Central North West Junior Tag Football Tournament

On Wednesday 30 October, ten of our Year 9 and 10 students represented our school at the Central North West Zone Tag Tournament. Despite playing through some heavy rain, the team showed remarkable resilience and came away undefeated after five games. Their skills, teamwork, and discipline were exceptional, truly embodying the value of brotherhood. Every player contributed to the victory, with each scoring at least one try during the tournament.

We are incredibly proud of their performance and look forward to the next challenge – the Auckland Championships on Tuesday 3 December at Coxs Bay Reserve. This tournament will bring together schools from across Auckland, all vying for the title of Auckland Champs. We’re excited to see how our team performs on this bigger stage!

Players: Daniel Kali, Lorenzo Ekeroma, Compton Vaka, Joddellas Tuputala, Bronson Fisiiahi, Felix Molia-Fraser, R-Jay Matini, Owen Wolfgramm-Muller, Frehdlo Tupai Porter, William Fotu

Teacher in Charge: Mrs Fiu

Lawn Bowls Tournament 

On Tuesday 12 November our two dedicated teachers, Ms Washer and Ms Walker, picked a handful of Year 9 and 10 students to go to the Mt. Eden Bowling Club. The group consisted of 12 boys, and while it was a friendly competition, our teams brought plenty of competitive spirit to the games. Having previously represented St. Paul’s in lawn bowls at AIMS, it was fantastic for me to return to a sport I know and enjoy. The day started perfectly, with the sun shining and most of our teams winning the majority of their games. My partner and I had a strong start, securing victory in three out of four matches, with our only loss coming against one of our own St. Paul’s teams. Although we didn’t place, the experience was rewarding. Not only did we have a lot of fun, but it also gave my teammates the chance to deepen their understanding of the sport.
By Christian Fa'aui

Our lawn bowls trip outside of school was not only a privilege to be outside of school for a day, but also a learning experience, showing to people unaware of the sport, like me, the rules and tips on how to play such sport. It was a day with losses and defeats, but overall, it was an experience of fun and social activity, communicating with your panthers, your team, and even teams outside of our schools. This was an experience I will be sure to revisit one day, and hopefully I will get the chance to later in the future.
By Augustine McClutchie

Cricket 

I have had the pleasure of watching Solomon Nash grow from a shy and slight Year 7 into a confident and articulate young man who stands taller than most in the yard, despite this, I suspect he still has some growing to do! Solomon has always had the talent and the athleticism, but what I've noticed particularly in the last 12 months, is his confidence and competitiveness in codes other than the one he's most familiar with (cricket).

Like a lot of our young men, "humility" can often be a tricky value to navigate when playing sport, the balance of being humble vs being competitive is a delicate one. Solomon's efforts on the basketball court (with his team mates) helped bring St Paul's 1st V basketball team a championship this year, a first in over a decade, I'd like to also acknowledge Mr Jebb's contribution to Solomon's development, particularly in how he approaches basketball.

This season Solomon has hit around 300 runs from 3 games, including an innings vs Mt Roskill grammar of 189! He and his mate Stephen Thomas, who also has an average of around 40 runs per game have been the driving force of St Paul's cricket program since they were Year 9's playing in the 1st XI. I've enjoyed the way Solomon and Stephen bring their team mates with them, celebrate their wickets, support each other in the field and help spread their love of cricket to new players - young and old. As all of our Year 13 cricketers play their final games for the College, it's important that they take a moment to truly enjoy their college's surroundings, the reliable support of parents and families, whether through umpiring, scoring or cooking the BBQ, the commitment of their coaches and of course the company of their teammates.

St Paul's College 1st XI vs Rutherford - 16 November 2024

Batting first for the 3rd game in a row, St Paul’s got off to the worst possible start, losing both openers for just 4 runs inside the first 4 overs. With the team’s two senior batters dismissed, the pressure was on to rebuild the innings and post a competitive score against what proved to be a very accurate Rutherford bowling attack, one that was a level up on those of previous oppositions. 

Enter Jett Nash (Year 9), who was able to build partnerships with the rest of the middle-order to record a very well-made 48 runs, dismissed with the team score of 7 wickets for 81 runs in the 31st over. A few late runs from the bottom order saw St Paul’s reach a final score of 98. While a sub-par total, a pleasing aspect was that batters showed patience and faced a large number of balls, allowing the score to slowly build to something the St Paul's bowlers had a chance of defending. 

And defend they did, bowling accurately to keep the run rate below the target of 2.5 runs per over while picking up regular wickets. The drinks break at 20 overs saw Rutherford 4 wickets down for 51 runs. Sensing that another wicket could swing the balance in their favour, St Paul’s turned to their frontline bowlers who delivered. Wickets at 54, 62, 64 and 68 saw Rutherford in real trouble, needing another 31 runs with just two wickets remaining. Some late resistance saw the score creep up to 82, however Solomon Nash returned to blast out the last two batters on his way to an excellent return of 3 wickets for just 13 runs off his 7.5 overs. Rutherford finishing score of 84 saw St Paul’s winning by 25 runs. Other wicket takers were Jett Nash, Arthur Gabriel (Year 11) who bowls excellent leg spin and prefect Stephen Thomas with two wickets each. Matt Blanch who continues to develop as a threatening bowler took the other wicket. 

St Paul’s College were very pleased to achieve a result against a very competent and competitive team, in a match that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats for most of the game. 

Mike Blanch

Volleyball

The Junior Boys Volleyball Team had a solid performance at the Auckland Volleyball and North Island Volleyball Championships, showcasing consistent teamwork and skill. They competed strongly against some of the top teams, achieving respectable results. While not securing a championship title, they demonstrated steady improvement, adaptability under pressure, and a competitive spirit that earned recognition. Their experience in these tournaments will undoubtedly strengthen their development and preparation for future events.