Football
special thanks to Wayne Ebert who arranged
for goalkeeping coaching by Glen Moss and Mr
Patton for goalkeepers in the district and allowing
Terry and Luke to attend.
annual fixture between them and the 1st XI. This
year the “old boys” had a resounding 8-2 victory.
The “old boy’s speed, ball skill and accuracy were
too much for the 1st XI.
The following players are leaving us and have
shown brilliant loyalty and commitment.
Team summary:
13th grade: The 17 players are to be
Player
Games
played
89
Taban Makoii
Cameron Williams
David Smith
Pau Sian Thang
Jacob Lillyston
Antonia Puka
Matt Dicken
Joshua Gomez
Sam Ward
Ethan McAuliffe
Chris Sims
Jordan Garrow
Matt Jacobs
74
69
66
63
63
63
61
57
54
52
52
52
50
Joshua Logan
Matt Logan
Hamish Campbell
Harrison Royle
David Lokecha
Jack Ross
Leon Youhana
Sports & Cultural
Brandon Lynch
49
44
42
39
28
16
15 (Yr 8)
Thanks:
Pak’n’Save Petone for their brilliant and continued
support of football. Their sponsorship of our prize
giving is extraordinary.
St Peter’s and Paul’s school for allowing us to use
their artificial grass twice a week.
TeWai Piripi (HOD sport) and Catherine Brennan
(Sports co-ordinator) for their support of football
by allowing us to have the resources to progress
our game.
Terry Davis , our groundsman, and TeWai Piripi for
the overseeing of the pitch maintenance.
To the 15 “old boys” who came back for the now
96
congratulated for choosing Saint Bernard’s as
their football of choice. Many of the players
are playing in a grade up on their age group.
Every player has shown excellent improvement
and have to be congratulated for practicing so
enthusiastically every Wednesday. The team was
very fortunate to play a large number of their
games on the artificial at Maidstone or Petone
and playing on such surfaces definitely help
develop their passing skills. The team had to
endure playing at 6.40pm and even at 8.20pm
in the rain and wind which takes a special breed
of committed player to see through these games.
The grade composition kept changing but in the
end they came in 2nd which is a great result. The
success of this team was that players kept joining
it right up to mid season. It was very difficult
for Mr Vallance to keep a watch on his 5/6
substitutes but every players had their fair share
of game time. These players will be our 1st XI in
3 to 4 year’s time so our future is in very good
hands.
Junior 2. This team deserves special
recognition. Last year they were on the wrong side
of many defeats and this year’s grading games
proved equally challenging. The championship
rounds saw a team gaining in confidence and
a desire to play attacking football. Under the
infectious positivity of Mr Jordan Saggers the
team finished with three wins and scored more
goals for than against. They were just 10 minutes
and a missed penalty from beating the top team
and making it into the finals. They have learnt
how to play as a team, support and encourage
each other and know the joy of scoring goals,
defending well and ultimately winning. My very
special thanks to those players who played so well
this year even though they were so disappointed
last season.
Junior 1. After last year’s disappointment,
Mr Matthew Weldon-Smith, was determined to
ensure that his chargers did not make the same
mistake this year. They did not, and were worthy
winners of the 2nd division. The team struggled
with injuries during the grading games but onc e in
the championship rounds they showed the value
of being fit and training with enthusiasm and
self-belief. The players knew their roles and the
forwards began to score goals and the defence
proved to be a near impregnable barrier. These
are the players who will our 1st XI in a couple of
years and they definitely have the temperament,
skills and techniques to emulate this years’ 1st
XI. Their desire stemmed from their very good
attitude to training.
4th XI. This team was made up of year 11
players who have the skills and talents to play at
a much higher level in future years. The team had
many close fixtures but the results did not always
go their way. They always pushed the top teams
with many of the results always decided by the
odd goal. Mr Gerry McKay worked very hard to get
the team to work as a unit but having a squad of
12 meant that illness and absences proved very
costly. I hope that these players come back next
season because I am positive that many of them
will develop into very fine footballers.
3rd XI. This team was composed entirely
of year 13 players who enjoyed each others
company and they developed a very high degree
of comradeship that build lasting friendships. This
team had had players of extra-ordinary ability and
athletism that if they had the desire could have
played successfully in any of the higher teams.
The team has been “mates“ for between 5 to7
years and wanted to finish their college years
playing alongside their friends. The team finished
second after their championship games losing
both games to Wgtn High. In these fixtures there
was always that feeling that they were beatable.
They were beatable as seen by the powerful
all round dominance of them in the finals. We
deserved to be crowned champions. The team
dynamics keeping drawing players into it and as
a consequence they improved in their defensive
abilities as well as their goal scoring abilities. They
were deserved champions.
2nd XI. These players will make a very
formidable 1st XI next year. They have the
attributes that make a team successful. They
have a real desire to play attractive attacking
football. They have exciting players in the key
positions on the field. They listen and learn from
their very knowledgeable and progressive coach,
Mr Chris Gibbons. They train in all weather and
St Bernard’s College 2013