A large contingent of college sportsmen and women took time from their studies to concentrate on sporting endeavour during the annual secondary school winter sports week.
Multiple teams travelled to both South and North Island venues, wearing their college colours with pride.
Marlborough Boys’ College
The MBC under-15 rugby team produced an outstanding series of results at the South Island tournament at Linwood Park, Christchurch. The junior Falcons won five games on the bounce to make their way to a final showdown with top of the south rival Nelson College, and although the decider did not go MBC’s way, the lads can be pleased with reaching the final for the first time in many years. Results: beat Christ’s 26-0; beat Waitaki 20-5; beat Timaru 36-5; beat Kings 12-10; beat Southland 31-21 (SF); lost to Nelson 49-20.
The MBC First XI football side attended the NZSS premier tournament in Palmerston North and finished 28th out of the 32 teams in attendance. Results: beat Otago 2-0; drew Tauranga 0-0; lost Selwyn 4-0; lost Lindisfarne 1-0; beat Otumoetai 3-0; lost St Pats Town 3-2; lost Paraparaumu 4-2.
The MBC junior football side attended the under-15 invitational tournament in Christchurch and finished third. Results: lost to St Thomas 3-1; beat Otago 2-0; lost to Nelson; beat Christ’s 3-2 (3/4 playoff)
The MBC First XI hockey side travelled to Dunedin for the prestigious Rankin Cup/India Shield tournament, ending up in 25th position and avoiding the relegation zone. Results: drew with Whangarei 3-3; lost to Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 5-1; lost to Feilding 4-2; lost to Otago 4-0; beat Nelson 3-2; beat St Pats Silverstream 3-1; beat Cambridge 2-1.
The MBC golf team finished 12th at the NZ secondary school tournament at McLeans Island, Christchurch.
The MBC senior A basketball team took part in the SISS AA premiership tournament in Christchurch. They finished 19th out of the 24 teams. Results: lost to Cashmere 91-67; lost to Nelson 117-73; lost to Kings 94-90; beat Rolleston 78-76; beat Lincoln 102-70; lost to James Hargest 75-64; beat Middleton Grange 102-88.
The senior B basketballers attended the Southern Cup in Dunedin. Results: lost to Roncalli 75-73; beat Kaikorai 96-62; lost to Shirley 114-58; lost to Ashburton 112-63; lost to Taieri 75-65; beat St Peters 72-64.
Marlborough Girls’ College
Two first-up losses consigned the MGC senior A netballers to the lower echelon of A grade at the SISS netball champs in Nelson. However, the side bounced back in spirited fashion, stringing five wins together to reach the play-off for 17th and 18th positions, narrowly losing their final match to finish 18th out of the 32 sides in the top division. At tournament’s end four of the MGC squad were recognised with Mainland honours. Jaye Wiapo and Jah’Bree MacDonald were included in the year 10 and 11 Development squad, while Amelia Hood and Bree Flynn made the cut for the Year 13 Development Opportunity group. Results: lost to Rangi Ruru 32-20; lost to Villa Maria 41-30; beat Mount Aspiring 33-21; beat Kaiapoi 42-32; beat St Kevins 43-20; beat James Hargest 34-33; beat Wakatipu 33-32 (SF); lost to Dunstan 31-28 (F).
The MGC junior basketball team finished seventh in the A grade at the South Island Secondary Schools Junior Basketball Tournament in Christchurch. The girls finished strongly, picking themselves up after a tough loss to James Hargest to beat Southland Girls’ High School in their final match to secure seventh place in the A grade. Results: lost to St Andrew’s College 110-30; beat Greymouth High School 58-51; beat Christchurch Girls’ High School 57-44; beat St Kevin’s College 73-53; lost to Columba College 75-38; lost to James Hargest College 68-53; beat Southland Girls’ High School 55-52.
The MGC First XI football side played in the Gary Sowden tournament in Christchurch, finishing eighth out of the 18 participants. Results: beat Middleton Grange 4-0; lost to Villa Maria 1-0; beat Papanui 3-2; lost to Carmel 6-5; lost to Burnside 2-1.
The MGC First XI hockey side travelled to Timaru for the Audrey Timlin tournament, finishing 12th overall. Results: beat Burnside 2-0; drew with James Hargest 1-1; lost to Avonside 5-0; lost to Dunstan 3-0; lost to Southland 2-0.
The MGC 2nd XI hockey side finished their week on a high with a win on the final day, placing 15th overall in the Jenny McDonald Cup staged at both College Park and the Puna Wai Stadium in Blenheim. Results: lost to Hutt Valley 1-0; drew with Cromwell 2-2; drew with Logan Park 1-1; lost to Papanui 2-1; beat Middleton Grange 2-0.
A combined MGC/MBC equestrian team finished inside the top four overall at the schools’ competition in Christchurch
The MGC rugby 10s side were in action in Westport and finished fourth after being beaten by Rangiora in a semifinal. Earlier they had scored wins over the combined Waimea, Murchison and Garin side, St Andrew’s College and Timaru Girls’ High School.
Smallbore rifle shooters from both MGC and MBC took part in an Inter-Island competition in Christchurch. The MBC team won the boys category for the NZSS Target Shooting New Zealand Postal Competition with a score of 278.19. In the boys’ individual rankings Jackson Boon placed 3rd, Dylan Mathieson 6th, and Kevin Barnard 15th. They then went on to compete in the NZSS Inter Secondary School & Inter-Island match, where they were placed 5th out of 33 teams, with MGC placed 10th. Dylan was then selected to represent the South Island in the Interisland match, along with Alex Sheppard and Abi Adams from MGC. NZ individual rankings saw Dylan in 15th place, Alex 18, Abi 19, Jackson 26, and Kevin Burnard 35 out of 99 competitors.
Queen Charlotte College
The Queen Charlotte College netballers finished 11th out of 28 teams in the B grade at the SISS champs in Nelson. They won three of their six preliminary matches, plus a semifinal against Greymouth, before prevailing 26-24 against Trinity Catholic College in the 11-12 play-off.
