4 minute read
THE OPEN ERA
2024 marks the most successful year for Open Girls Teams in St Peters’ history. Winning the Open age group pennants in all three QGSSSA core sports highlights the exceptional talent and depth in our 17 Years and Over age group.
QGSSSA Core Sports
Swimming
At this year’s QGSSSA Swimming Championship, our Open Swim Team won the Open pennant, leading St Peters to win the Mollie Gould Aggregate Cup for the 11th consecutive year. Of the 15 Open events, St Peters girls placed first in 10 and broke two long-standing QGSSSA records. Special mention goes to Year 12 student and 2024 Paris Olympian Jaclyn Barclay, who set a new record in the Open 100m Backstroke. The Open swimmers demonstrated exceptional teamwork, placing third in the Open Medley Relay and winning both divisions of Open Freestyle Relay—setting a new record in the A Freestyle Relay with Jaclyn Barclay, Dominique Melbourne, Indianna Cameron and Alana Ramsay.
Cross Country
An Open team of 22 athletes tackled the 3km course at the QGSSSA Cross Country Championships, ultimately securing the Open pennant and helping St Peters achieve a third-place finish overall. Impressively, all five of our point-scoring runners finished within the top 17 in the Open QGSSSA race. Milla Roberts delivered an incredible performance, finishing in second place with a time of 10m16s.
Track & Field
The St Peters Open Track & Field team also claimed the Open QGSSSA Pennant, which contributed to a third-place finish in the aggregate, just 27 points behind the winning school. Milla Roberts delivered a standout performance, winning the Open 800m event at 2:09.81, breaking a 2017 record by three seconds and finishing ten seconds ahead of the runner-up. Additionally, field records fell in the Open Shot Put as Allira Takau set a new A division record with a throw of 15.62m, and Hayley Condon established a new B division record with a throw of 13.01m.
QGSSSA Team Sports
In 2024, St Peters achieved three QGSSSA Open Premierships across team sports.
Netball
The QGSSSA Open Netball competition is known for its high skill level and intense rivalry among the 10 member schools. St Peters’ Open Netball team had an outstanding season, finishing undefeated and winning the coveted Open Pennant. The last time St Peters took home the Open Netball premiership was in 2021, during a COVID-impacted, shortened season. In addition, the team triumphed at the Vicki Wilson Cup, defeating Somerset College 29-26 in the final—marking St Peters’ first ever win in this state-wide competition. Julia Searles (Year 10) was named the Grand Final MVP for her impressive intercepts in Wing Defence.
Volleyball
The Open Volleyball team also completed an undefeated season, securing impressive back-to-back QGSSSA Open Premierships. They made history by winning the highest division (Year 12 Honours) at the Queensland
Senior Schools Cup, narrowly beating Craigslea State High School 3-2 in the final to become the top schoolgirls volleyball team in the state. Maisie Peebles (Year 12) was awarded MVP across all teams in the division.
Australian Rules Football
In its debut season, St Peters won the inaugural Open Premiership in the QGSSSA Australian Rules Football. The team dominated throughout the competition with their display of skill and sportsmanship, achieving a remarkable for-and-against score of 417-7. The Open Australian Rules team included a mix of talented multi-sport athletes, with players participating in 10 other girls’ sports programs at St Peters. Our Open Girls teams have proven themselves unstoppable across QGSSSA core and team sports in a year marked by thrilling victories and record-breaking moments. Congratulations to all players and coaches for setting new benchmarks in St Peters' sporting history—2024 has been nothing short of historic!
Article by: Katie Veitch, Acting Assistant Director of Sport
