It has been quite some time since my last report and so there is a considerable range of  details to pass on.

 

After starting teaching at TBC in 1980 Old Boy Andrew Ferguson is calling it a day. Ferg had an 8 year break teaching at  Wairarapa College and also in London but the majority of his 36 years has been at his alma mater. The lure of a marathon in Nepal, completing the 60 kilometre Keplar Challenge in less than 9 hours and cycling the length of New Zealand mean that he will remain very active in his retirement.

 

Two TBC stalwarts at the Old Boys dinner in September.

 

 

Our annual function in Wellington will be held at the Blend Bar , beside the Nomad’s Backpackers in Wakefield Street from 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6^th. As on previous occasions the Old Boys Association will provide finger food and your first drink. It would be great to see you there if you can make it and please pass on the message to any other Old Boys you know of.

 

The impressive Neil Craig owned  ground at Matapihi will again host this annual event on Sunday, January 15^th. The usual format will be followed with lunch provided between 2 T20 matches so book that date in your diaries now. Further details will follow later.

 

 

Some quite major changes in the sport have occurred in the recent season as far as the organization of the sport goes and 5 TBC teams won their respective divisions in BOP rugby this year. Old Boy Dan Goodwin came back to school to coach the 1^st XV alongside fellow Old Boy & staff member Steve Kelly and new staff member Richard Apanui. The team had a mixed season but managed to place 4^th in the highly competitive Super 8 competition.

 

The NZSS Premier tournament was held at Papamoa in 2016 with the 1^st XI finishing 13^th out of 32 teams.  In regular Saturday competition the team came tenth in the highly competitive and very physical Waikato/BOP Men’s Premiership while the highlight of the interschool fixtures was a 3-2 win against Auckland GS who placed 3^rd at Nationals.

A young 1^st XI team was going to mean a tough season  for the side but the group performed above expectations with excellent wins against Palmerston BHS & Kings College in regular interschool competition before ending runners-up to Hamilton BHS at Super 8.  Rankin Cup competition saw 2 wins and a loss to 3^rd place getters Rangitoto College which meant a cross over with eventual winners St Pauls Collegiate. The side eventually placed 11^th with top hockey schools like Westlake BHS, Kings & Auckland GS all below us.

There were a record 8 teams this season and with 75 players at Year 9 and 10 the sport is certainly undergoing considerable growth.

 

Highlight of the basketball season was placing 3^rd at Super 8 where they were beaten by Napier BHS. TBC dominated local competitions however missed out on qualifying for Nationals. The Junior A team performed well to place 5^th at the Junior Premiership tournament.

 

The shooting team took out the Super 8 title this year and have been performing strongly in all of their competitions. Hamish Williamson’s efforts have been particularly impressive with him being top shot at the Putaruru ISS  and 3^rd at the final interschool shoot at TECT Park.

 

TBC had both a Senior and Junior team competing at Nationals held in Wellington. A relatively  inexperienced Junior side were a revelation and completed the tournament as National Champions having only conceded 2 goals all tournament. The Seniors were not able to emulate that success however did return home with bronze medals after a meritorious sudden death victory against Glendowie College.

These results saw TBC share the Top School of the Tournament award and 5  players were recognized in the tournament teams.  Senior team captain Guy Roberts was top player of the tournament and also vice captained NZ Under 18 to gold at the Trans Tasman champs. Other team members Gareth Ward-Allen, Ryan Carter, Jack Tortoiseshell and James Robinson were also selected in the wider training group for the NZ Under 18 team in 2017.

TBC Teams competed in the BOP SS Champs with our Senior team placing 3^rd while the Juniors, with Year 9 Max Henderson outstanding, were able to win the division.

The North Island SS competitions had over 550 competitors competing in 4 Divisions at Turoa. Best results by TBC competitors were Cory McConnell who placed 6^th in the Slope Style ski event while Kirk Ross was 9^th in the Slope Style board competition.

Daniel Barron competed for the Junior Black Fins at the world team championships in the Netherlands. He performed strongly winning a gold and 2 silvers in his individual events while the team placed second overall.

 

Brothers Jack & Sam Niles were both part of the Tauranga Squash club team that competed in the National Squash Superchamps. Jack’s team won the Under 19 title  and he was selected in the BOP Under 19 team while younger brother Sam was in the successful Under 15 side.

 

Sports Captain James Green and Wilson Fisher hosted the event with Old Boy All Black Royce Willis Guest Speaker.

 

International ties were awarded to Toby McConnell (Wakeboarding), Josh Bell & Callum Aitken (Canoe Slalom), Jack Wilson (Mountain biking), Ethan Holman (Athletics), Guy Roberts (Underwater Hockey), Daniel Barron (Surf Lifesaving), Ryan Young (Triathlon) & Tristan Haycock (Endurance Mountain biking).

Drysdale Cup & Scholarship (Rugby/Cricket/Rowing) Mikaere Leef

Student Official of the Year Alex Blakeway


Best Allrounder (Volleyball/Beach Volleyball/Basketball) Daniel Kilpatrick Pergo et Perago Award Tom Renouf

Team of the Year Canoe Slalom

Sportsman of the Year & Lenco Scholarship Daniel Kilpatrick

 

Head Prefect Elijah Taula & Deputy Head Mitchell Nemeth joined up with 2 Bethlehem College students to form the Funk & Blues band AhJeez  which beat 700 competitors to make the top 8 of the Smokefree Rockquest competition. In the live finals the group ended up placing 3^rd which will give the lads a good foot into the music industry.

 

 

Graham Hoete (Mr G) has just returned to New Zealand after five years living in Sydney.  His latest project is to paint 100 portraits in a range of settings from one end  of the country to the other.  These will then feature in a book.

 

Shane Cortese has just completed a tour of the country as one of the 2 lead actors in the  rock musical Highway 48  written by Kiwi Chris Williams. He is now filming Westside and featuring on our screens in The Brokenwood Mysteries.

 

 

Rangataua Sports have followed up their winning of the Premiership in the winter to claim the open men’s title at the Bay of Plenty club sevens.

 

Kane Williamson leads the BlackCaps into the first  home test of the season against the Pakistanis at the Hagley Oval.

Bharat Popli, who had a stellar year in 1^st class cricket in 2015/16 was named in the New Zealand A side to play the Pakistanis in the first match of the Pakistan tour. The Northern District squad includes Old Boys Brett Hampton and Joe Carter as well as Popli and Williamson.

Recent Old Boy Kassi Scarlett has just been selected for the NZ Blind Cricket team and will compete in the World Cup in India in January.

 

Sam Shergold, after good performances in previous events, has finally broken through to win gold in the ISA World Stand Up Paddleboard & Paddleboard Championship . The 17.5 km. Prone Men Distance race  also saw Year 11 student Declan Dempster place 5^th in the same race.

 

Sam Cane has been an All Black regular however in the test against Italy he captained the side for only the second time.

Joe Schmidt (ex DP of the school) masterminded the Irish demise of the All Blacks in Chicago which brought their unbeaten run to an end at 18 victories. There was talk that he may be headed back to New Zealand however he has signed on to coach the Irish through to the next World Cup.

 

There was considerable TBC involvement in the recent local body elections. New Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless taught on the staff for several years in the mid 1980s while new Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber is an ex-pupil. Several other Old Boys on the hustings included Terry Leaming, Graeme Moore, Tony Christiansen and Murray Guy.