Her best piece of advice to up and coming players? "No matter what anyone says, if you love the game, play hard and never give up."
Bethlehem College
Beach Volleyball: Lauren Anning and Michaela Wooller played in the VNZ SS Beach Volleyball Championships held recently at the Mount and successfully made the finals with good teamwork and sound strategy.
The final of the junior division 1 had them against a Tauranga Girls' side, who they narrowly lost to in a three-set match.
Cricket: The first XI played a strong Otumoetai side on Saturday. Otumoetai won the toss and elected to bat first and a controlled bowling effort from the BC bowlers saw few extras conceded and wickets taken regularly.
With Dylan Wadsworth having another great game (4/24), backed up by Jack Preston (2/20) and Dylan Ramohitaj (2/34), we restricted them to 151 all out. Our chase started in a slow, but controlled, fashion however early wickets fell for modest totals.
Patrick Davenport, with another quick-fire knock of 28 and then Tom Rutherford, with a solid 38 not out, saw us reach the target with two wickets in hand in the 34th over.
Volleyball: We had a very busy weekend of volleyball. The senior A, senior B girls and the senior A boys competed in the first round of prelims at the ASB Arena.
Senior A girls had a mixed start to the weekend finishing top in their pool, but they narrowly lost to TGC B. Brieanna Booth set fantastically all day.
The next day, they had a loss to Otumoetai, Trident and a tough three-set game against the Mount. However, they ended up winning against Te Puke with Elliott Lovegrove and Hannah Evans outstanding in the middle court.
Swimming: Logan Horne had an outstanding time at the NZ junior championships.
He qualified in the 50 and 100 fly and is now ranked 12th in New Zealand for both events. His 50 fly was spectacular as he won his heat which gained him sixth overall in the North Island. He was also placed sixth in the North Island for the 100 fly.
Waterpolo: Our Year 9 team, who are playing in the Senior B league, had a very inspiring win over Tauranga Girls' B. Most of the players on this side are strong swimmers and have played for a number of years which has resulted in a well-rounded team. Our Year 8 team played at the Windermere Polytechnic pool and won all of their grading games convincingly.
Finally, our Year 7 team, although losing their grading matches, is now up to full strength and looking forward to their regular season matches.
Mount Maunganui
Volleyball: The BOP Senior Volleyball qualifying rounds started last weekend with our girls and boys' top teams making the top championship 5, heading into the Bay Champs starting 1-2 March.
Our national players, Tyla Walsh, Nate Moore and Jackson Ellis, will be looking to repeat their form as well as our BOP reps Emma Marumaru Flynn, Claudia Colenso, Franqui Leach, Stephenie Tahura.
Kayaking: The NZ and Oceania National kayak racing champs were held last weekend over three days at Blue Lakes in beautiful conditions.
All the stars were out to play and newly capped New Zealand under-18 paddler Taris Harker teamed up with Sam Roy (Otumoetai College) to win silver in the K2 1000m and K2 500m.
Taris, Ben Cochrane, Sam Roy and one other also scooped silver in the K4 1000 and 200 race. Ben finished fifth in the 5km race. Good luck to Taris heading to Sydney next week for an international regatta in the NZ under-18 team.
Surf Lifesaving: Northern Regional champs were raced in Ruakaka last weekend with some great results for competitors heading into nationals which are only two weeks away at the Mount.
Papamoa finished third behind Red Beach and Mairangi Bay in the club standings.
With podium finishes as individuals and teams were: Ben Johnston, Mason Bryant, Michael Bryant, Daniel Edwards, Scott Cowdrey, Scott Miller and Jake Cowdrey.
Omanu sent an under-16 team with podium finishes from Libby Moore, Ben Elisara, Josh Jarvis, Fletcher Swan and Sam Groot individually, and teaming up with other Omanu members from other schools.
This weekend is the pinnacle for our under-14 SLS athletes who have their four day nationals at Mount Beach.
Good luck to 20 of our students who will be racing for national honours.
Tauranga Boys'
Cricket: NZCT junior reps v Aquinas: Aquinas bowled first and chasing a wide delivery, Finn was the first victim caught behind for one. Jamie Oakley soon followed playing an orthodox pull shot - 3-2 after two overs.
Sean Wakelin and Chris Wooller were starting to find their feet until Sean was bowled for five to make it 3/19. Chris and Tom Renouf put together a partnership of 33 before Tom unfortunately fell for 14.
A further 14 runs were added to the total before Chris (top scoring with 34 off 32 balls) was caught. Ben Campbell took up the mantle of steering the run rate and did a stellar job despite James Hanson, Callum Taylor, Pierce Roberts and Joe Turner going cheaply.
He was unluckily run out for 25 off 24 balls with the team all out for 96.
The second innings almost mirrored the TBC performance with Aquinas 2-5 after two overs - Sean and Ben struck early and it was game on!
Despite the next two batsmen adding 23 to the total, their partnership was shattered by new boy to the side, Kinnon Nelson, who clean bowled the most threatening batsmen. The run rate was climbing and the pressure was mounting.
This was added to by a screaming catch by Ben Campbell in the gully off Kinnon's bowling, who had 2/1 on debut and Aquinas were 4-35 after eight overs.
