Western News: July 13, 2023

6
Thursday July 13 2023
Unbeatable St Andrew’s side
dominate junior championships
• By Jaime Cunningham
THE NEXT generation of St
Andrew’s College netballers
showcased their talent at the
South Island secondary schools
junior championships.
The school claimed the year 9
title and finished second in the
year 10 grade. The year 9 side
went one better than last year,
winning the grade for the first
time since 2018 at Hagley Park
last week.
St Andrew’s comfortably beat
St Hilda’s Collegiate School 44-
20 to win the tournament.
Coach Jo Andrew said they are
a new team but have developed
strong connections across the
court quickly.
“Their ability to score a high
volume of goals were remarkable
for such young players,” she said.
The team’s average of more
than 40 goals a game and
accuracy of over 80 per cent was
largely due to Tactix shooter
Vika Koloto helping the team
throughout the season.
“She is a great role model
for the shooters and they have
benefitted from her advice and
support,” said Andrew, who is
a former Canterbury Flames
player.
St Andrew’s went through the
three-day tournament unbeaten
and a dream run saw them win
all their playoff games by more
than 10 goals.
Andrew said the team
executed their game plans and
showed steady improvements.
“They are a group of girls who
love playing netball together.”
The school’s year 10 side
suffered a heartbreaking 30-21
loss to Dunedin’s Columba
College in their final. A majority
of the team were part of the
St Andrew’s side who lost to
Columba in the year 9 final last
year.
St Margaret’s College and
Christchurch Girls’ High battled
it out in the year 10 third place
playoff, with St Margaret’s
coming out on top 25-15. Villa
Maria took fifth place over
Marlborough Girls’ College.
In the year 9 grade, Cashmere
High managed to hold off a
strong Ashburton College side to
WINNERS: St Andrew’s
College took out the year
9 title at the South Island
secondary schools’ junior
championships. PHOTO: ST
ANDREW’S COLLEGE
Right – Goal defence
Maniah Taefu manages
to hold on to possession
despite a challenge from St
Hilda’s goal attack.
PHOTO: BR PHOTOS
finish third with a 41-39 win.
The South Island secondary
schools junior championships
have been held in Christchurch
for 25 years. This year there were
96 teams competing in three
different grades.
FINAL PLACINGS:
Year 9:
1. St Andrew’s College
2. St Hilda’s Collegiate
School
3. Cashmere High School
4. Ashburton College
5. Central Southland
College
Year 10:
1. Columba College
2. St Andrew’s College
3. St Margaret’s College
4. Christchurch Girls’ High
School
5. Villa Maria College
Combined:
1. Greymouth High
School
2. Queen’s High School
3. South Otago High
School
4. Motueka High School
5. Rolleston College Blue
•For the full results go to www.
sporty.co.nz/sissjuniornetball
Titles on the squash
and badminton
courts for Burnside
Burnside High School students
James O’Keefe, Addison
Po, and Ryan Gillman beat
Marlborough Boys’ College in
a tense final to take out the
South Island secondary schools
squash boys’ team title. It was
the first time a Burnside team
have won the prestigious event,
which was held in Christchurch.
They will now represent the
school at the NZ secondary
squash team championships
in Auckland. Burnside’s boys’
premier 1 team also won
the South Island secondary
school boys’ badminton
teams championship for the
second year in a row. The girls’
premier 1 team finished third
at the South Island secondary
schools girls badminton teams
championships.
Used to managing big
whānau events?
Get paid to bring your skills
to the 2023 General Election.
We need people with different skills and backgrounds all across
Aotearoa New Zealand to help deliver this year’s General
Election. For more information about the roles, and
to apply now, visit work.elections.nz.