Sport Round Up Report
Swimming
The second annual Dual Meet was a huge success for our CAS Swim Team, delivering a night of fast and fierce racing for all involved. This year’s teams were Waverley and St Catherine’s, Cranbrook and SCEGGS, and St Patrick’s and Meriden. The meet served as an excellent warm-up prior to the CAS Championship on Thursday 13 March. We started the night winning each age group from 13-15 years 50m Freestyle both A and B divisions. Charlie Gassman (Yr8 Strickland), Luke Cassidy (Yr10 Davidson), Oscar Stewart (Yr10 Hone), and Ethan Negrin (Yr12 Hone) all achieved personal best times in their 50m Freestyle. Next up was the 50m Backstroke where Ollie Minning (Yr12 Hone) dropped a personal best breaking 30 seconds. The 50m Breaststroke was next where Max Khan (Yr8 Chelmsford) was beaming from ear to ear after achieving a personal best time in this event.
There were several standout performances, including our vice-captain, Tate Sirianni (Yr12 Northcott), who broke the school record for the second time this season in the 50m Backstroke with an impressive time of 27.16 seconds. The junior swimmers also had a fantastic night, with Thomas Penny (Yr7 Thomas) claiming first place in both the 50m Freestyle and Breaststroke, Noah Kemp (Yr9 Rawson) delivered a dominant performance winning all three of his races, 50m Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly, and Carter McGee (Yr8 Hewan) won the 50m Freestyle and Backstroke double. The 14/u mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle relay also won C & D division.
Cranbrook went back-to-back and won the boys point score by 58 points to Waverley. Thanks to some outstanding contributions from SECGGS, we also won the combined point score by 28 points over Waverley and St Catherine’s. Axel Robinson, 2024 Alumni and Swim Team Captain was able to join us to present the winners with their shields.
Overall, it was an incredible night of racing and the perfect way to set up the team for a big showdown at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday, where we hope to improve on last year’s results.
Rebbecca Wheatley, Head of Aquatics (Acting)
Tennis
Saturday saw the last round of the summer season for our tennis boys. The 1st team finished off with a 6-2 win with Eric Mallam showing great maturity on the court to help lead his doubles partner Hugo Wise in his second appearance in the 1st team to win both sets in doubles. Mickey Chen and Wentworth Twaits split the sets in doubles, leaving it to the singles matches for the team to get the win for Cranbrook. Mickey, Eric and Hugo Wise were all singles winners to help the 1st team finish off the day 6-2 winners. The 1st team had a mixed season with some very impressive tennis played and great win against Barker in the very first round. The 2nd team continued to show Cranbrooks depth winning 8-0 overall. Captain Oli Berger and Oli Walker played together to win their doubles match comfortably, showing great professionalism throughout the match. Josh Yee and Casper Cooper outclassed their opponents winning 6-0/ 6-0. All of the boys continued the trend in their singles to all win. The 2nd team finished joint 2nd on the CAS table behind Knox Grammar School who once again finished as winners for the summer season.
The 3rd and 4th teams were too strong with both teams winning 6-0 overall with our 3rd team not losing a single game! Well done to the 3rd and 4th team who have been training hard and showing some good improvement.
The Year 10A, B and C teams all did not drop a set winning 6-0 with Year 10 showing the depth we have at Cranbrook. Special mention to Jia Zhang and Ming Zhang who were personally undefeated for the season! The D team won 5-1 overall with some impressive tennis played by Jasper Katz.
The Year 9 boys continued to show their improvement over the season and playing with a lot of tactical awareness to outsmart their opponents. The A team won 5-1, whilst the B and C teams both winning 6-0. Special mention to Doug Murray who has shown a big improvement in his own tactics in recent matches.
The 8A and B teams were the only teams to play for the Year 8 teams this week. The boys have finished the season well. The A team won 5-1 with Max Khan and Miles Murphy playing some solid doubles together over the last few weeks. Peter Medich and Justin Wang also played very well in their doubles to help their team win 6-0 overall.
The Year 7 boys had a great end to the summer season with the A team winning 4-2 with Zach Foo and Riley Tay playing some beautiful tennis together. The B, C and D teams all won 6-0. The B team were too strong for their opponents this time not losing a single game.
Overall it was a very successful weekend with Cranbrook winning 100% of matches.
This season Cranbrook Tennis has beaten every school in overall percentage accept Knox Grammar who were the overall winners. This is down to the boys willing to try and improve in every training session and continuous hard work.
