Our Year in Sport - Term 1 2025 by Wangaratta High School

SPORT 2025 OUR YEAR IN TERM 1

BOWLS

OUTSIDE SPORT

SPORTIN2025

Welcome to the first of what will be 4 chapters of our Sport Yearbook for 2025.

Rather than wait until the End Of Year to release one large publication, we will this year publish an issue for each Term.

With so. much happening, these smaller chunks of meat should make iteasiertokeepupwithitall.

We present to you here, 155 pages of alltheSportactionfrom Term1.

TERM1NUMBERS

EVERYPLAYER

THE TOP 6 SO FAR

MERLINTZAROS

SUPER SPRINT @ GOLD COAST

Year11 MerlinTzaros wastheequal 2ndfastestinhisagegroup(16-17)in Australia, at the AusTriathlon Super Sprint Australian Triathlon Championships, part of the Super SprintWeekendontheGoldCoast.

The just-turned 16 yo VIC Triathlon State team member just missed out onqualifyingfortheUnder23Junior A Final (Top 18) on the final day at the Gold Coast Performance Centre in Runaway Bay, but won the Junior “B Final” in a time (20:49) that was the equal-12th fastest of the 80 Under23competitors.

MERLINTZAROS

SUPER SPRINT @ GOLD COAST

MERLINTZAROS

SUPER SPRINT @ GOLD COAST

KAITYFORD

U16 GIRLS MURRAY BUSHRANGER

Congratulations to Year 9 Kaity Ford, who has been selected to the elite Murray Bushrangers Under16 Football finalsquadfor2025.

Merriwa House Captain, and Captain of our Junior Girls Football team that finsihed 2nd at Hume Region, the defender will play 2 matches for the “Bushies” in March, in Bendigo and Melbourne, as partofthe CoatesTalentLeague.

ThisLeaguehoststhebestfemalefootballersinthe State, and is a precursor to the Under 18 Talent League,fromwheregirlsgetdraftedtotheAFLW

Still just 14, the Wangaratta West PS alumni is one of just a handful of “bottom agers” who are also eligibletoplayinthesquadnextyear.

Also a talented Basketballer, she in 2022 played a season in the VJBL (Victorian Junior BasketballLeague),forthe NEBushrangers,and multiple years of rep Basketball for the WangarattaWarriors

The Corowa Rutherglen footballer will likely play in defence, alongside girls from Shepparton, Albury, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Corowa, Barooga, Nathalia, Holbrook and Echuca.

Older brother Tom was also part of a Bushrangers U15 V-Line Cup team (North East Border)in2022.Otherbrother Jack alsowould havebeenlikely,ifnotforinjury.

MILLYO’KANE

FIRST IN 30 YEARS

Congratulations to MillyO’Kane of Year 10, who has been confirmed a member of the Netball Victoria Under17 VictorianState Netball team.

The just-turned 16-year old will play for the Big V team of 12 against the other states, at the National Netball Championships at Netball Central in Sydney, across the week of April 10th-16th. She is our 1st girl tomakeaState Netball team,in30years.

She on February 8-9th played at the Gippsland Netball Showcase in Traralgon,wheretheStateteam played their first official matches, against the South Australian Under 19 and Under 17 teams, and a Peninsula Under23team.

This State selection is the latest of many achievements for the 2025 King House Captain. In 2024shewontheLeagueBest&Fairestinthe Ovens & Murray FNL Under 17s, as well as the Wangaratta Magpies team B&F, and then stepped into the C GradegrandfinalteamandwonaPremiership.

In 2023, she won an Under 15 League Best & Fairest inthe Ovens&KingFNL,aswellasaremarkabletwo team Best & Fairest trophies (King Valley Under 15s and Corowa Rutherglen Under17s)havingplayedtwo gameseachSaturdayindifferentleagues.

In 2022, she also won a club Best & Fairest, playing for the Under 15 Benalla Saints in the Goulburn ValleyFNL.

She also made history in 2024. At our Athletics Carnival,shewon8ofthepossible9events(theonly oneshemissedwasHighJump,whichshemissedto bebeingill).Webelievethatisanall-timerecord.

She also won both the Athletics and Swimming Age Group Champion medals in the same year, something only 26 other students have ever done. Shehaswon4AgeGroupChampionmedalsoverallonly 9 have ever won more. 8 is the most ever, and shehas3moreyears(6carnivals)tocome.

She continues a strong family legacy at the school, with her mum Kaye (a former student and current staff member) also a Netball LeagueBest&Fairestwinner. Kaye wasoneof our many Hildebrand siblings, including Ruth (now Costenaro)whowasalsoaLeagueBest& Fairest Netballer. Many will also know current staff member Harry and recent staff member Sally (now Benson). Harry, Bruce and Louise (HeadGirl)wereall Prefects

Milly's siblings Ned and Ruby are also making wavesinSport. Ned haswonbotha Swimming & Athletics Age Group Champion medal. This makes them only the 2nd family to ever have two siblings win the "double" (Matt & David Scott aretheother). Ruby meanwhilehaswon 2 Swimming Age Group Champion medals. They are one of only 7 families ever to have 3 siblingswinit.Only2familieshavemore.

Ned was a key member of the Wangaratta Magpies Ovens & Murray FNL Under 18s Grand Final Football side last year, and Ruby was a Representative Under 15 Soccer player for the Albury Wodonga FA, and will this year play an even higher level, with Murray United FC (alongside Year 9 classmate InanayGilson) inthe CountryPremierLeague(CPL)

MILLYO’KANE

U17 STATE NETBALL TEAM

STATENETBALLERS

OUR GOLDEN ERA

We believe our last girl to make a State Netball team was Kim Welch in 1995. That was Welch’s 3rd State team, having also made the U17 team in 1993, and the U16 team in 1992. The 4-time Ovens House Captain,wasthedaughteroftwolegendsof theschool.

Father Geoff Welch was a 2-time Head Boy Prefect, 2x Ovens House Captain, an Athletics Age Group Champion, and later a 2-time Senior Premiership footballer for Wangaratta Rovers. Mum Carmel Cutler wasa6-timeAthletics AgeGroupChampion.

Kim herelf also finished school with a formidable CV. She was a 4-time Ovens House Captain, a Deputy Prefect, and 5-time Athletics AgeGroupChampion.Somefamily.

Others to make a State Netball team include Lori Delaney (1990), Kate Morris and Narelle Young (1985), Lisa Wilson (1982, 1984), Robyn Townsend (1982), Megan Hume (1980, 1981), Rosemary Brown (1980, 1981), Joanne Cesa and Kerry Fitzgerald (1980), Kate Clarke (1978), Sheree Hartwig (1975)and GretchenHartwig (1973).

Robyn Townsend (Under 16) and Lisa Wilson (Under 15) both made Australian Netball teamsandincredibly,inthesameyear(1982).

Those girls from the 1980s powered our Golden Age of Netball. We won 6 State Championships in 9 years - Junior (1980), Intermediate (1984, 1986) and Senior (1982, 1983, 1988). For good measure, we were also State Runner-Up 4 times in that same 9 year period - Junior (1982, 1984, 1985), Intermediate (1980), and Senior (1986), as well as twicelater(Junior in1993and Senior in2014).

KIMWELCH

LORIDELANEY

KATEMORRIS

MILLYO’KANE

U17 STATE NETBALL TEAM

MILLYO’KANE

U17 STATE NETBALL TEAM

HOUSECAPTAINS

63 SPORT LEADERS ELECTED

We congratulate our House Captains for2025.

The quality of nominations was so high that we had to go with Joint Captains for some age groups, as we couldn'tseperatethem.

For at least 90 years (1934), this prestigious role has been part of W.H.Sculture.Youareallnowpartof our school's history, and sit on our updated all time Honour Board which willsoonbeonourschool'swebsite.

Thank you to everyone that nominated.

There was some serious talent electedthisyear.

Ovens boasts one of the strongest Senior House Captain line-ups in recent memory. There are 12 Age Group Champion medals between Tom Ford (7), Ned O'Kane (2) and Claire Christison (3). Can they lead Ovens to their 1st Swimming title since2020whentheywereinYear7?