Some outstanding captaincy from Tom Renouf saw a bowling change and Jamie Oakley picked up the fifth Aquinas wicket in the 14th over with the total at 50. Aquinas needed 35 runs from 18 balls and despite a couple of run away edges, it proved too much and it was the lads' fourth win on the road to the 2013 nationals.
Volleyball: BOP SS preliminary round, TBC Senior A v Trident High School:
The boys found it difficult in the first set to set a high intensity and at times lacked focus on service, however when the pass off serve was good, seldom did Trident manage to pick up the return.
In the second set, Trident found their rhythm and while the intensity remained level, a focus on serving tough led by Max Schroder allowed us to stack pressure and finish the set and match quickly. Player of the match was Cameron Hayes with a very tidy performance as setter. The set scores were 25-6, 25-7.
Senior A vs Tarawera High School (formerly Kawerau):
Again facing a weaker side and only an hour after our previous game, the boys found it tough to raise the intensity.
However, with a solid performance by Devin Church (filling in for the injured Burton McAdam) in passing and serving, along with the dependable hands of Tomas Reid setting and reliable bench replacements Matt (Rocky) Barnett and Tom Mabbott, the team managed to win comfortably 25-12, 25-16.
Senior B vs Whakatane High School: This was our toughest game of the day and we rose to the challenge.
Joseph Winstanley and captain Caleb Aperahama kept the pressure on through the middle with massive kills and Brad Fullerton, after struggling to serve well in the first two games, strung together runs of aces to allow for another comfortable win in straight sets - 25-12, 25-16.
Senior B v TBC C:
After a nervous start and a few errors we went on to win the first set 25-17. In the second set the C team were leading for the majority of the match and after a time-out, we rallied to win the set 27-25.
Other results: v Mount B won 15-7, v Te Puke C won 25-9, 25-11, v Western Heights A lost 25-6, 25-22, v Mount A lost 25-13, 25-10, v Otumoetai A lost 25-20, 25-13.
Over the weekend, TBC Senior C team played in the BOP Secondary Schools Prelims. The first game was lost to TBC B 17-25 and 25-27.
Nakia Patete-King performed at a high standard with consistent setting throughout.
Secondly, we were matched with Te Puke C, during which we worked well to gain a convincing two-set win (25-20, 25-12).
Mount Maunganui College B were our third competition team. Malik Edwards played outstandingly with a barrage of middle hits, and we were able to defeat them comfortably in two sets (25-16, 26-15).
The last of Saturday's games was a crossover match in which we played against Whakatane B.
Though we narrowly lost the first set (23-25), we fought back to win the game over the next two sets (25-20, 15-12). Some notable outside hits were delivered by captain Reid Moodie.
Sunday morning provided some more challenging competition and we were disappointed to lose to Whakatane A (13-25, 20-25).
However, Barney Tanner was able to win a streak of points with excellent serving.
Western Heights High School B were our final competition for the weekend. Well-executed passing from Liam Bass, coupled with a strong block from Ben Stewart allowed TBC to win in the third set (19-25, 25-22, 15-9).
Mountain biking: On Saturday, seven of our team travelled to Rotorua for the Bike NZ national championships.
With no rain lately it meant a dry, dusty track for the boys.
The first race was in the morning, and we had five boys racing - four in the under-17 age group doing four laps of the 4.5km course, and one in the under-15 age group doing three laps.
New student to the school, Jack Wilson, had a great race and held consistent lap times throughout his race.
This gained him a national ranking of fourth in the under-15 age group, despite finishing with a puncture.
Water polo: Sean McKenzie and Sam Pasley are both trialing for the NZ under-15 water polo team.
Basketball: Congratulations to Connor Johnston for his selection in the NZ under-17 squad.
Otumoetai College
Windsurfing: Coral Headey, Year 10, won first girl at last weekend's windsurfing national championships in Auckland. Coral won Girls under-17 at only 14 and was third New Zealander overall in the mixed fleet. This adds to her winning the New Caledonian national girls title in November 2012.
Football: Congratulations to Andre Pratt who has been selected in the NZ under-19 secondary schools team.
Andre was the only athlete from the BOP to make the final cut and this reward comes after many years of dedicated training and high achievements. He will tour the UK and Ireland and play five international games in July this year. He moved to Waikato for specialist training this year - further testament to his huge commitment to achieve at a high level.
Rowing: Our elite rowers Kendall Hofland and Rosie van der Velden rowed well at the North Island club champs with a fifth place in the A final of the under-19 double.
Volleyball: The BOPSS Senior Volleyball competition got under way last weekend. A record 51 teams competed at the ASB Arena for prelims. This competition determines the divisions teams will play in over the next four competition days.
It was an intense weekend with shortened three-set matches.
Teams played six games with three duties each over the two days of competition. Otumoetai were represented in over 54 games and Otumoetai girls entered a record number of six teams.
Each division had 10 teams fighting for spots at the nationals and four senior girls teams will be competing at nationals this year with the tour to Australia at the end of 2013 for two female teams.
