure to be plenty more amazing achievements to come for Tracey.  

Tennis
Congratulations to Aliyah Daly, Y10 for her selection to the New Zealand 15 and Under Tennis team invited to play in the Australian Teams Event in the Gold Coast this month.  Aliyah will head away next week to compete and we wish her the very best of luck.