The other 3 Houses also boast Fire Power in their leaders. For King, Seniors JyeLaxton (1), StevieDriscoll (2) and Milly O'Kane (2) boast 5 Age Group medals between them, and then you throw in Lillian Hooper's 3. Merriwa are stacked at Year 9 - Leo Woodburne (2). Clarence Lampa (1), InanayGilson (2)andRubyO'Kane (2) already have 7 between them in just 2 years. Wareena have 5 Age Group MedalsintheirCaptainranks- James Chisholm (2), Jada Ryan (1), Angus Fraser (1)and ImogenRobinson (1).

SomeverysignificantFamilyLegaciesareofnote.

All3 O'Kane siblingsareontheBoardthisyear- Ned, Milly and Ruby.TheycontinueastrongFamilyLegacywithmum Kaye and her brother Harry Hildebrand both ex-students and current staff members. They are the 1st family to ever have3siblingsserveas HouseCaptain inthesameyear.

Other pairs of siblings for 2025 include Tom and Kaity Ford, Clare and Erin Collins, Jedda and Stevie Driscoll, James and Anthony Chisholm, Asher and Cooper Hardman, Isaac and Imogen Robinson, Michelle and AngelaKeenan andYear7s Ollie and EvieFisher.

Lucy Williamson becomes Senior Captain of Wareena, just as her famous father Scott was in both 1987 and 1988. One of our all-time great athletes, Scott holds a total 5 Age GroupChampion Medals(1Athletics,4Swimming),pluswas a member of our 1987 Herald Cup Title winning Football team,andwaslaterdraftedtotwoAFLteams-WestCoast (1988) and Melbourne (1990. Both of Lucy's siblings were House Captains too - Ky (King, 2014, 2019) and Bree (Wareena, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). For good measure, her uncle Brett (King) and aunt Marni (Merriwa) also had the role.Theremaynotbeanotherfamilythathavehadsucha number. Brett also played in a Herald Sun Title Football team (1985) and Marni, one of our State Netball Title winningteams(1986).

Many of our incoming Year 7s continue their family's legacies.

Several of them join their older siblings on the Honour Board. Olive Meggs joins her sister Ellie, Michelle Keenan hersister Angela, and JoahVanBergen hisbrother Edan

Other older 1st-time House Captains do the same - Angus Fraser joining his brother Andrew, Inanay Gilson her brother Wirra, Miley Adamo her brother Jayden, and Mia Simpson herbrother Will.

Others named also have siblings on the Board. Thomas Fieldew and sister EllaStephens (both Ovens), the Driscoll sisters and brother Keahn, the Chisholm brothers and brother Vincent, Jaymie Law and sister Rikki, and Emilio Miliankos-King andsister Kalika.

HOUSECAPTAINS

63 SPORT LEADERS ELECTED

OVENS KING MERRIWA WAREENA

HOUSECAPTAINS

YEAR 7S CONTINUE LEGACIES

Remarkably, new Year 7s Ollie Fisher (Merriwa) and twin Evie (Wareena) complete 3 Generations of House Captains at our school. Their father Joel Fisher (King Junior, 1996), and grandparents Brian Fisher (King Senior, 1970 and 1971) and his future wife Sue Barry (Ovens Senior in 1971) all held the role. For good measure, their grandfather on mum's side, Geoff Gourley, was an Athletics champion and record breaker at the Wangaratta Technical School, Brian was also our Head Boy Prefect in 1971, and their uncle Todd also was a House Captain (Merriwa Senior, 1997).

They are the only 3-Generation family to have held the role, as far as I can see on the Honour Board. If anybody can see others,letmeknow.

Interestingly, the Fisher family hold another unique record. All 3 of Brian & Sue's sons played in a State Championship or Herald Cup school Football teamduring their schooling. Todd played in the 1994 Intermediate State Title team that beat Swan Hill College by 33 points. Joel was in the1999Senior Herald Cup Titleteamthat beat Ballarat High School by 53 points at WaverlyPark,evenwithoutbestplayer Jon McCormick who would go on to play 26 AFL games for Carlton. That same year, Jordan played in the Intermediate State Title team that beat Kyabram Secondary College by 3 points. Joel was also in the Year 8 State Runner-Up team which lost theSateFinalby8points.

They are the only trio of our brothers to haveeverachievedthatfeatin Football

Year7 MacyBoschetti isanothertocontiunuearich Family Legacy. Both of her grandparents, who like the Fishers were High School Sweethearts, were Senior House Captains (and Prefects, with Vicki the Head Girl) in the same year - grandfather Leigh Hartwig (King)andgrandmother VickiRyan (Ovens) in 1972. Amazingly, that was just just one year after Brian & Sue Fisher. Now 53 years later these 3 grandchildrencometousatthesametime.

Leigh was also Junior Captain in 1969, and his sister Gretchen Hartwig was Senior House Captain for King in 1972. Fittingly, Macy leads Ovens, as did her grandmother.

Macy'sSportlinksdon'tendthere.The Hartwigs are one of only 3 families to have 3 siblings (Leigh, Gretchen and Sharee) win an Athletics Age Group Championship. On top of this, uncle Tyson Hartwig still holds 2 Upper Hume Track & Field records (16 Boys Shot Put from 2003 - 14.23m, and a 17 Boys 4x100m Relay from 2005). Tyson also won a State Gold medal in the 4x100m Relay. On the academic side of things, auntie Teegan Hartwig was our Dux in2001.

On top of this, Gretchen made an Under 16 State Netball team in 1973, and Leigh won 5 Senior O&M Football Premierships (the equal-most ever of any W.H.S student alongside Barry Cook) for the Wangaratta Rovers Tyson made an Under 16 State Volleyball team (winning the National Championships) in 2003, and was a Murray Bushranger and WangarattaRovers SeniorCaptainin Football.

And although he didn't attend W.H.S, it's worth mentioning Macy's great grandfather, Rex Hartwig. He'sthelegendaryTennisccscthatmadetwoGrand Slam Singles Finals (US Open 1954, Australian Open 1954)andtwicewontheDoublesTitleatWimbeldon (1953,1954).Somegenetics.

HOUSEHISTORY

SWIMMING CARNIVAL

2025 marks our school’s 109th Swimming Carnival,sinceitfirstbeganin1917,attheoldpool behind the current Soundshell. It was held in Merriwa Park for 40 years, until in 1956 at the new OlympicPool (adjacent to WareenaPark). For another 65 years we had it there (often at night time),untilitwasfilledwithdirtandwemovedto thenewWSACfacilityin2021.

House History confirms that the oldest Houses, bothformedin1917makingthem108yearsofage, are King and Ovens. Merriwa joined in 1943, and then Wareena in1953.

The House Champion race is always intriguing. King are the most successful since 1953 (to make it fair, we start the tally when Wareena joined). King have 22 wins on their books, leading Merriwa (15), Wareena (15)andlastly Ovens (10).

There are 11 missing years on our books, so those numberswilladjustoncewefindthem.

EveryHousehashadawininthelast5years-the most even period in history. This is likely due to theintroductionofrotatingtheSEALHomerooms eachyearastheycomeintoYear7.

Defending Champion King however have dominatedthepastdecade,winning8ofthelast 10 years. They have won 19 of the last 45 (since 1980).They,incredibly,won16AthleticsCarnival inarow,between2003and2019.

Merriwa went within 2 points last year of going back-to back for the 1st time in 25 years, after winning in 2023 to break a 20 year drought. They have won just 5 since 1980. However they dominated the 1960s, and are listed as wininng every single year on record (8) between 1960 and1980.Ifwecanconfirmthewinnersofthose missing 11 years in that period, Merriwa have a lotofthose.

Wareena won 7 straight between 2008 and 2014 - the longest streak on record. However that 2008 win broke a 17 year drought. They were strong in the 1980s, winning 5 in 7 years, and have13winsfromthelast45since1980.

Ovens’ win in 2020 broke a 16-year thirst. They had a purple patch between 1997 and 2004, winning 5 of those 8 years, and went 3-peat between 1988-1990, but can only claim 9 of the last45since1980.

SWIMCARNIVAL

OVENS DOMINATE AT THE POOL

Ovens clinched the House Title at our 109th Swimming Carnival at the Wangaratta Sports & AquaticCentreonFriday14thFebruary.

Ovens dominatedallday,finishingon443points to win easily from defending Champions King (357), Wareena (352) and the 2023 Champions Merriwa (282).

The talented Ovens Year 12s earned a whopping 194 points themselves to be the most prolific cohort across the school - the Boys earning 120 ofthose.

