Oct 2008 - Morrison's Academy

Page 74 The Morrisonian | 07/08 Sport
Tennis/Basketball/Netball
Junior Tennis
This year was a very successful year
for the junior tennis team, with 4 wins,
2 losses and only one cancellation.
Although our first match against
Kilgraston School resulted in a defeat
and there was little time for practice
because of the weather, we went
down to Edinburgh eager to win
against George Heriot’s School. The
enthusiasm obviously helped and we
came away from Heriot’s with our S1
and S2 team winning convincingly 6 -
3! The next week the junior tennis
team went up to Dundee High
School. Although both players from
the first couple were out because of
injury, the S3 team held together and
came away from Dundee with
another win. Our luck did not run out
in the 4th week and the S2 girls won
their first home match against The
Mary Erskine School 9 - 0. The S1
team were however unlucky to lose 5-
4.
Against George Watson’s College the
S2 and S1 teams both won while the
S3 team were narrowly beaten.
Although Glenalmond College
proved too strong for us we came out
in fighting spirit against Strathallan
and finished the season with a very
exciting 5 – 4 win.
Well done also to Sally Andrews and
Erin O’Kane who won the Morrison’s
Academy S1 Invitation Tournament.
Our Junior Tennis Champion this year
was Erin O’Kane.
Rachael Jones S3
Basketball
A keen core of players have kept up
the fine tradition of Morrisonian
Basketball both in play on court and
in uniform, which remains painfully
orange to look at. To their numbers
have been added an impressive
variety of guest players who have got
involved at various times during the
year.
Jon Cox must be a proud captain
given the team’s unbeaten record this
season. The fact that both planned
fixtures were cancelled due to
weather and transport difficulties last
term does at least guarantee that
most desirable ‘unbeaten’ record. To
be fair, Jon, Mike Rae and Michael
Basford have played and fought hard
with, and for, each other through
some desperate games, only to see
the result go against us again, in a
way that I hope they will not quickly
forget. Never giving up has been a
trade mark of their play.
Useful contributions have also come
from a highly energetic Mark
Marchbank, a suddenly seriously tall
Adam Stone and Robert McWilliam
who has one of the longest shots I
remember seeing for a long time.
Really promising for the future has
been the way that Gregor Cox has
taken the battle to his older brother
and often come away grinning, while
Mathew Ross has missed very few
practices.
Of course others have participated as
well, and for their patience as well as
their presence, I thank them. It has
been another very enjoyable season.
R Anderson
Netball
The netball season began shortly
after the New Year with both our
Junior and Senior teams involved in a
home fixture against Glenalmond
College. The senior girls started
strongly, taking an early lead which
was helped by the fast and effective
ball distribution of Ailsa Guntley and
Fiona Robertson and the shooting
accuracy of Emily Tait. Unfortunately,
despite the effort and hard work of
Anna McLeod and Catherine
Lovegrove in defence, the girls lack of
match practice showed with a defeat
of 25 - 9. The junior girls, led by Emily
Johnson, fared much better however,
and in a very close match between
the two schools Glenalmond narrowly
won 7 - 5.
In February our junior team hosted
Crieff High School. In an excellent
team performance the girls were able
to cruise to a 22 - 3 victory. As the
team’s most experienced players,
Emily Coffey, Emily Johnson, Rachael
Jones, Emma Robertson and
Katherine Turnbull led the younger
team members by example with their
fast, accurate passing and speedy
movement around the court.
Ruby McKinnell and Sally Andrews,
both regulars in our junior team, were
able to use their experience of
playing with and against older
opposition in an U13 match versus
Craigclowan School. Our U13 girls
coped well under a lot of pressure
with Ruby making some brilliant
interceptions at our defending end
and Sally on fine scoring form. Despite
this, and continued improvement as
the match developed, the girls lost 23
- 9.
In the final matches of the season we
were again host to two strong sides
from Strathallan. In spite of some
great play by both our junior and
senior girls, Strahallan’s disciplined
and well-organised play was
unfortunately our downfall with both
teams losing.