SCHOOL SPORTS VICTORIA - SANDHURST DIVISION

Junior Volleyball

On Tuesday 3 March, eight schools from the Greater Bendigo Region gathered at Red Energy Arena for the Sandhurst Junior Volleyball Tournament. The CMCB students gave it their all, showing great teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day.

Junior Girls

The Junior Girls hit the courts full of enthusiasm, and despite their inexperience, they were determined to do well. This drive and excitement for the day saw them get off to a flying start in Game 1. Playing Weeroona College 2, the girls won a close contest, winning the first set and drawing the second set, to secure the points. In Game 2, despite some great teamwork and brilliant individual moments, the team went down in a close game against the eventual pool winners, Eaglehawk Secondary College. After losing the first set by just a few points and then leading 18-16 in the second set, time unfortunately ran out and the point differential saw the girls just miss out on the win. The final pool match against Crusoe College saw the team rebound and play some inspired volleyball to secure a comfortable win and finish second in their pool.

The girls’ hopes of advancing to the finals depended on all match results, and unfortunately, they just missed out. Despite this, there were some standout performances across the day - Captain Scarlette Templar led by example and inspired her teammates all day long. Emily Dullard and Macaila Bannan won numerous points by landing some impressive, spiked shots. Isabella McCarthy’s controlled digging and setting from the back court was outstanding. Eden Rogers’ serving was clinical, especially when the team won eight consecutive points to close out the match against Crusoe. Macey Nielsen showed massive improvement as a leader on the day. Colbie O’Bree and Perry Westley fought with determination on numerous occasions to keep the ball in play and the team in the contest. It was a fantastic day, and the improvement of all team members from the first training session to competition day was remarkable, congratulations girls.

Mr Craig Green (Coach)

TEAM: Mr Craig Green (Coach), Macey Nielsen, Macaila Bannan, Emily Dullard, Isabelle McCarthy, Scarlette Templar, Colbie O’Bree, Perry Westley, Eden Rogers

Junior Boys

The CMCB boys played six games throughout the day, with most matches being very close. Game 1 against East Loddon P-12 College was a tough start for the boys, as they went down by just two points despite a strong start early in the match. They then played Weeroona College who were a very strong team, and even though the effort was exceptional, the boys just couldn’t quite match their classy opposition. Gus Ritchie showed great leadership as he kept the talk up between the boys, lifting the engagement of the team. The boys found their rhythm against Crusoe College, playing two close sets to come away with the win.

The team then finished the day with a solid block of matches that proved to be memorable encounters. They lost to Victory Christina College in a close encounter where Jonah Say, Henry Kleinert and Eddie Mansfield held the lineup at the net, performing some excellent blocks and sending spikes down to win some great points. The team then went on a blitz against Bendigo South East College and Eaglehawk Secondary College, winning their final two matches of the day.

Say Ku Shwe served with pinpoint accuracy, which turned the tide in both games as the team racked up the points on the back of his precision. Other players, like Simeon Bu, Mar Dret Mary and Josh Prowse, stepped up with some impressive individual plays. It was a terrific way to finish the day, with the highlight being the impressive sportsmanship that was on display by all players throughout the tournament.

In the end, after point percentages were taken into consideration, CMCB finished 5th overall, with Weeroona College taking the championship.

Mr Shannan Merrett (Coach)

A big thank you to Year 9 students Arianna Gibson, Sophia Clare, Madeleine McCarthy, Leana Peace, Rose Merry Ku, Simon Bu and Seth Janxy Liceralde, who used their volleyball experience to umpire games and give both teams some great tips over the course of the day.

TEAM: Henry Kleinert, Jonah Say, Eddie Mansfield, Say Ku Shwe, Mr Shannan Merrett (Coach), Mar Dret Mary, Simeon Bu, Joshua Prowse, Gus Ritchie