The King Year 7s (122 points), Merriwa Year 9s (112), Merriwa Year7s(96)and Ovens Year7s(93) werethenextstrongestgroups.

The 14 Ovens House Captains (below) were presented the Shield at the school's PAC by Principal Armstrong, with Senior Captains Tom Ford, Ned O'Kane, Clare Collins and Claire Christison holding it aloft, flanked by their youngercounterparts.

It is the 11th triumph for Ovens since 1953, their first since 2020, and 2nd in the last 21 years (since2004).

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS

Of the 13 Age Group Champion Medals awarded, Ovens and Wareena had 4 each, King 3 and Merriwa 2.

AgeGroupChampions2025:

13Boys- NoahAnderson (Wareena)& OllieFisher (Merriwa)

13Girls- ImogenRocchiccioli (King) 14Boys- HenryLloyd (Wareena)& MasonSkermer (Wareena)

14Girls- HavarnaLong (Ovens) 15Boys- OskarMcGahan (Ovens) 15Girls- InanayGilson (Merriwa) 16Girls- LillianHooper (King) 17Boys- MerlinTzaros (Wareena) 17Girls- MillyO'Kane (King) 18+Boys- NedO'Kane (Ovens) 18+Girls- IsabelleHooper (Ovens)

A new star was born, with Year 7 Imogen Rocchiccioli winning every race by a number of body lengths with immaculate technique, even the 50mButterfly

Another Year 7 girl in Havarna Long, slightly older so racing in the 14 Girls age group, raced againstthe Year8s andbeatthemall.Somefeat.

Year 11 Merlin Tzaros also won all of his races, and Year 10 LillianHooper was was undefeated, however Jada Ryan almost got her in the 50m Backstroke which was an incredible Dead Heat inthebestraceoftheCarnival.

A number of Age Group Champions made significant history. Last year's Top 10-inAustralia Triathlete Tzaros won his 5th straight, and Lillian her 4th straight. Both are now one stepclosertothe"StraightFlush”(6Titles).Only 12haveeveraccomplishedthat..

Milly O'Kane and Isabelle Hooper both now have 3 in their quivers, while Oskar McGahan and NedO'Kane arenow2-timeChampions.

2025 U17 State Netball team member Milly, now climbs to 8th on our All Time Leaderboard of combinedAgeGroupChampionwins(Swimming and Athletics).With5Carnivalsremainingforthe Year 10, she has 5 total, just 3 shy of leader Rowan Barrow who has 8 (6 Swimming, 2 Athletics).

Year 12 TomFord, beaten to the medal this year by, ironically, Ned O'Kane, remains on 7. He can still level with Barrow, if he wins the Athletics in August.

Year 9 Inanay Gilson also joins that illustrious list. The Murray United FC Soccer star now boasts3total,with7Carnivalsleft.

Fittingly, Barrow was Special Guest to present the Age Group Champion Medals. Barrow, now P.E teacher at WDSS, is a 6-time Champion, multiple-timeStateGoldMedalistswimmer,and holds our most All-Time records (7) at our Carnival. She was also a 4-time State Triathlon Champion.

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS

PLACINGS

13 BOYS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE

1st Noah Anderson 19 WAREENA Ollie Fisher 19 MERRIWA

3rd Dayne Jeffries 6 WAREENA Braxton Patton 6 OVENS

14 BOYS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE

1st Henry Llloyd 13 WAREENA Mason Skermer 13 WAREENA

3rd Nicholas Jones 12 KING

4th Austin Whitehead 11 OVENS

5th Angus Fraser 9 WAREENA

15 BOYS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE

1st Oskar McGahan 19 OVENS

2nd Hugh Spring 13 MERRIWA

3rd Lachlan Downing 12 OVENS

4th Chas Spencer 10 OVENS

5th Andrew Fraser 9 WAREENA

13 GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Imogen Rocchiccioli 24 KING 2nd Jolie MItchell 7 KING Ellie Hutchieson 7 OVENS

14 GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Havarna Long 21 OVENS 2nd Aroha Waddell 16 KING 3rd Georgia Kelly 8 WAREENA

15 GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Inanay Gilson 26 MERRIWA 2nd Ruby Burns 21 MERRIWA 3rd Kaity Ford 17 MERRIWA

16 GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Lillian Hooper 23 KING 2nd Jada Ryan 15 WAREENA 3rd Isabelle Christison 8 KING 4th Casey Sheppard 6 MERRIWA 17 BOYS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE

1st Merlin Tzaros 40 WAREENA

2nd Sam Day 13 OVENS Cooper Hardman 13 OVENS 4th Jack Ford 8 WAREENA

18+ BOYS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE

1st Ned O’Kane 29 OVENS

2nd Tom Ford 16 OVENS

3rd Eucalyptus Boonzayer 13 OVENS

4th Sam Couche 7 OVENS

5th Wirra Gilson 6 OVENS

17 GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Milly O’Kane 16 KING 2nd Naomi Roberts 13 WAREENA 3rd Abbey Waide 8 MERRIWA

18+ GIRLS

PLACE SWIMMER POINTS HOUSE 1st Isabelle Hooper 16 OVENS 2nd Ivy O’Connor 14

3rd Claire Christison 13 OVENS 4th Phoebe Bosley 7

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS

12-13 YEARS

Noah Anderson WAREENA

Ollie Fisher Imogen Rocchiccioli

15 YEARS

Oskar McGahan

14 YEARS

Henry Lloyd Havarna Long KING

16 YEARS

Inanay Gilson Lillian Hooper

17 YEARS

18 + YEARS Ned O’Kane Isabelle

Hooper

SWIMCARNIVAL AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS

2025 Swimming Age Group Champions

BACK: Isabelle Hooper, Lillian Hooper, Merlin Tzaros, Noha Anderson, Ned O’Kane, Sandy Newman.

FRONT: Oskar McGahan, Inanay Gilson, Henry Lloyd, Havarna Long, Imogen Rocchiccioli, Rowan Barrow.

MISSING FROM PHOTO: Ollie Fisher, Milly O’Kane, Mason Skermer

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS - BOYS

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS - GIRLS

SWIMCARNIVAL

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS

There were too many highlights to mention at the Pool. But what about Year 11 Clara Rocchiccioli, who, during every one of her little sister Imogen's races, walked along the pool deck holding up a hand-painted sign with the slogan "Go Imogen". It wasoneofthemostheat-warmingsightsstaffhad everseenataCarnival.

Our Year 7 cohort impressed in many ways. In a great sign for W.H.S Sport, they scored the most points (392) of any Year Level on the day, one point more than the Year 12s (391) who were 1 point behind. The Year 9s (221) were the 3rd most active,infrontofthe Year11s(166).

Ovens winning continues the nice rotation of winners over the last 6 Carnivals. Every house has won in that time, making it the fairest period in theevent'shistory.Thisislargelyduetoeachyear rotating the Year 7 SEAL groups, which history shows contain the largest number of active swimmersandathletes.

Merriwa get their turn for a SEAL group next year, and if there are 2 SEAL groups (as there is this year which were allocated to King and Ovens), then Wareena will get one too. Due to both timing and overall numbers, it will also be Wareena'sturntoget2 Year7 groups.

Not that it always helps. Ovens this year got two Year 7 Homerooms (including one SEAL), and yet both classes combined earned 93 points, less than the single Merriwa class (96), and virtually on par with Wareena's single class (81). There is a large elementofluck.

ThevibeoftheYear7salsogotnoticed,withmany of them on their feet cheering on peers in the water. The Year 12s were outstanding - the most we'veseencompeteinanumberofyears.

There were also many students assisting with marshallingandtimingdutiesontheday,greatly assisting staff, who we thank greatly - Year 11 ZoeTaurega-Green especially.

Thank you to all 140 competitors, all attendees for being there and for your House Spirit, all staff undertaking numerous key jobs, the Prefects running the BBQ, VCE-VM class running their stall, and the many parents there supporting.

A gargantuan thank you to Sandy "Newmo" Newman who was again the Engine Room behind the scenes in the Lead Up organisation, andhandlingtheResultsEntryontheday.Itwas the 25-year-Sports Coordinator's 27th year in a row,ofrunningthe SwimmingCarnival

Thanks to Kev McGennan for the great photos from the Pool. Former-teacher and current parent,he'sanothergreatW.H.Sperson.