I would like to thank the Ivan Fernandez and the coaches who have been instrumental to the development of our players and depth in the teams. Also to the managers for their work over the season and help organising the teams each week. Finally to the parents who have helped get their son to the matches on time and the extra support on the sidelines. I hope you enjoy your Saturdays back.
Ben Higgins, Head of Tennis
Cricket
Well, that’s the cricket season done and dusted for the Senior School, and what an entertaining last weekend it was! The weekend kicked off beautifully with the first Cricket Lunch held at the Royal Yacht Club on Friday, a brilliant event made special by the energy and drive of Meg and Aidan Tudehope. Their hard work was evident and greatly appreciated by our cricket community on hosting and organising this special event.
The talk around the grounds was focused on the 1st XI and their pursuit of the Premiership, which didn’t quite pan out as hoped. We fought hard to recover in our batting innings, with Chris Harris scoring 54 and Tim Molnar contributing 64. However, we fell short, bowled out in the final over for 196. Waverley though proved far too strong with the bat leading to a convincing victory.
Across the age groups, there were several tight matches, which is always great to see. The closest contest resulted in a tie for the Year 10A team. On Hordern, runs flowed nicely for batters, but critical moments defined the match. A high-risk run-out chance towards the end of Waverley’s innings resulted in 4 overthrows, allowing them to post 160/6. We got off to a shaky start, but a solid partnership between Pepper (48) and Emile Ghosn (35) brought us back into the game. Will Goodall had an electrifying last over, needing 12 runs, and after hitting 2, then a 4, and another 4, we found ourselves needing a single off the last ball. Unfortunately, Will aimed for glory, only to sky it to mid-off, who held the catch, resulting in a tied match.
The 3rd XI traveled to Kings and managed to post a decent total of 116/2, with Van Onions scoring 42, Rupert Tait finishing on 31*, and Nelson Havrey contributing 20 runs. However, Kings successfully chased it down with ease, finishing 2 wickets down and a couple of overs to spare.
In contrast, the Barbarians also faced Kings but put in a commanding performance, bowling them out for just 81 runs, with Xavier Dekkers scoring 25* as we raced to the target easily.
The 8A match came down to the wire, reaching the final over with only 2 balls remaining. Unfortunately, we fell on the wrong side of the result, which will serve as a valuable learning point. A great partnership between Jayden Cohen and Emile Ghosn, both scoring 53, had put us in a good position but ultimately couldn’t see us over the line as we failed to maximise our final batting overs.
The 8B team enjoyed a solid 28-run victory, with contributions from everyone in batting and bowling. Jasper Lee impressed with a score of 25, helping the team post 90 runs off their 20 overs. Charlie Roberts and Seb O’Connor tied down the opposition with their effective bowling.
The 9A team started well, leaving Waverley at 7/3 early on. However, we allowed them to escape as the next partnership amassed 90 runs. Waverley finished their 30 overs at 121/8, and we experienced a shaky start, losing our inform player Yetton (after scoring 92* last week) early. Seb Gray stepped up to lead the innings, scoring an unbeaten 54*, supported by Grayson Gerber, Dylan Davison, and Freddie Tait (14*), allowing us to cross the winning line with 3 overs to spare.
The Year 7B team faced a challenging target of 139/8 in their 20 overs. At drinks, we were struggling at 39/3, but Tom Clark’s valiant innings of 60 nearly brought us victory, although we fell short by 11 runs.
One of the highlights of the day was the performance of Oscar Rouse from the 7A team, who scored an impressive 123* in his team’s total of 153/6. This marked a fantastic achievement for a young player, celebrating his first century. The team ultimately won by 18 runs, making Oscar’s innings pivotal.
Lastly, the 2nd XI achieved a rare feat by going through the entire season undefeated, securing another commanding victory. They had to work hard to rebuild their innings, with Tom Dawson scoring 54 and Ed Copping also contributing significantly. The partnership between Jamie Samios (45) and Hugo Wise (48*) helped lead the team to a solid total of 197/5. Nick Tompkins took early wickets, and a direct run-out by Matthew Farthing left Waverley reeling at 32/3. Captain Teitler then took matters into his own hands, claiming 3 wickets for 23 runs, concluding the match with another 70-run victory.
