Athletics Central Zone Championships

On Tuesday 5 March, an impressive contingent of 23 young men spanning from Year 9 to 13 showcased their athletic prowess at the Auckland Zone Championships, despite the challenging weather conditions of rain and wind.

Undeterred by the less-than-ideal weather, our exceptional competitors delivered stellar performances across a diverse range of athletic events. While many of our young men secured commendable final positions, some narrowly missed out on podium finishes, showcasing the high level of competition.

Among the outstanding displays, there were a few standout performances that have earned our athletes well-deserved recognition. I am thrilled to announce that the following young men have been selected to represent us at the upcoming North Island Championships at the end of March:

• Jett Nash: Junior High Jump
• Vaetamasoalii Sipia: Junior Shot Put
• Tane Keereweer: Intermediate 100m
• Tane Keereweer: Intermediate 200m

Congratulations to these talented individuals, and we look forward to cheering them on as they compete at the North Island Championships. Their dedication and skill have truly set them apart, and we are proud to have them represent our college.

Cricket

Saturday 24 February vs Macleans College 2nd XI
Batting first, the Macleans openers got off to a steady start. While wickets proved difficult to come by, the St Paul’s bowlers managed to contain the batters well. St Paul’s were able to pick up wickets at regular intervals, keeping the run rate in check, however Macleans steadily progressed to a total of 7/225 at the end of their 40 overs. 

Bowling highlights were Jett Nash (Year 9) talking 2 wickets for just 11 runs off his eight overs, Arthur Gabriel (Year 11) bowling leg spin for the first time in a match, taking 2 for 39 of eight overs, and both Matthew Blanch (Year 11) and Stephen Thomas (Year 13) conceding just 4 runs per over in their eight over spells, also picking up a wicket each.  

In reply, St Paul’s got off to a cautious start, with regular opener Stephen Thomas, batting with Nico Smith (Year 13), navigating the Macleans opening bowlers. Unfortunately, both Stephen and Nico fell shortly after those bowlers had been rested, for 39 and 19 respectively.  The remainder of the St Paul’s batting order battled well to stay in the game, but struggled to keep up with the required run rate. In the end, the St Paul’s team batted through until the final over, dismissed for a total of 150, 75 runs short of the target. Hugo Lloyd (Year 10) hit 21, and Jett Nash with 18, made solid contributions in the middle order.

This was a respectable performance against a competitive Macleans team who are currently unbeaten in the pool with 4 wins from 4. 

Saturday 2 March vs St Kentigern College
Batting first, St Paul’s got off to a great start, racing to 99 in just the 15th over before open Stephen Thomas was dismissed for 30. From this point on, wickets began to fall at all too regular intervals, seeing St Paul’s dismissed in just the 27th over for 160. Deputy Head Prefect Solomon Nash continued his form with 63 runs, whilst a hard-hit 29 runs came from Hugo Lloyd.

Defending what was a sub-par total on a good wicket, St Paul’s knew they needed to bowl well. Stephen Thomas picked up a wicket in just the 2nd over but the St Kentigern’s batters dug in, looking to retain wickets while not worrying too much about the achievable run rate. 

Unfortunately for St Paul’s, St Kentigern’s number 5 batter smashed 53 not-out off just 29 balls, quickly turning the match in St Kentigern’s favour, and in the process denting the otherwise excellent figures of several St Paul’s bowlers. Despite the loss of 2 more wickets, St Kentigern eased home at the start of the 36th over with 4 wickets in hand. 

Bowling highlights for St Paul’s were Solomon Nash with 2 /16 off 7.1 overs, and Matthew Blanch with an economical 1 / 21 off eight overs. Jett Nash, Stephen Thomas and Arthur Gabriel all bowled well, with each picking up a wicket.

Senior Volleyball 

We have come to the end of our Senior Volleyball weekly season games, in which both our teams demonstrated some impressive skills. The boys can be very proud of their achievements with several wins throughout the season and some very close losses, in some games taking their opposition to three sets with exciting point for point rallies.

Both teams will now focus on the Auckland Championships next week held at the Bruce Pulman Arena. For the first time, St Paul's College will be entering two teams. It is fantastic to see the development and growth of this sport at our college and we wish both teams the very best of luck in the tournament.