SWIMCARNIVAL

MOSTEVER

TenneayleMaggs

JoannaMoroney JuliaMoroney

GREATESTEVER BOTHCARNIVALS

CRICKET

SENIOR BOYS

Our SeniorBoys Cricket XI had a strong win against Victory Lutheran College Wodonga at South Wangaratta onMonday17thFebruary.

Led by Co-Captains Ned O’Kane (30) and Tom Ford (18 runs), with key knocks from Oscar Benson (15) and Ford’sopeningpartner EucaBoonzayer (13),our boysmade8/128intheir20oversbattingfirst.

Ford thenpickedup3wickets,includingthevery1st delivery of the Victory innings, to earn Man Of The Match honours, while Anthony Chisholm claimed 2 scalps.

In Match 2 against Galen Catholic College on the Galen turf wicket, the boys made a respectable 9/119, but Galen reached our score (3/120) in the 10thover.

OurtwoCo-skippersagaintopscoredwiththebatNed O'Kane swashbuckling a Captain's-Knock halfcentury(54),and TomFord getting25.

Oscar Benson, for large chunks of both innings batting in partnership with 1st cousin O'Kane, chimed in with a handy 15. His total of 30 runs across the day, alongside his 1 wicket, made him the 3rd top run scorer, and star Year 11 player in the team.

Multiple wicket takers for the day were Tom Ford (3), Chisholm (2) and Ryley Downing (2), while Benson, JackFord and RobbieLeadbetter snared1each.

In the field, JackPreston led the way with 2 catches, while Jack Lockhart took a one-handed screamer in the Victory match.

It was a big 2 days of School Sport for allround talents O'Kane and Tom Ford. The joint-Senior Ovens House Captains lifted the Swimming Shield on Friday, and went Top 2 in the AgeGroupChampion (O'Kane saluting to win his 3rd overall Age Group title,leaving Ford on7).Theywerealsothe respective Key Backmen in last year's Ovens & Murray FL Under 18 Football Grand Final - O'Kane for Wangaratta Magpies, Ford for Wangaratta Rovers They are two of the most impressive boys we have seen come through in many years.

Thanks for your efforts boys, thanks to Ash Clayton for coaching, and again to current-parent and former-teacher Kev McGennan forthegreatphotos.

CRICKET

Senior Boys Cricket 2025

FROM LEFT: Tom Ford (Captain), Eucalyptus Boonzayer, Oscar Benson, Robbie Leadbetter,HamishTanner,AnthonyChisholm,NedO’Kane(Captain),AshClayton(Coach), HarveyCook,JackPreston,JackLockhart,RyleyDowning,EmilioMiliankos-King,JackFord.

CRICKET

LACYSOLIMO

PONY CLUB STATE CHAMPS

Year 9 Lacy Solimo competed at the Pony CubVictoria State Showjumping & Dressage Championships, at Eagle Pass Ranch in Nar Nar Goon North, over the weekend of February22-23rd.

In the Showjumping, Lacy and her horse Park Avenue William placed 12 out of 40 riders, and was midfield of 30 riders in the Dressage. Teamwise, her team finished 6 in Victoria in Showjumping, and were Reserve Champion in Dressage. th th

LACYSOLIMO

CRICKET

INTERMEDIATE BOYS

Our Intermediate Boys 20/20 Cricket got their turn toagainst CathedralCollege at NorthWangaratta on Tuesday25thFebruary.

Cathedral were too strong in the Upper Hume Quarter Final, but it was a good experience for our XI.

Year9 HughSpring,whotopscored(24)asopening batsman and took a wicket, won our Man Of The Match honours. He was unlucky too..his bat split in half mid-stroke, which lollied the ball to the catcher forhisdismissal.

Other wicket takers were Thomas Fieldew, Andrew Fraser and Kayden Vozlic,while Fieldew tooktwocatches inthefield.

Thanks again to Ash Clayton for coaching the boys, to leaders Jim Shepherd (Captain) and James Chisholm (Vice Captain), and to Kev McGennan forthephotos.

Intermediate Boys Cricket 2025

NORTH WANGARATTA

FROM LEFT: Kayden Vozlic, Lachlan Downing, Brady Fischer (12th Man), Zaydon Beurs, James Chisholm (ViceCaptain),ZachWills,AndrewFraser,JimShepherd(Captain),SamMorey(TeamManager), Thomas Fieldew, Ash Clayton (Coach), Isaac Robinson (Scorer), Jordii Failla, Mike Sheppard (12th Man), HughSpring,NoahWilliams(Scorer),OskarMcGahan.

CRICKET

SWIMMING

UPPER HUME

MerlinTzaros and ImogenRocchiccioli led the way for our 30-strong Swimming Team at the Upper Hume meet at Wodonga Waves on the final day of Summer, Friday 28th February, competing against the other 8 schools across WangarattaandWodonga.

Merlin became Upper Hume Champion once again, winning the Open Age 400m Freestyle for the 2nd year in a row. The 16-year old VIC Triathlon StateTeammemberbeathisPersonal Best by 4 seconds, breaking the 5-minute barrierinatimeofof4:57.94.

The Year 11, who was also Upper Hume Champion last year in the 3000m Cross Country foot race, and both the 1500m and 3000m (smashing the all-time records in both) at the Track & Field meet in Albury, also set Personal Besttimesinhis 50m and 100mFreestyle events.

Tzaros remarkably, sat his Unit 1 Physical Education SAC at 9:00am at school, hurried up to Wodonga with his family to swim his 3 events, and then rushed back to school so he didn'tmisshisfast-trackedUnit3 Mathematical Methods class in the afternoon. An unbelievable effort from one of our greatest athletes, and kids,ofalltime.

Year 7 Imogen Rocchicciloi was Runner-Up in her Age Group Champion medal, at her 1st ever Upper Hume meet. She was .5 of a second from becoming Champion in her 50m Breaststroke, beaten by a touch on the wall but finishing 2nd to qualify for the next stage (Hume Region) on March 14th. She also secured two 3rd place ribbons(50Butterfly and 50Backstroke).

Also finishing Runner-Up and qualifying, were our 13-14 Girls Medley Relay team (Year 7s Havarna Long, Jordana Moore and Rocchiccioli, and Year 8 Ellie Hutchieson), and our 15BoysFreestyleRelay team(Year9s Charlie Bell, Lachlan Downing, Hugh Spring and Zach Wills). Downing, Spring and Wills are no strangers at Hume Region level. Last year they made it to the State Championships in Badminton, and Wills also went to State for LawnBowls.

Others to place (3rd) were Year 8 Nick Jones and Year 11 Jada Ryan (50m Backstroke), the 13 Girls Freestyle Relay (Year 7s Evie Fisher, Jolie Mitchell and Rocchiccioli and Year 8 Hutchieson), the 13-14 Boys Medley team (Year 7 Ollie Fisher and Year 8s Angus Fraser, Nick Jones and Austin Whitehead), and our 16 Girls Freestyle Relay squad (Year 11 Jada Ryan and Year 9s RubyBurns, KaityFord, InanayGilson) who had the 3 Year 9s coming up an age group toracewith Jada.

Special mention to Jada Ryan. The Wareena House Captain not only picked up two 3rd place ribbons, but as the most senior Girl in the team, set a great example as always of representing the school, and mentored many of the young Girls in the team with her cool and composed leadership.

Also to Year 7 Joah Van Bergen (Ovens House Captain) who travelled with the team as an Emergency in case any of the Relay teams couldn'tfilltheirspots.

Thank especially to Ash Clayton for coming, as plans changed last minute with Newmo unable tomakeit.Ashhasdone3Sporttripsinthelast fortnight,andhasbeeninstrumentalinlowering thetripcostsforourathletes.Thanksmate.

SWIMMING UPPER

HUME

RELAY RESULTS

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

13 Boys Freestyle Relay 2025

L-R:OllieFisher,DayneJeffries,NoahAnderson,JakeVincent.

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

13 Girls Freestyle Relay 2025

UPPERHUME

L-R:JolieMitchell,EllieHutchieson,ImogenRocchiccioli,EvieFisher.

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

14 Boys Freestyle Relay 2025

L-R:OwenMiskin,HaydenBoyle,AustinWhitehead,AngusFraser.

SWIMMING

14 Girls Freestyle Relay 2025

UPPERHUME

L-R:HavarnaLong,AnnabelleWills,Paige-LeeDummett,ArohaWaddell

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

15 Boys Freestyle Relay 2025

L-R:ZachWills,CharlieBell,HughSpring,LachlanDowning

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

16 Girls Freestyle Relay 2025

L-R:JadaRyan,KaityFord,RubyBurns,InanayGilson.

