The days are rapidly drawing in and the winter sports season is now we ll and truly under way. Most of the details below relate to the summer sports round ups the highlight of which was probably the effort of our 1st XI cricketers qualifying for the Gillette Cup (top 6 ) competition to be played in December.

 

On the Old Boys front we have been able to offer financial assistance to a growing number of boys in need in recent months as we gradually  build our financial resources. This support has been to individuals and groups within the College where we can help with academic programmes, participation in the Arts and Sports.

 

It was good to see a number of Old Boys along to celebrate the opening of the new surface on our Hockey Turf earlier in the month.  A good number of them still showing some useful skills particularly former Black Stick Steve Graham who gave a Master class in goal keeping to the boys he is coaching.

 

As we have done in the past this event has been linked to an inter-school fixture and is scheduled for Wednesday, May 31st. We have the Bluestone Room on Durham Lane booked again from 5.30 p.m.  and look forward to seeing as many of you along as possible for a Drink and some finger food on your Association. This year it is the Westlake BHS exchange which will occur the next day on June 1st and again support out on the Shore for our Rugby , Hockey, Football and Basketball teams would be appreciated. I will forward fixture times to those keen to get along.

 

When TBC produces the annual show with TGC we have an Old Boys night with pre-show drinks & nibbles in the Staff room before going across to the Graham Young Youth Theatre to enjoy the show. The show this year is Pet er Pan and our Old Boys night is set down for Friday, June 30th so put that date in your diary now. More details will follow later.

 

 

Cricket has enjoyed considerable success at school in the past term with the 1st XI qualifying for the Gillette Cup finals (top 6 in the country) for the first time since 2011.

The Northern Districts tournament held in Hamilton saw TBC go through unbeaten with wins against both St. Pauls Collegiate and Hamilton BHS being particularly satisfying. Most impressive performances came from Rhys Mischewski who took 6 for 12 against Whangarei BHS while Marcel Collett had scores of 62 and 63 in two of the four matches played.

The 3rd XI had been promoted from Secondary Schools cricket to play in the Mens B Grade competition this season  and after a slow start came through to win the championship which was a great result.

The NZCT side (our Junior Representative side) lost to Hamilton BHS in the Northern Districts play off for the Finals series this year.

 

A young side performed well with Caelen Potts (singles) and Hamish & Liam Roberts (doubles) taking out the Bay of Plenty titles. A very good win against ex staff member Hamish Forbes’s Palmerston BHS team at Super 8 saw our team qualify for Nationals. The team drew the 2 finalists in their pool and then lost to Auckland GS but then beat Westlake BHS and Hamilton BHS to come 6th in the country.

 

The team went to Nationals as top seeds having won both the Bay of Plenty championships and the Super 8 title in the build up. The side won its three pool games and then three cross over matches before beating Waimea College in the quarter finals. In the semi final Manurewa College (who were eventual winners) beat us 1-3 and TBC finally finished 4th after a loss to Western Heights. From the tournament Callum Philpott, Ryan Forlong and Kyle Hamilton were selected to trial for the New Zealand Youth mens side which will travel to the USA in July.

 

Our players went through their tournament unbeaten beating Long Bay College 2-1 in the final of the NZSS Division 2 competition which means they will compete in the top division in 2018.

 

A small group of TBC rowers competed at Nationals at Lake Karapiro wit h best performers being the Under 17 8 placing 8th while the Under 17 4 were 7th.

 

After winning the Bay of Plenty regionals over Otumoetai College our sailors competed at the Central North Island competition held in Taupo where we placed 3rd behind Tauhara College and Napier BHS.

 

Our shooters participated in an Interschool Shoot at Pukekohe and won the teams single rise competition. Devin Holland was High Gun shooting 89/9 0 in an impressive performance.

 

Our touch players competed in the Zonal finals at Rotorua with their only loss being in the semifinal against National Champions Hamilton BHS. They placed 3rd and in doing so qualified for the National finals.

 

We have an impressive group of young swimmers at the school who recent ly participated at the National Age group championships. At Age 12-13 level Tarquin Magner won 2 gold and 2 silver medals while Louis Fitzjohn claimed 2 silver medals. In the Under 14 age group Tristan Eiselen won 2 gold and a silver medal while Daniel Shanahan won 2 golds , a silver and 2 bronze medals.  At Under 16 level Cai Jeger won 2 silver medals .

 

At the recent NZ championships Declan Dempster won 3 silver and 2 bronze medals in the Under 19 grade which saw him selected into the New Zealand Development squad.  In the Under 14 division David Shanahan won 5 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals while at Under 13 Tarquin Magner won 3 gold and 1 bronze medal.

 

Taratu Mankelow and Kaharoa Takuira-Mita have both been selected to play for the NZ Maori Under 16 team in an indigenous series later in the year .

 

Our team played the annual Sir Gordon Tietjens invitation tournament and came second to St Pauls Collegiate. Taine Craig-Ranga was named Player of the Tournament while Taylor Kite and Gordie Lloyd were also named i n the tournament team.

 

Not sure where this happened but I have been told that at the 2nd annual bombing competition we had 2 students who made it into the top 10 competitors with Noah Walker placing second in the final.

 

Guy Roberts was named as part of the New Zealand Under 19 Underwater hockey team after an intensive four day camp. This team will represent New Zealand at the CMAS World Age Group Championships in Hobart in July.

 

Our thespians performed in the BOP division of this  annual competition recently with a number of our students gaining awards. Fletcher Oxford was named best performer while Damian Torwick was the best supporting actor. Students Ethan Hahunga, Hunter Eagle, Andre Moffat, Dyllan Crandle and Damien Torwick were all part of the piece judged to be the best Student Directed work.

 

The Big Band performed well at the annual festival held at Easter picking up a gold award. Both of our Jazz Combos won silver awards while Sam Ashton was recognised as best clarinetist in the competition.

 

Double Paralympian and silver medalist in the mixed teams event in 200 4 Maurice Toon is off to compete in the Australian Championships at the end of the month. He hopes this event will be a stepping stone to his third Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

 

There were a good number of Old Boys playing in the National Club Cricket finals representing Northern Districts in the Mount Maunganui club. Dale Swan captained the side which also included Pete Drysdale, Ben Guild, Matt Golding and Daniel Hill.

 

Carlos Price has been part of the successful New Zealand Under 20 rugby side which has just won the Oceania tournament. They won the final against Australia beating them 43-6.

Nathan Harris has just returned to active duty with the Chiefs after having ACL surgery. While he was away another Old Boy in Aidan Ross has made his Chiefs debut in the front row.

 

While fellow Olympian Peter Burling is busy tuning up the America's Cup boat for that event in Bermuda Sam Meech has returned to competition after Rio with a regatta in Hyeres, France where he placed 9th out of 60 boats in the Laser class. Another up and coming Old Boy at the Regatta was Trent Rippey.

 

TBC Old Boys had a significant presence in the Carrus  Golf tournament held on the Tauranga course which was the last competition on this year’s Charles tour. Jared Pender scored 15 under par and was 4th with Kieren Muir (12th), Karl Knedler (15th) , Harry Hillier (28th) & Sean Blomquist (31st) also making the cut. Dean Sipson and Byron Willis were also in the field but did not make the cut.

 

The New Zealand Under 20 side will play in the FIFA World Cup in South Korea later this year and Old Boy Connor Probert has been picked in this side. Connor has a full football scholarship to the University of Kentucky.