The overall standout aspect of the season is that we may not have won a premiership in the 1st XI, but I am incredibly impressed by the character and growth of all our older boys. Their friendship and support for one another are truly commendable. They have exemplified the mantra of being the best person you can be, which we hold dear within our cricketing community.
As we transition into the winter season, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making this season a memorable experience. A special acknowledgment goes to Mr. Banes, Mr. Grice, Mr. Lewis, our coaches, and the parent support group for all their time and dedication throughout the summer months. Your commitment has played a vital role in fostering a positive environment for our players.
Wishing everyone a restful winter, and I look forward to seeing you all back on the field next season where we will come back stronger!
Ben Staunton, Head of Cricket
Touch Football
1s Report
In an enjoyable season finale, Cranbrook’s 1sts lost to Trinity, 8-5. A match that showcased talent and team spirit; as is tradition, all Year 12 students joined the 1sts, and standout performances from 2nds and 3rds players highlighted the team’s depth. With Callum scoring a well-crafted individual try, Minal intercepting a pass to run the length of the field for a try, and John finishing off a well-executed short ball, culminating in a fun game that left the team with great morale and a satisfying end to the season.
2s Report
2nds vs Riverview
Zac got us on the board early. Fantastic interplay with line breaks from all parts of the field. Lachlan read scores a clutch intercept burning the lungs with a 50m try.
Defence saw the boys concede soft tries, often caught doubling up on an attacker. 5:4 up at the half. Second half the boys were off their feet and really just couldn’t close the game up. A fantastic season by this group of boys. They have come a long way over the summer season and forged great bonds as mates. Well done the nights 2s.
3s Report
The Cranbrook 3’s touch team had an incredibly close match against Riverview that was hotly contested until the final few minutes of the game.
Riverview started the game with an early try but Cranbrook quickly answered with a try of their own with a nice play out on the wing.
Much of the game was a back and forth where every time Riverview scored we found our way back up the field to score a try of our own. The team held their composure with a special mention to Jared Swinbourne getting across the line twice to score a double in the final 10 minutes. We held steady in defence protecting a 2 score lead in the final few minutes of the game to seal victory.
A tough fought win for the 3’s in their final match of the season. Final score Cranbrook 7 to Riverview
Peter Dumbleton, Head of Touch Football
Basketball
Round 10
Cranbrook Basketball were scheduled against Waverley in Round 10 of the CAS season. An always high anticipate round against the local rivals. It was the last game for our Year 12s, many of which have been long time contributors to the Cranbrook Basketball program. Cranbrook Basketball thanks them for their contributions and wishes them a the best for their future.
1sts
The Cranbrook 1sts played against a Waverley at Waverley. Cranbrook began the game struggling to care for the ball resulting in a 4-20 Waverley lead. After Cranbrook found their feet and fought back, the Brookie Ballers cut the Waverley lead to 10-points at halftime. Waverley took control of the game again in the third quarter despite much competitive play from Cranbrook. Waverley eventually held a solid led and won by 16 points. What has become a habit this Term, the Cranbrook 1sts fought hard throughout, all the way to the end of the game.
Cranbrook 1sts 73 – Waverley 1sts 89
W.Dooley 17pts; N.Fenton 17pts; C.Mactavish 12pts.
2nds
Cranbrook 2nds played good basketball for much of the game against Waverley. In was a tussle for much of the game, with Cranbrook leading at halftime by 1 point. The second have was tight with basket for basket action. Long time Cranbrook coach, Rev. Farraway’s observation of 2nds basketball is ‘first to 50 points wins’. Cranbrook was not able to seal the deal and lost by 4 points.
Cranbrook 2nds 49 – Waverley 2nds 53
A.Mukalula 10pts; J.Loucas 10pts; E.Chubb 7
Our 10A and 10B basketball teams wrapped up their CAS summer sports season with outstanding performances against Waverley. Out of 10 games played, the 10Bs secured an impressive 7 wins and a draw, while the 10As claimed victory in 6 games.
A huge credit goes to Coach Will Ferster, whose exceptional leadership has elevated the teams’ performances—honing their ball skills, refining game strategies, and boosting their confidence. The students thrived in the competition, fuelled by their belief in their ability to win. I’ve personally enjoyed witnessing their energy and determination on the court. See attached photos.
10Bs
The mighty 10Bs delivered a spectacular display of teamwork and strategy, maintaining a rock-solid defence against a competitive Waverley side. Their efforts paid off with a dominant 23-point victory. Hugo Fielder’s dazzling pump-fake shots not only thrilled the crowd but also left opponents struggling to keep up.