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

13-14 Boys Medley Relay 2025

L-R:OllieFisher,NicholasJones,AustinWhitehead,AngusFraser.

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

13-14 Girls Medley Relay 2025

L-R:EllieHutchieson,HavarnaLong,JordanaMoore,ImogenRocchiccioli.

SWIMMING

UPPERHUME

L-R:ZachWills, HughSpring,OskarMcGahan,ChasSpencer

SWIMMING UPPER HUME

REUBENSMITH

UPPER HUME

2ND AT STATE CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to Year 12 Reuben Smith, who won individual Silver and Bronze medals at the AusCycling Victorian Track StateChampionships onSaturday1stMarch.

The18-yearoldwonSilverinthe“Kilo”(1km TimeTrial),andBronzeintheSprint,atthe DISC Velodrome in Melbourne, now competingupinthe EliteMen division.

The Wangaratta West Primary School product has now been named to the Victorian State Team (one of 10 boys) to race at the AusCycling Track National Championships, at the Anna Meares Velodrome in BrisbaneQLD,betweenMarch 22-30.

Smith alsoracedinFebruaryatthe Oceania TrackChampionships in Brisbane, wherehe gotaPersonalBestinthe1kmTimeTrial.

Our2024 SportspersonOfTheYear, Reuben waslastyearthe2ndfastestUnder19Track CyclistinAustralia,winning2SilverMedals (Sprint and 1km Time Trial) at the National Championships. The only boy faster, was theJuniorWorldChampion,whoisalsothe Junior Australian Record Holder. He also won medals at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in NewZealand.

In 2023, he won the prestigious 86th Melbourne Cup On Wheels race, which counts legends Sid Patterson and Dean Woods as past winners. He became the 1st WangarattaboytowinTheCupin33years, since the late Woods, probably Wangaratta’sgreatesteverSportinglegend, who won an Olympics Gold Medal at Los Angeles in 1984, as an 18-year-old prodigy inthe TeamPursuit.

REUBENSMITH

UPPER HUME

2ND AT STATE CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

REUBENSMITH

2ND AT STATE CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

REUBENSMITH

2ND AT STATE CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

RUBYSTEVENS

WINS MURRAY RIVER CLASSIC

Congratulations to Year 10 Ruby Stevens, who won her Under 18 division at the Paddle Victoria Marathon Murray River Classic, at Yarrawonga onSunday2 March. nd

The15-yearoldwonthe10kmSinglesraceinwell under an hour, with a time of 52:09, receiving a Gold Medal to add her ballooiong Trophy Cabinet.

Stevens last year was Australian Champion in the K2 Canoe Marathon Doubles in South Australia, has also won multiple State Championships including two in 2022 as a Year7.

Goodluck Ruby attheNationalscomingup.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Both our Intermediate and Year 7 Girls Super 8 Cricket teams became Upper Hume Champions on Friday 7th March, winning at the Barr Reserve, making our school winner of 2 of the 3 agegroupsontheday.

Although both the Year 7s and Intermediates finishedRunner-upinboth2023and2024,thisis the 1st time any of our Girls have been Champions at Upper Hume level, since at least 2016 (records only go back to 2017). For 2 teams to win this year, is significant. We are back in businessontheCricketPitch.

Captain MillyO’Kane and KaityFord steered the Inters (Isabelle Christison, Jedda Driscoll, Kaity Ford, Milly O’Kane, Casey Sheppard, Emily Swinburne and Taylah Wyatt) to the Title, as they defeated Galen College (174-134), Cathedral College (108-99) and the Victory Lutheran CollegeWodonga “B Team” (268-61) in their Pool matches, and then in the Final, slid Victory’s A Teamintoahearse(215-137).

Year 10 O’Kane was the dominant Cricketer at the carnival. The Netball Victoria U17 State Team member, 2024 Ovens & Murray FNL U17 Netball League Best & Fairest and 2024 Wangaratta Magpies Premiership player, made 284 runs from 37ballsacrossthe4matches.That’saStrikeRate of 7.7 runs per ball. That included a “Century” against Victory B (108 from her 12 balls), and 79 from 9 in the Final. It was a staggering performancefromtheWonderKid.

Have we ever had a more dominant girl in such a widerangeofSports?NotthatI'veseen,orheard about including scouring our decades of Sport archives. Carlton AFLW star DarcyVescio (20062011) may be one that had a similar level of talent - I didn't see Darcy in action in School Sport enough,tobeabletocomparethem.

In her 1st over faced for the day (after a dot ball to get her eye in), Milly smashed four 12s in a row (hits past bowler are worth double runs), and then an 8, to rack up 56 in her first 6balls.Shetheninher2ndover,went12,12,2, 6,8,12foratotalof52inthose6balls.

The Inter game against Cathedral College proved their toughest challenge and closest match for the day, as they had us 3/19 after 4 overs,andthenhad Milly tiedupwithtwodot balls in a row straight up in the 5th over and then forcing a wicket on that 4th ball. Milly didn’t get to unleash until her 2nd over, albeit didcrush36runsina4ballfrenzy(14,4,12,4) whichprovedthedifferenceinthematch.

In the Final against the Victory Lutheran College “A Team”, it looked precarious for a while. However Milly again took charge, smashing76from9balls(8,0,12,8,10,12,6,8, 12)toguideustoascoreof9/170.

Victory looked good early on in their chase, sitting at 2/52 after 3 overs (we had been 5/33 at the same stage). However, enter Jasmina Scott, who scalped 3 wickets in her first 4 deliveries, breaking Victory’s hearts. To top it off, O’Kane took Catch Of The Day, charging in from Long-Off diving at full stretch in front of her and then clamping it justabovethegrass.Finalscoreswere215-137.

Year9 Ford alsogotoffthechainafewtimesl. The Murray Bushrangers U16 Footballer and Wangaratta Warriors Basketballer belted 59 runs from 9 balls against Victory B, and 40 from4against Galen

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Captain Ava Penney led the Year 7 team (Macy Boschetti, Evie Fisher, Emmy Hansted, Lexi Hayward, Olive Meggs, Ava Penney and Ashton Ryan)totheirTitleinthrillingcircumstances.

They defeated Galen College (120-114) with Ashton Ryan taking 3 wickets, and Catholic CollegeWodonga (106-72) comfortably, and then our own “B Team” (247-54). The wins against Galen and Catholic College were serious efforts. Both schools have twice the enrolments of our school.Also,manyofthe Galen girlswerepartof the St. Bernard's team that went to State Finals lastyear.NoneofourGirlshadplayedtheformat before.Theyareaseriouslytalentedgroup.

Theonlylossforthe Year7 teamwasby5runsto Cathedral, who lost 2 games for the day which haduscrowned Champions.

The fixture against Cathedral College loomed as the “winner takes all” game, and we had them on toast, batting first making 3/100, and then leading by 24 runs with 4 balls left, seemingly home. Cathedral somehow though, blasted 25 runs (including two 12s) in the next 3 balls. With our girls down by 2 and needing a wicket with thelastballtowinit, Cathedral scoreda3towin by5runs.

However luck turned our way, as Galen defeated Cathedral (150-101)inthefinalround.Thismeant that, with Cathedral having lost 2 matches, and us having only lost 1 match as Galen had, but us winning the Galen fixture, our girls were crownedthe Champions.

While Penney was our star, it was a very even team of talented girls. 6 of the 8 girls came from the Statewide-Award winning Wangaratta West PrimarySchool.

A number of the Year 7s are daughters of past students - Macy Boschetti, Evie Fisher, Emmy Hansted, OliveMeggs and Penney.

Many people to thank for yesterday. Kev McGennan for the terrific photos. Ash Clayton for coaching. HarryHildebrand for popping over and helping train the Year 7s over 2 Lunchtimes. Harry was a long-time President Of Cricket Peru in SouthAmerica, and Captain of Peru's National Cricketteamformanyyears.

