School & Representative Sport
Australian Schoolgirls Football Team Selection
Congratulations to Saffron Grass who was selected last week in the Australian Schoolgirls Football Team. The team will tour the United States of America from 15 March to 31 March 2024 and participate in the Dallas Cup.
Luke RoweSchool & Representative Sport Coordinator
Diocesan Athletics Results
The following students were awarded with a certificate at the recent school assembly for a top three placing at the recent Diocesan Athletics event held on 16 August.
Ashley Allan, Dylan Kinkade, Henry O'Connell, James Rodgers & Cade Van Ewyk Campbell
Well done to the following students:
Henry O'Connell - 3rd 14 boys High Jump
James Rodgers - 3rd 15 boys 200m
Cade Van Ewyk Campbell - 1st 14 boys Discus and 2nd 14 boys Javelin
Ashley Allan - 1st 12 boys High Jump and 1st 12 boys Discus
Dylan Kinkade - 2nd 16 boys 100m; 2nd 16 boys 200m and 2nd 16 boys High Jump
Luke Rowe
School & Representative Sports Coordinator
Harry Wells NRL 9’s
Congratulations to our U14’s boys along with our U16’s girls & boys Rugby League teams, who travelled up to Port Macquarie to compete in the Harry Wells NRL 9’s Gala Day on Thursday, 14 September. All teams played with terrific skill, toughness, and sportsmanship throughout all their matches, with some excellent and highly entertaining Rugby League played.
14’s Boys
The 14’s boys kickstarted their day with an emphatic 36-0 rout of neighbouring Chatham High School. All players displayed attacking flare and strong defence throughout the match, scoring multiple well-structured team tries.
St Clare’s came up against Toormina High School in their second-round encounter. The boys started the match strong, which saw St Clare’s score back-to-back tries in the opening minutes of the game to jump out to an 10-0 lead. However, Toormina slowly found their feet with long periods of ball and attacking field possession to claw their way back on the scoreboard and eventually take the lead late in the match. St Clare’s eventually going down 20-16.
St Clare’s third and final pool match was against a well drilled and skilful MacKillop College. In what was a hard fought and bruising encounter, St Clare’s ball handling errors and missed tackles lead to multiple run-away tries being scored against them. However, St Clare’s were able to regroup and claw back two well deserved team tries of their own late in the match to eventually go down 15-8.
St Clare’s scrapped into the semi-finals due to a superior for and against, where they came up against powerhouse and eventual overall undefeated winners on the day, Great Lakes College. The match was an exciting and see-sawing contest, where St Clare’s displayed great defensive efforts under fatigue and athleticism and skill in attack. Great Lakes opened the scoring with a breakaway length of the field try, however St Clare’s found themselves in the lead with a breakaway converted try of their own shortly after. Great Lakes triumphed in the end with two late tries of their own to book their place in the final with a 15-7 victory.
Back Row: Sione Masterantonio, Logan Clarke, Ben Wright, Tayte Rutledge, Chayse French, Ashton Limpic, Arlie Atchison & Damian Gatt
Front Row: Marley Brown, Lachlan Polson, Charlie Gibbin & Noah Buckland
16’s Boys
The St Clare’s 16’s boys came up against a well drilled and physical Camden Haven High School in their opening fixture. St Clare’s endured relentless back-to-back sets on their own try line to concede two early tries. However, the boys were able to capitalise on ball handling errors from their opposition late in the match to score two tries of their own. This wasn’t enough as Camden Haven scored in the dying seconds of the match to seal the victory for their school.
St Clare’s second round fixture was against St Paul’s College Kempsey. St Clare’s opened the scoring with a runaway length of the field try. St Pauls then worked their way into the match with back-to-back tries to take the lead. However, St Clare’s responded with two well set up tries of their own to regain the lead later in the match. St Clare’s were unable to hang-on with St Paul’s gifted a try as fulltime sounded to win the match 20-18.
St Clare’s third and final pool match was against cross town rivals Taree High School in what was an exciting and entertaining match. St Clare’s dominated field position and ball possession, which led to a couple of well-structured team tries. However, Taree High were able to set up two tries of their own to close the gap on the scoreboard and set up an exciting finish. St Clare’s hanging on to win the match with an excellent try in the corner, 18-14.
Back Row: Kyron Donovan, Declan Cloak, Rory Clarke, Ryan Box & Seth Wrigley
Front Row: Hayden Robertson, Ben Scarlett, Caid Van Wyk, William Lott, Samuel Schilt & Taj Worboys
Absent: Kody Gittins
16’s Girls
St Clare’s 16’s girls’ defensive efforts in all their games was outstanding! The girls conceded just three tries across all three pool matches played in energy sapping, hot and humid conditions. The girls’ started the day against powerhouse favourites Chatham High School. The game was a physical end-to-end encounter with strong defensive efforts and attacking sets on display from both teams. St Clare’s crossed late in the match to run out eventual 15-10 winners in a high-class encounter.
St Clare’s second round encounter was against Macleay Vocational College. St Clare’s started where they left off from their previous game by displaying impenetrable defence and class and athleticism in attack. St Clare’s orchestrated some fantastic and skilful backline moves and team tries to finish with a comprehensive 25-0 victory.
St Clare’s final pool game was against perennial favourites in the well coached and skilful MacKillop College. The girls raced out to a 5-0 lead early in the match with a great team try set up off the back of some fantastic attacking runs from the St Clare’s halves. St Clare’s held their nerve with their strong defence shutting out the MacKillop attacking sets to hold on for a well-deserved 5-0 victory.
St Clare’s advanced to the final, where they played the undefeated Great Lakes College. In what was an exciting and seesawing contest, St Clare’s went set for set with Great Lakes before St Clare’s resolute defence was finally scored against with Great Lakes crossing in the corner to take the lead. St Clare’s had numerous try scoring opportunities themselves, however where unable to capitalise with Great Lakes withstanding St Clare’s attacking sets on their try line. Great Lakes eventually winning the match and taking the title 12-0. Well done girls!
Back Row: Marley Brown, Ruby Polson, Taite Gibson, Jessica Foley, Ruby Hillyard, Elka Petersen, Marissa Masterantonio & Emma O’Byrne
Front Row: Sara Harris, Jocelin Martinez-Leeson, Marley Marriott, Kallee Rutledge & Hope Taaffe
Lastly, a big thank you to Miss Hogan, those parents who attended as well as Taylor Brown and Kody Zahra (who contributed as water runners) for their time and dedication in training, coaching and supporting our team, without their outstanding and tireless efforts, events such as this would not be possible.
Matthew Collier
Harry Wells NRL 9’s Coordinator