10As
The 10As put on an impressive show on their home court. Although they started behind against a tough Waverley defence, their confidence and resilience powered a strong second-half comeback, securing a 9-point win. Oliver Rayner and Billy Kemp’s sensational three-point shots kept the team’s momentum alive, pushing them to a well-earned victory.
Stephen Whitehead, Head of Basketball
Summer Volleyball
With the 1st and 2nd XI teams enjoying a bye, our players seized the opportunity to fine-tune their skills in preparation for the upcoming winter season. This additional training time allowed them to sharpen their skills.
Our 3rd team delivered a strong performance, narrowly falling short in a closely contested match. Despite the outcome, they will undoubtedly carry valuable lessons into their upcoming fixtures.
Meanwhile, our 4th team concluded their summer season in impressive fashion, securing a resounding victory over St Aloysius. Providing a fitting finale to their season.
Ben Rollison, Head of Summer Volleyball
Water Polo
Well Saturday was the division 1 finals of the CAS/GPS Water Polo Competition. Once again we hosted at the Murray Rose Aquatic centre and didn’t we turn it on. We have the best facility of any school, and it was packed from 9:00 till 1:30 to see some great water polo.
There were 3 playoff games (1v2, 3v4 & 5v6) for all 1st, 2nd and 16A teams in each division plus we had 2 Junior school games prior to this, 11 games in total.
Unfortunately, Cranbrook was playing in the 5th place games. Three years ago, we would have been probably playing in the same games but in Division 2, so its been a great improvement from the boys to move up to division 1 and be competitive.
In 1st Grade Shore beat Newington in a penalty shoot-out 15-14, 2nd grade Riverview defeated Newington 11-10 and Trinity beat Shore 10-7.
Cranbrook, while playing for 5th position in 1st, 2nd and 16A’s were determined to have their best finishes ever in 1sts and 2nd grade, while doing the best they could in the 16A’s.
All 3 teams won their respective games, with the 1sts defeating Scots for the 1st time ever, the 2nds beating our rivals Waverley and the 16A’s coming from behind to defeat Newington in a penalty shootout.
1st – Win 11-6 v Scots
Well for the Yr 12 boys this was their last Water Polo game for Cranbrook, and they wanted to go out with a bang. What a better way to do it then to beat our uphill rivals, Scots. We had never beaten them in the history of 1st grade water polo and this was the 3rd time we had played them this year. With each game the scores had been reduced and the last time we played them 3 weeks ago we went down by 1 goal.
So, was today going to be our day?
The 1st quarter was the typical arm wrestle with a Jack Whitehead penalty goal levelling the scores at 1-1.
The 2nd quarter saw us take the game to Scots and while their GK saved many of our opportunities, our defence remained very strong, while some individual brilliance from Ethan Negrin (2) Felix Sheldrick and the goal of the game by Oliver Mining allowed us to win the quarter 4-1 and lead 5-2.
The 3rd quarter was even better, we scored 3 very quick goals at the start of the quarter to really put the pressure on Scots as we raced out to an 8-2 lead. Three goals from Ethan Negrin, one of them from a beautiful assist from Max Crowe and another 2 goals from Oliver Mining who was having his best game ever for Cranbrook virtually put the game out of reach for Scots.
We went into the last quarter playing a very safe game as all we had to do was stop Scots from scoring cheap cherry-picking goals and run down our shot clock when in possession. The boys did this extremely well and why losing the last quarter 2-1 Scots never looked like chasing us down.
The Yr 12 boys should be proud of their achievement as they have played a big part in making Scots a competitive 1st division team and have been the trailblazers for the hopefully future success of Cranbrook Water Polo. While it has been at times a tough ride for both the boys and me, it was extremely satisfying to beat Scots and hopefully this will be a regular occurrence of Cranbrook Water Polo in the future..
2nd – Win 10 – 6 v Waverley
In a thrilling final match of the season, Cranbrook Seconds delivered a dominant performance against Waverley College, securing a well-earned 10-6 victory. From the opening whistle, Cranbrook set the pace with strong defensive plays, zoning and putting more focus on their strongest player at centre forwards. Some new and improved attacking plays also allowed Cranbrook to breakaway early on in the game.