We had an army of terrific Boys Helpers - Ollie Fisher (Year 7), Noah Anderson, Bailey Bridgfoot, Mason Skermer and Jack Vincent (Year 8), Jeremy Begley, Lachlan Downing and Will Sayers (Year 9), who were vital in umpiring, scoring and coaching. Sandy 'Newmo" Newman, whowasconveneroftheday.Andofcourseall41 playerswhowerewhitefranklyoutstandinginall aspects of behaviour and participation all day yesterday.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Thanks also to alumni (both student and teacher) and one of our “favourite sons” Jon “Hopper” McCormick for passing on tips to our girls during the week. Hopper, now teaching at Bass Valley Primary School near Phillip Island, has coached his Girls teams to the State Title in Super8Cricket thelast2yearsinarow.

Despite being a school so small they don’t have enough Grade 6 Girls to even fill a Cricket team (lastyear’s StateChampion teamhadoneGrade5 and 2 Grade 4s stepping up to fill numbers), they defeated much larger and well-endowed schools including Wangaratta’s own St. Bernard’s (20070).

Better still, those Girls also won the State Title in Softball and Teeball in those years. No school in Victoria has ever won Titles in 3 sports in a year before. They have done that “Treble” twice in a row. They have won 8 State Titles in the last 5 years. It's the most extraordinary feat in School Sport Victory history, and has had head honchos from all of those Sporting bodies visit their campustoseehowhedoesitwithsofewplayers tochooseteamsfrom.

We will highlight Hopper’s story in more detail soon, when he is presented a prestigious School SportVictoria awardattheMCGlaterinMarch.

One of our greatest talents of all time, he played 26 AFL games for Carlton, and made an Under 17 State Cricket team. In younger years, he also made a State Football Under 12 team when at Milawa Primary School, and at Under 14 level was named the best Cricketer in Victoria, voted player of the series at the Hatch Shield. He once kicked 9 goals in a Year 8 School Football game, playing as a rover, leading that team to the State Grand Final, and in Year 7 was the star player as our 7-8 School Cricket team also made the State Grand Final. For good measure, the all-rounder won the top Academic award in Year 7, was a KingHouseCaptainandofcourse,aPrefect.

Jon's parents, Ian (also known as "Hopper" and also a P.E teacher like his boy) and Nina, are also legends of Wangaratta High School, and are two of the most beloved primary school teachers in Wangaratta over the last 50 years, most recently at WangarattaWest.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Inter Girls Super 8 Cricket 2025

BACK:JasminaScott,IsabelleChristison,EmilySwinburne,MillyO’Kane(Captain).

FRONT:TaylahWyatt,CaseySheppard,JeddaDriscoll,KaityFord.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

BACK:LexiHayward,OliveMeggs,EvieFisher,MacyBoschetti.

FRONT:AshtonRyan,AvaPenney(Captain),JolieMitchell,EmmyHansted.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Year 7 Girls Super 8 Cricket 2025

BACK:HazelWyllie,HavarnaLong,DaisyDatson,LaylaMay(Captain). FRONT:GracieJohnson,MarleyHigham,CharlotteHunt..

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Year 8 Girls Super 8 Cricket 2025

BACK:EllouiseJones,PaigeTanner,AnnabelleWills,EllieWhite,WillowNorris. FRONT:GeorgiaKelly,BellaBoulton,Paige-LeeDummett(Captain),MiaSimpson.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

Year 9 Girls Super 8 Cricket 2025

BACK:LacySolimo,LanieEvans,ZyaDaSilva,RubyBarnard,JasHarper. FRONT:EmilieSanderson,LeilaHyland,RubyO’Kane(Captain),TarniWhite.

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS 7-10

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS 7-10

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS

7-10

CRICKETSUPER8 GIRLS 7-10

MOUNTAINBIKING

AUSTRALIAN INTERSCHOOLS, THREDBO

Congratulations to Year 9 Inanay Gilson who finished 8th in Australia, in the “Queen Of The Mountain” standings at the Boost Mobile Mountain Bike AustralianInterschoolChampionships atThredbo,NSW, overtheweekofMarch3rd-7th.

The “Queen” is awarded to riders with the most accumulated points across all 4 race formats (All Mountain, Flow, Pump Track and Downhill), and the Merriwa House Captain scoredineveryrace,foratotal of56points(thewinnerhad96).

The reigning MTB Gravity Enduro State Champion’s topraceresultwasa4thinthe Pump Track,whichwas her 2nd Top 10 for the week, after her 10th in the All Mountain. A super effort for the 14-year old Murray UnitedFC and Albury-WodongaFootballAssociation Rep Soccer playerand Wangaratta Rovers Footballer,alsoa 2-time Athletics and 1-time Swimming Age Group

Her 2024 Wangaratta City FC AWFA Grand Final teammate and fellow Year 9 bottom ager Ruby Burns also picked up a Top 10, getting 10th in the Pump Track. Burns cruelly suffered a flat tyre during her All Mountain race, costing her valuable points. Shelastyearachievedanimpressivetwo9th places (All Mountain and Flow), and would have likely gone Top 10 in “The Queen” of 2024hadsheenteredtheother2races.

Year 11 Alec Armstrong also competed in 3 races across the week, in a very strong Division1Boysfieldwithover200riders.

Thanks to all 3 riders for being great ambassadors for our school at such a prestigious National Championship event, andtothe3familiesfortakingthemup.

MOUNTAINBIKING

AUSTRALIAN INTERSCHOOLS, THREDBO

MOUNTAINBIKING

AUSTRALIAN INTERSCHOOLS, THREDBO

MOUNTAINBIKING

AUSTRALIAN INTERSCHOOLS, THREDBO

MOUNTAINBIKING

AUSTRALIAN INTERSCHOOLS, THREDBO

MILLYO’KANE

NETBALL STATE TITLES

Congratulations to Year 10 Milly O’Kane, who played at the prestigous Netball State Titles at the JubileeParkStadium in Frankston,between March8-10th.

Milly waspartoftheUnder17 NorthEast team of 12 girls, most of them from the Ovens & Murray FNL. She was on of 4 Wangaratta girls in the team, with the others from Albury, Wodonga,andYarrawonga.

They played an epic schedule of 17 games over 3 days, against the other 17 regions of Victoria.

A great experience for the Under 17 Netball Victoria StateTeammember,whowillplayfor Victoria at the National Championships in April.

SWIMMING HUME

REGION

Congratulations to Year 8 ArohaWaddell who won “Double Gold” to become a 2-time Hume Region Champion, at the Hume Region Swimming Championships at WAVES in Wodonga, on Friday 14thMarch.

The 13-year old won her Gold Medals in two Multiclass events (50m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke), and will now compete at the School Sport Victoria State Swimming Championships at the MelbourneSports&AquaticCentre onMay1st.

The Whitfield District Primary School product now part of our Inclusion Hub, is building a nice medal collection, having also won one as an Age Group Champion atour2024 SwimmingCarnival.

Year 7 Imogen Roccichioli also competed well, gettinga4thinaverystrong 50mBreaststroke field made up of the best from over 40 schools in the region.

Rocchiccioli also swam the Butterfly leg in our 1314 Girls Medley Relay team, with fellow Year 7s Jordana Moore (Backstroke), Havarna Long (Freestyle) and Year 8 Ellie Hutchieson (Breaststroke).

Our other competitors were our 15 Boys Freestyle Relay foursome,consistingof CharlieBell,Lachlan Downing, Hugh Spring, and Oskar McGahan (replacing the absent Zach Wills). Sadly the boys somehow didn’t hear the starter’s instructions to mount the starting blocks, and missed their race. Somethingtheboyswilllearnfrom.

ThankyoutoW.H.SalumniandcurrentWDSS Head Of Sport Rowan Barrow, who advocated via SportInclusionAustralia for Aroha toswim intheMulticlasscategory.

Barrow, one of our greatest athletes of all time, won multiple State Championship Swimming Gold,overseveralyearsinmultiple different events, when attending here in the 1990s. She holds the most W.H.S Swimming Carnival records ever (7), and has won more Age Group Champion medals (6x Swimming, 2x Athletics) than anyone in our school’s history. For good measure, she was also a State Triathlon Champion,4times.

Like Jon “Hopper” McCormick (State Football and Cricket team member, and eventual Carlton AFL Footballer), another alumni mentionedrecentlyinourrecentGirls Cricket piece, Barrow is making waves in the SSV world. Her efforts in having her WDSS students included in Upper Hume and Hume events in 2024 for the 1st time ever, led to them winning multiple State and even National Gold Medals in Swimming, Athletics and CrossCountry.

Barrow and McCormick are making a stirring impact on the lives of the many young people luckyenoughtobeintheirorbits.