Results: The A Girls, coached by Stu Henderson, secured third spot in Div One. The B Girls coached by Jenny Kirk placed ninth in Div One. The C (Green) Girls coached by Mary Ann Braddock placed seventh in Div Two. The D (Black) Girls coached by Lisa Braddock placed sixth in Div Two. The Junior A White team coached by Keith Macown placed third in Div Three. The Junior B Red team coached by Tracey Braddock placed fifth in Div Three.
Otumoetai boys had three teams competing and all will be going to nationals.
With 21 boys teams competing the results were: The Boys A coached by Anthony Gadsbey took the hard road and had a play off against Whakatane and came through that in a tense three setter and secured fifth place in Div One. The Boys B coached by Sam Kirk also made hard work of their games with a final fifth place in Div Two. The Boys C coached by Shane Blake played themselves into a creditable seventh in Div Two.
Cricket: The first XI made 151 runs all out against Bethlehem College. Louis Morris top scored with 51 runs followed by Vaughan Wilson with 24. Our bowling attack was led by captain Tim Klyen with 2/30 from his nine overs. He was well supported by Jim Van der Vorn with 2/31 off his six overs.
Our second XI played Tauranga Boys' this week. Well done to Ross Hancock for top scoring with 23. Our Year 9 team had their first game and were all out for 162 but bowled Katikati out for 144 to take the win. Jack Gordon scored 24 runs. Johan Vermaak took 2/20, Dylan DeLaRue 1/9 and Jaden Crawford 1/10.
Tauranga Girls'
Volleyball: At the grading preliminary BOP tournament on the weekend, the Tauranga Girls' A and B teams made the top five. Both teams came out on top of their pools and then faced a crossover game to battle for the top five positions. The TGC A team played Mount Maunganui College and won with set scores of 25-22, 25-14 and 15-4 while the TGC B team played Bethlehem College and also won with set scores of 25-22 and 25-22.
Mountain biking: Kaylee Mudgway won a bronze medal on Saturday in the New Zealand national mountain biking championships in Rotorua in the under-15 Girls category.
Athletics: Amy Robinson has once again achieved some extraordinary results. On the weekend she travelled to Auckland to compete in the combined event heptathlon nationals in Waitakere, coming home with a gold medal in the youth women's division (100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and 800m).
Last Wednesday, TGC held their annual competitive athletics day at the Tauranga Domain. The day was a huge success with an amazing five school records broken - Jessica Bitcheno in the 800m, Lauren Henry for long jump, Amy Robinson for long jump and Abby Goldie in the 100m and 200m. Robinson won the senior 400m, hurdles, long jump, high jump, discus and javelin, and was second in the senior 100m.
Abby Goldie won the senior 100m and 200m, and was second in the senior long jump. Lauren Henry placed first in the year 9 100m, 200m, hurdles, long jump, high jump and javelin. She also placed third in the year 9 discus and shot put. Samantha Bitcheno won the year 10 100m, 200m, 400m and discus and was third in the year 10 javelin and shot put. Petra Ririnui also did really well winning the year 10 hurdles and long jump, and was second in the year 10 200m, 100m and shot put.
Lauren Henry was awarded the school trophy for top junior, Samantha Bitcheno for top intermediate and Amy Robinson took out the top senior trophy.
The J Hazeldene trophy for field events was jointly awarded to Amy and Lauren, and the Karen Fly trophy for 800m was awarded to Jessica Bitcheno.
Tauranga Intermediate
Swimming: We had two students compete in the junior national swimming champs in Auckland last weekend with great success.
Marijke Hattingh won the silver medal in 11yr girls 50m freestyle and she also came second in the regional North Island 50m freestyle and third in 100m freestyle. Benji Rowe got the following regional North Island placings for 12 year boys: first 200m butterfly, 2nd 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley.
Tennis: Kalais Going won the under-14 girls singles at the Pak 'n Save Whakatane junior tennis tournament last weekend.
Basketball: A number of students have been selected for the Tauranga City rep basketball teams after trials last weekend: Zahle Bannister under-13 girls, Devon Bannister and Felila Simanu under-15 girls, William Clement, Harrison Baldwin, Tyzak Rhind, Caleb Wingrove-Moore under-13 Boys and Oliver Rogers under-15 Boys.
Te Puke High
Cricket: Our boys will be toughing it out at the Gillette Cup on Wednesday taking on other teams from around the Bay.
Our girls team have two games this week, their toughest will be against Aquinas on Saturday at Litt Park from 9am.
Volleyball: We had five teams this year in the BOPSS volleyball champs. On the opening weekend, our girls A team played exceptionally well finishing highly in their pool and earning themselves a position in division 1.
Our boys A team didn't have the best weekend but still had a couple of wins which kept their spirits up. The next round of competition will be next Friday and Saturday.
Water polo: Our mixed water polo team had their first game last week, beating Aquinas 8-7. The team had a great time and are looking forward to their upcoming game on Sunday at Baywave.
Basketball & Hockey: We are having trouble finding coaches and we would love for our students to be able to play in these local leagues. If you are interested in coaching either of these sports, or know of anyone who may be keen, please email our sports co-ordinator at sports@tepuke.school.nz.