The first half saw Cranbrook take control early, capitalizing on well-executed counterattacks and sharp shooting. The team’s defensive structure was no match for Oliver Harris unstoppable placement allowing him to scrape in 2 goals before halftime. Additionally, some great communication between Archie Creswick and Thomas Caldwell enabled each of them to get an additional 2 goals. By halftime, Cranbrook held a comfortable advantage at 8-2, showcasing their teamwork and focus on attacking.
Waverley pushed back in the second half, attempting to close the gap, but Cranbrook’s resilience and offensive firepower ensured they stayed ahead. In the third quarter Cranbrook managed to get an extra two goals pushing their total to 10. Being the year 12’s last game they all hopped in for a final hurrah with players including: Oliver Harris, Sebastian North, Ben Heard and James Starr. Zac Yaffa also came out of goals for the last quarter which was unsurprisingly reflected in the 2-0 loss of the last quarter when Sach Edwards replaced him. I would like to give a huge mention to the year 12 boys who have shown leadership throughout the season
The match concluded with Cranbrook celebrating a 10-6 victory, a fitting end to a strong season. The team’s communication, determination, and strategic plays were evident throughout, making this final game a memorable one showcasing all of the hard work throughout the season.
Sebastian Dunn Lewis
16 A – Win 11-10 v Newington
Today we played Newington for 5th place and although we were disappointed to be playing for 5th, the boys were pumped up to end the season with a win.
The 1st quarter was tightly contested with both teams defending well resulting in the quarter finishing 1-1.
The 2nd quarter saw both teams start to earn more exclusions, however both teams’ defence remained solid leading to both teams only scoring 2 goals each for the quarter and the game to be tied 3-3 at half time.
The 3rd quarter started the same way as the first half with both teams struggling to score goals, however Newington started to earn more kick outs and got out to a 5-4 lead late in the 3rd quarter. With the last attack of the 3rd quarter Newington brought up their goalkeeper giving them a 7 on 6 attack, however we were able to come up with a steal with 5 seconds to go and Hector Kyriakopoulous ended up with the ball on our own 5m, throwing a backhand full court to beat the buzzer and tie the game 5-5 going into the final quarter.
The 4th quarter was tense as both teams continued to struggle scoring goals, however Newington took the lead 6-5 with a few minutes to go in the game. The boys remained calm and were able to get an equaliser with 2 minutes to go through Hector Kyriakopoulous who scored his 5th goal of the game, having his best game of the season. As the game remained tied, Newington earned a 5m with 40 seconds to go giving them a great chance of taking the lead and winning the game. However, Kernel He stepped up and made a big save, keeping the game tied. This led to the game being tied 6-6 and going into a penalty shootout.
Everyone in the pool was watching this penalty shootout so the pressure was well and truly on. Cranbrook shot first and we trailed 4-3 in the shootout meaning if we missed the next penalty we would finish 6th. Preston Irawan, coolly stepped up to the spot and placed it in the back of the net, tying the shootout 4-4. Newington still had a chance to win the game if they scored their next penalty. They stepped up and took the penalty, however Kernel He made another penalty save causing the crowd to erupt and send it into sudden death penalties. Hector Kyriakopoulous stepped up and scored meaning Newington had to score to extend the shootout. Kernel He had other ideas, saving his 3rd penalty of the game winning the game 11-10, a well earned victory for the boys.
This year we have created history in the following teams.
– Our 1sts & 16A’s finished 3rd and our 2nds finished 2nd in the Term 4 CAS competition. This meant all 3 teams qualified for the CAS/GPS Div 1 competition in Term 1. This was the 1st time 1sts and 2nds had ever qualified for Div 1.
– 3 players Ethan Negrin, Felix Sheldrick & Hugo Miocevic were all selected in the NSW CAS Team while Oliver Mining was named a reserve. The most players ever from Cranbrook.
– Junior A team won their 1st game in Div 1 (we presently are 2-2)
– We have entered 2 teams in Junior school for the 1st time A & B division
– Our 13A’s went through Term 1 undefeated, 4-0. They played against all the top Div 1 schools.
– Our 14A’s went through the whole season undefeated, 9-1-0. The 1st water polo team to do this for Cranbrook.
– Our 14B’s went through Term 1 undefeated, 5-0. They played against all the top Div 1 schools.
– Our 1sts, 2nds & 16A’s all finished 5th in the CAS/GPS Div 1. In the process of achieving this our 1sts defeated Scots college for the 1st time ever.
Greg McFadden, Head of Water Polo