Good luck to Aroha at the State Championships. We believe she may be our 1st to compete at State since 2018 - when Year 12 Claire Hernan won Bronze in the 200m Individual Medley. Our previous medalist was in 2012, when Year 11 Jack Synott scooped Bronzeinthe 50mButterfly

SWIMMING

AROHA WINS 2 GOLD AT HUME

SWIMMING

AROHA WINS 2 GOLD AT HUME

SWIMMING IMOGEN ROCCHICCIOLI

BASKETBALL

COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS

Congratulations to Year 9s Oskar McGahan and Kaity Ford whose Wangaratta Basketball Under 16 Warriors teams won medals at the Basketball Victoria CountryChampionships in Melbourneontheweekend.

Oskar’s team won their Division 4 Grand Final against Phillip Island (58-45), after defeating Bellarine in the Semi Final (59-35), with Oskar scoring 20 points across the 6 matches.

Kaity’s team finished 2nd in Division4, going down in the Grand Final to the Surf Coast (45-58), after smashing Warragul in the Semi (49-27).

Oskar, an Ovens House Captain and now 2time Swimming Carnival Age Group Champion, is also currently in his 2nd season for the NE Bushrangers in the Victorian Junior Basketball League. Kaity also played a VJBL seasonseveralyearsago.

BASKETBALLBASKETBALL

COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS

BASKETBALL

BASKETBALLBASKETBALL

COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS

KAITYFORD

WARRIORS AND BUSHRANGERS

It was a mammoth weekend for the multitalented14-yearold Kaity Ford.OntheSaturday morning, the 2024 Upper Hume Discus ChampionwasinBendigoplayingher2ndmatch for the elite Murray Bushrangers Football Under 16Girls side in the CoatesTalentLeague, against the BendigoPioneers.

The Wangaratta West Primary School product and Merriwa House Captain then drove directly toMelbourne,toplay Basketball forthe Warriors thatsameafternoon.

We are not sure how many girls have ever played for both of these elite teams in the same year, let alone the same weekend. Certainly, she is the first of our girls to ever achieve the feat.

Ford has also been nominated to trial for the SSV State Under 15 Girls Football team.Goodluck Kaity.

KAITYFORD

WARRIORS AND BUSHRANGERS

KAITYFORD

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to Year 11 Merlin Tzaros who last weekend finished 11th at the World Triathlon OceaniaChampionships in Devonport, Tasmania.

In the international event against the best 44 TriathletesfromOceanianations Australia, New Zealand and Papau New Guinea, it’sawonderful effort for the bottom-ager only just turned 16, racingintheUnder20agegroup.

The VIC Triathlon and School Sport Victoria Team Vic State Team member completed the Sprint distance (750m ocean swim, 20km bike, 5km run) in exactly 1 hour. He wasjust7secondsoff10th,andwas the8thfastestAussie.

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERLINTZAROS

11TH AT OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

TENNIS

INTERMEDIATE + SENIOR

We had 16 players take part in the Upper Hume Tennis tournament on Tuesday 18th March, at the picturesque MerriwaPark LawnTennisClub.

Our Intermediate Girls (Year 10s Isabelle Christison and Milly O’Kane, and Year 9s Kaity Ford and Ruby O’Kane) werethebestofthe4teamson the day, finishing in 3rd place of 5 schools, and just 2 games from being Runner-Up.

They punched well above their weight in defeating Catholic College Wodonga (6-1, 4-6), and drawing against Galen Catholic College (6-1, 1-6) - both schools with double our enrolments. Theyalsoclaimeda2ndtriumphagainst Victory Lutheran College Wodonga (61,4-6).

Their only loss was against eventual winners Cathedral.Inthatmatch,itwas 1 set each (6-4, 2-6), with our girls losingitbyjust2games(8-10).

Galen pipped us for Runner-Up, due to us winning just 2 less games (35-37) acrosstheday.

Our Intermediate Boys (Lachlan Downing, Clarence Lampa, Matthew Leerson and Hugh Spring) were our next best. In a super effort considering they were all Year 9 boys, and playing against a school with twice our enrolments, they defeated crosstown rivals GalenCollege (6-2,4-6).

However that was their only win for the day. Theycouldtakejust2gamesoff Cathedral,but got 9 off Victory Lutheran College and 4 off eventualchampions CatholicCollegeWodonga. Theyfinsihed4thof5schools.

With no Senior students wanting to play, we thank 8 courageous Intermediates who were willingtofillthoseteams.OurSeniorBoysteam as made up of Year 10s (James Chisholm, Ned James, Sam Morey and Jim Shepherd), whose besteffortwastaking5gamesoff Galen.

Our Senior Girls team were all Year 9s (Ruby Burns, Ruby DeFazio, Inanay Gilson and Lacy Solimo, with Emily Matthews and Issa Moffat chipping in to assist). The brave team battled hard and managed to pick up 4 games agaisnt girls2-3yearsolderthanthem.

Thanks to all players, and a big thank you to staff members Kaye O’Kane and Christine Watson for taking the crew. A nice memory for the O’Kane family, with Kaye coaching her two daughters,andthe2sistersbeingteammates.

UPPERHUME-THIRD

FROMLEFT:RubyO’Kane,IsabelleChristison,MillyO’Kane,KaityFord.

BACK:OskarMcGahan(TeamManager),MatthewLeerson,HughSpring.

FRONT:LachlanDowning,ClarenceLampa,CameronVincent(TeamManager).

TENNIS

Senior Boys Tennis 2025

FROMLEFT

UPPERHUME

:JamesChisholm,JimShepherd,SamMorey,NedJames.

BACK:RubyDeFazio,RubyBurns,LacySolimo,AnneliseNash(TeamManager).

FRONT:InanayGilson,IssyMoffatt(TeamManager),EmilyMatthews(TeamManager).

LAWNBOWLS

BOYS WIN HUME CHAMPIONSHIP

Congratulations to Year 9 boys Jeremy Bagley, Lars Croft and Clarence Lampa, whowonthe Junior(Years7-9) SchoolSport Victoria Lawn Bowls Hume Region Championship at the Wangaratta Bowling Club onWednesday19thMarch.

The boys breezed through their Pool matches against Victory Lutheran College, WDSS and Catholic College Wodonga, and then defeated Cobram Secondary College in the Final. It was a tight bowl from Bagley in the final end, which clinched the victory, astheywerecrownedthe Champions ofthe 40schoolsinourregion.

ThismakesitBack-To-Backtitlesfor Bagley and Lampa, who won last year as bottomaged Year 8s, alongside Zach Wills (absent yesterday due to a family holiday), and then finished7thinVictoriaatthe StateFinals.

They will now play in the 2025 State Championships on May 6th, at Club Sunbury.

Thiswillbe Lampa's4thtriptoa StateChampionship in12months.In2024,the WangarattaWest product made it for Lawn Bowls, Badminton and Cross Country.Healsowonan AgeGroupChampion medal atour2024 AthleticsCarnival.

For Bagley, it will also be his 4th State trip. In 2024, the YarrungaPrimarySchool alumniwaspartofthe LawnBowls and Badminton teamsalonsgide Lampa. In 2023, he finished 5th in Victoria in Javelin. He wouldhavelikelymadeitagainin2024,butwasona familyholidayoverseasatthetime.

Thanks to all 12 who played, and to Dale Unwin for takingthegroup.

8 of the 12 were C.L.C students, who moments after Clarence's final bowl in their Final, ran to the bus which had swung past the Bowls Club to pick them up, just in time to join the C.L.C excursion to the WaldaraGolfClub DrivingRange.

Special mention to Year 9 Ruby Burns, who filled in at the last minute (9:10am) to bowl for the Senior Girls teamwhohadoneoftheirplayersunavailable.

LAWNBOWLS

Junior Boys Lawn Bowls 2025

HUMEREGIONCHAMPIONS

FROMLEFT:LarsCroft,ClarenceLampa(Skipper),JeremyBagley.

LAWNBOWLS

Junior Girls Lawn Bowls 2025

HUMEREGION

FROMLEFT:RubyO’Kane,KaityFord,TaylahWyatt.

LAWNBOWLS

BOYS WIN HUME CHAMPIONSHIP

FROMLEFT:CameronVincent,HughSpring,InanayGilson.

