Little Leagues Report – Round 6

Little League Report
It was fantastic to see our students finish Term 1 Saturday sport on a high with some excellent performances over the weekend. There was great energy and excitement at Hordern Oval, where several of our cricket teams had the special opportunity to play on the Senior School ground.

A standout moment was the Year 6A team’s thrilling win over Shore, which turned into a real community event, supported by the Senior School and attended by special guests. One highlight was welcoming Sam Konstas, brother of our coach Bill Konstas. Sam became a sensation over summer for his courageous performance against India during the Boxing Day Test. His determination and resilience serve as a powerful example for our young athletes, and we are grateful to Sam for returning to Cranbrook to inspire and connect with our Year 6 cricketers.

On Friday afternoon we will move into the winter season and spend the rest of the term training and in trials. Let’s stay committed to our craft and our teammates as we prepare ourselves for Round 1 at the beginning of Term 2.

Yours in Sport,

James Roughan
Head of PDHPE & Sport 

Tennis
A fantastic win on Saturday against Trinity, with the As finishing 8-4 in sets. It was a very close match for the 1st doubles pair, resulting in a narrow 3-4 loss, while all other doubles pairs secured wins, giving Cranbrook a 3-1 lead heading into the singles. Special mention to Santiago and Josh L, who showed great professionalism in their doubles match to win 5-2. Hugo B played a spectacular singles match to win 5-0, while teammates Ricky and Toby dominated their matches. Josh M and Josh L both fought hard to secure tight 3-2 victories, sealing the overall win for the As.

Summer Tennis Junior B’s
Loss: 2-10 (20-48)
In our fixture against Trinity, the Junior B team faced a variety of playing styles, from powerful groundstrokes to aggressive net play. Henry R and Jonathan started strongly, combining clever cross-court angles and solid baseline shots. Nathaniel and Henry W showed great communication and movement to secure vital games against tough opposition.

Despite determined efforts, Leo S, Leo M, Harvey, and William were unable to clinch their doubles matches. However, Leo S and Harvey showed fantastic resilience and tactical awareness to secure 3-2 wins in their singles. Leo M and Nathaniel also worked hard to gain valuable games for the team.

It was a challenging day for the B’s, but they gained key takeaways in patterns of play, self-belief, and communication to carry forward into future matches and the new season.

Ben Higgins
Head of Tennis

Basketball
The Year 3/4 Blue 1 team played some exceptional basketball on Saturday against Scots, with a thrilling finish resulting in a 17-16 win for Cranbrook. Jake M, Avery T, and Austin Y contributed key moments to secure the victory

The Year 3/4 Blue 2 team continues to improve. In their match against Scots, they showed flashes of great composure at both ends of the court in a competitive 14-23 loss. Isaac I worked tirelessly on defense, Baxter O-M was consistently involved, and George G showed great improvement as the game progressed.

Basketball Year 3 and 4 Blues

Basketball Cs and Ds

The 5/6E team took control early and finished with a solid win against Trinity, with Marcus C and Rafferty L playing standout roles. The 5/6F team played with great spirit in their match against Trinity, eventually going down 15-30. Cohen S, Teddy A, and Wisdom X demonstrated committed team basketball throughout.

Basketball Year 5 and 6

Water Polo

Junior B vs Scots B

The Cranbrook B team have come to the end of their Term 1 water polo season with their last game against rival school Scots. They started with a close first quarter, tied at 2–2, with the Cranbrook students mounting multiple promising attacks while defending well in a press defence. Scots were able to create a lead in the second quarter, going into halftime up 5–3.

In the second half, the Scots students ran away with it, scoring 7 unanswered goals and leaving the final score at 12–3. The Cranbrook players put together an impressive first half by using smart passes and showing strong defensive awareness. However, they were unable to hold out the Scots students in the second half.

Overall, Cranbrook demonstrated significant improvement in their water polo skills and game knowledge throughout the match, and have set themselves up with a solid foundation to build upon in Term 4.

Waterpolo Bs

Junior A vs Scots A

Scots took an early lead in the first quarter, going up 3–1 over the Cranbrook students. Cranbrook responded with two more goals in the second quarter, but Scots extended their lead with another three, taking the score to 6–3 at halftime.

The students created a few strong chances in the half that they weren’t able to capitalise on, but will look to take advantage of these opportunities in the second half of the season. Scots closed out the game with another 6 goals, while Cranbrook managed to add two more, resulting in a final score of 12–5 in Scots’ favour.

Cranbrook’s showed considerable improvement throughout the season but will need to focus on making quicker decisions both offensively and defensively in Term 4.

Greg McFadden
Head of Water Polo

Cricket
As the Junior School cricket season came to a close, Hordern Oval was buzzing as we hosted several matches. The energy was fantastic, especially among our Year 3 and 4 teams, who played a series of tightly contested games. The smiling faces of students and the strong support from parents and grandparents were real highlights.

The Year 4A fought hard in a classic derby but narrowly lost to Scots, while the Year 5A finished their season on a high with an impressive win over Kings, a great reflection of their development this term. The Year 6B team also picked up a well-deserved win against Shore at Woollahra 2/3.

The Year 6A side capped off their season in dramatic fashion on Hordern Oval. After setting a competitive total of 98, they had Shore struggling early at 4 for 5. Shore mounted a determined fightback, reaching 66 for 5, but a key wicket from Jasper M and a brilliant run-out sealed a thrilling victory, with Shore falling just 10 runs short.

Thank you to all players, coaches and supporters for a fantastic summer season. Enjoy the winter break, and we look forward to seeing many of you in the second half of the season

Ben Staunton
Head of Cricket

Cricket Year 3As

Cricket Year 3Bs

Cricket Year 3Cs

Cricket Year 4Bs

Cricket Year 4Cs

Cricket Year 6

Sailing
Under cloudy skies and a strong sou’wester, the students were excited to spend their final sailing session on Rose Bay. Working together, they quickly rigged their boats, completed their briefings, and launched into the challenging conditions. It was fantastic to see how much their sailing skills had improved in heavier winds over the term, especially the Year 4 students who confidently skippered their boats. We look forward to continuing their sailing journey when we return in Term 4.

Multi-Sport
Round 6 marked the conclusion of a terrific Term 1 Multi-Sport program with the much-anticipated Students vs. Parents showdown. In a series of intense Rollerball matches, the first game ended in a nail-biting draw. The parents, playing the role of the “big kids”, went full throttle to take out the next two games, though some students may have noticed a few creative interpretations of the rules! Thank you to all students and parents for an outstanding season!