HUMEREGION

MOUNTAINBIKING

MEDAL HAUL AT FALLS CREEK

Congratulations Alec Armstrong who clinched the Gold Medal at the Victorian MountainBiking Interschools at FallsCreek, onFriday21stMarch.

He and 3 other medalists led our 15-rider team to finish Runner-Up in the prestigious “School Cup”. A strong result which follows on from our 3rd place at the 2024 Vic Interschools at MountBuller

Armstrong, a bottom-ager at Year 11, won the SeniorBoys divisioninatimeofjustover an hour, in the 9-lap XCO (Olympic Cross Country) format. Year 12 schoolmate Jacob Hardiman won Bronze in the same race as wesmothered2/3rdsofthepodium.

In the Intermediate Girls, bottom-age Year 9s Inanay Gilson (Silver) and Ruby Burns (Bronze) also stood the podium. The 2024 Wangaratta City FC AWFA Soccer Grand Final teammates are building impressive MTB resumes.

Gilson recently was 8th in the Australian Interschools “Queen of the Mountain” at Thredbo NSW, and Burns got two 9th places at the 2024 Thredbo Interschools. BurnswonGoldatthe2024 VicInterschools at Mount Buller, and Gilson was the GravityEnduro StateChampion at Bright in 2024.

Our Year 9 boys also impressed despite being bottom-agers. Hugh Spring (5th), Cameron Vincent (8th), Logan Ring (11th) and IsaacRobinson (13th)allwentTop15in the Intermediate Boys. Daredevil Ring had the quickest downhill split (31.6 seconds on his2ndlap)ofallridersontheday.

Thankyoutoall15riderswhothisyearformed the largest Mountain Biking team we’ve ever assembled. Next year, we envisage an even larger team of 20-30 riders (many of our guns didn't compete this year), as we continue to makeourmarkintheSport.

Manywillrecall RileyCorke,in2018atYear8, becoming Australian Champion in this XCO formatandcompetinginternationally.

Big thank you to Outdoor Education & P.E teacher Morgan Clark who drove the bus and coached the team. Clark himself was an Australian Champion as a junior in the MountainBikeMarathon format.

Thanks also to parent (and one of our former C.L.C bosses) DaveGilson,whowasinvaluable toourteamasavolunteer.

2025 MTB TEAM

RIDER PLACE YEAR DIVISION

Alec Armstrong 1st 11 Senior Boys

Inanay Gilson 2nd 9 Inter Girls

Ruby Burns 3rd 8 Inter Girls

Jacob Hardiman 3rd 12 Senior Boys

Hugh Spring 5th 9 Inter Boys

Cameron Vincent 9th 11 Inter Boys

Logan Ring 11th 9 Inter Boys

Isaac Robinson 13th 9 Inter Boys

Noah Williams 18th 9 Inter Boys

Hayden Boyle 18th 8 Junior Boys

Zachary Tamme 26th 7 Junior Boys

Mike Sheppard DNF 9 Inter Boys

Osten Hasson DNF 11 Senior Boys

Zeke Hogan DNF 9 Inter Boys

Darcy Waide DNF 9 Inter Boys

MOUNTAINBIKING

ARMSTRONG WINS STATE TITLE

MOUNTAINBIKING

JACOB HARDIMAN - BRONZE

MOUNTAINBIKING BURNS

AND GILSON MEDAL

MOUNTAINBIKING

MEDAL HAUL AT FALLS CREEK

MOUNTAINBIKING

MEDAL HAUL AT FALLS CREEK

VOLLEYBALL

INTERMEDIATE

Thirteen of our top Year 9s hit the border for the Intermediate Upper Hume Volleyball tournament at the Wodonga LeisureCentre, on Monday24thMarch.

Both teams were severely undersized and bottom-aged, with incredibly and probably for the 1st time in the school’s history, no Year 10s in either of our Intermediate Volleyball line-ups,

Our Boys however, managed one win - a dominant demolition of Wodonga Middle YearsCollege,2-0(20-13,20-10),whomax out at Year 9, meaning it was our fairest match-upage-wiseallday.

Although this was the only win for the Boys, they weren’t far off the mark in their other two contests. Against Wodonga Senior Secondary College, a team made upentirelyof Year10s,setscoreswere1520, 15-20. Against the even stronger Catholic College Wodonga, it was 11-20, 11-20.

Best players were said to be the Captain, Clarence Lampa, Hugh Spring and Zach Wills. Three of our usual suspects, and outstanding all-rounders. They were missing key talls Thomas Fieldew and MatthewLeerson whosadlycouldn’tplay.

Our Girls were even more under-personeled, missing their best 3 Year 10s - MillyO’Kane and Jedda Driscoll (the only girls to make the team last year) and Isabelle Christison (the best player at this year’s Tryouts and hence named Captain).

To illustrate how severe a loss Milly and Christison were, the State Volleyball rep was at the venue wondering where the “Twin Towers” were.HeaffectionatelynicknamedthemasYear 8s, when taking a clinic in P.E 2 years ago, identifying them as potential champions. He has beenaskingaboutthemeversince.

Our 6 remaining Girls, led by Co-Captains Kaity Ford and Taylah Wyatt, with Bella White also namedintheirTop3players, bravelytriedtheir hearts out, but went winless against older and talleropponents.

They did however give Galen College a good shake in the blender. They took one set off them, and were just 3 points from winning the deciding set. Final scores were 1-2 (20-18, 15-20, 12-15).

They were also competitive against Wodonga Middle Years (10-20, 18-20) and Wodonga SeniorSecondary(5-20,15-20).

Add in simply Milly and Christison, let alone Driscoll too, and they would have been a solid chance of saluting as Upper Hume Champions forthe2ndtimethisterm(addingtotheir Super 8Cricket triumph).

Big thank you to Sandy “Newmo” Newman for taking the teams, and to all 13 players, who spent an entire week training at Lunchtimes in preparation.

VOLLEYBALL

Intermediate Girls Volleyball 2025

BACK:InanayGilson,BellaWhite,RubyO’Kane,RubyBurns,LacySolimo(Emergency). FRONT:KaityFord(Captain),TaylahWyatt(Captain).

VOLLEYBALL INTERMEDIATE

Intermediate Boys Volleyball 2025

BACK:NickDarkJr,ZachWills,IsaacRobinson,HughSpring. FRONT:LachlanDowning,ClarenceLampa(Captain),JeremyBagley.

VOLLEYBALL

MERLINTZAROS

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION

Congratulations Year 11 Merlin Tzaros who last week became a dual Australian Champion, winning 2 Gold Medals at the School Sport Australia Triathlon & Aquathon Championships on the Rockingham Foreshore in Western Australia.

The just-turned 16 year old clinched his first title on Wednesday in the Aquathon (200m swim, 2km run), becoming the fastestSenior(Year11-12)schoolboyinthe nation.Histimeof9:19.38securedhimthe Goldby2seconds,inafieldof33racers.

The very next day, the School Sport Victoria Team Vic and VIC Triathlon State team member got his 2nd National Gold medal in 2 days, winning as part of the Victorian team in the Senior Triathlon Relay.

The Wangaratta West Primary School product and holder of 5 Upper Hume alltime Running records (1500m, 3000m, Cross Country), bagged 3 medals in a monsterweek.

ThefirstwasonTuesday,withaBronzein the Triathlon. He completed the 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run in under an hour (58:32.95) to finish 3rd of 33 competitors, behind only 2 Year 12 boys from Sydney and Brisbane. He is officially thefastestschoolboyTriathleteinVictoria (in fact he was the only Victorian in the Top10),andthefastestYear11inAustralia.

He is we think our 5th Australian Champion in the last decade. Last year, it was Year 9 Ruby Stevens who won Australian Gold in the K2 (Doubles) Kayak Marathon Doubles in South Australia. In 2021, Year 11 JackBoulton won by 20m to easily win Australian Gold in the 400m in Sydney. In 2018, it was Year8 RileyCorke who won Australian Gold in the XCO (CrossCountryOlympic) MountainBiking In 2015, FreyaClarke won Australian Gold inthe CrossCountrySkiing atFallsCreek.

In total we have approximately 20 other Australian Champions that we can find on record, in Spots ranging from Skiing, Cycling, Pony Club, Golf, Aerobics and Mountain Horse Racing, Not to mention an Under 17 Girls Volleyball team. Full list tobepublishedsoon.

Wonderful effort Champ. We are all extremelyproudofyou .