Sport Round Up
The Lewis report. 9Bs Basketball
The 9B Basketballers played Trinity in a heart-stopper of a match on Saturday at Dangar. The score was tight all game, with the lead swapping constantly, and both teams playing full court defence.
With 1:30 remaining, our 9Bs were down 40-43. Tritan Atkin took it up a notch, getting up and down the floor and winning the rebounds.
The match came down to the last 46 seconds; with our team down by a point: 42-43. Coach Jabbour called a timeout, and our team calmly listened as he explained the play. We then stepped onto the court and executed the plan to perfection. A bonus free throw allowed us to extend our lead to 3 points with 10.7 seconds remaining. A Trinity timeout then gave both teams another chance to catch their breath. We drew up a defensive strategy – remain strong and disciplined.
Our defence was unwavering for the final seconds. The cheers of the crowd echoed through the courts as the buzzer sounded with the scoreboard showing 46-43. Congratulations 9Bs on a thrilling come-back win. To gain 6 points while keeping Trinity to 0 is a testament to your efforts to play until the very last second.
Tennis
Saturday saw Cranbrook Tennis take on Trinity Grammar School away. The boys got off to a solid start in their doubles matches with Cranbrook leading 3-1 going into the singles games. Eric Mallam and Marc Perilli won both sets in their doubles with some sublime tennis played. Eric Mallam beat Trinity no.1 6-4 with some smart tennis, whilst Marc Perilli was the player of the day winning his singles 6-1 with some extremely disciplined tennis played. Mickey Chen was the last singles winner for the team who was also a big improver from the previous week winning 6-2. The 1st team won 6-2 overall beating the school that was sitting in 2nd place on the ladder. The 2nd team found Trinity a little tough today losing 3-5 overall but not without special mention to both Hugo Wise and Casper Cooper who gave it their all in both singles and doubles matches. The 3rd and 5th teams both won 6-0 overall with Oli Walker playing some quality tennis to help the team win convincingly. The 4th team won on count-back by 6 games and tying on sets with Liam Kelly making life tough for himself in his singles but knuckling down and managing to get the win 6-4 overall. The 6th team unfortunately lost on count-back due to Cranbrook having to forfeit a singles and doubles match due to being short a player.
The 10A team were without a few players this weekend resulting in a loss of 1-5. Special mention to Remy McKay winning his singles match. The B team won 4-2 overall with Spencer Tang and Jia Zhang putting on an impressive display in all their matches. The C and D teams carried on the winning streak with both teams getting a 5-1 win overall.
The 9A and C teams played extremely well to both win 5-1 overall. Forest Li was back to his best on the day and great to see him playing with confidence! The B team were too strong for Trinity this time winning 6-0. The D team won a very tight match on count-back after tying 3-3 on sets and winning by 5 games to separate the two teams. Thomas O’Connor was player of the team with a great example of tactical awareness in both his singles and doubles.
The Year 8 teams all lost 0-6 with a few forfeits with late withdrawal from the fixtures. Kailu Kurnadi once again was the player who showed some real willingness to win but just lost 6-7. It was not a good day for Year 8 and not a good showing of care for their own teammates pulling out late.
The Year 7 teams put things right for Cranbrook with both the A and B teams both winning 4-2 overall. Special mention to Blake Heckes and Alex Twaits who played an outstanding doubles match against a strong pair. The C team won 5-1 overall whist the D team won 6-0 overall with Oscar East getting his chance to play in the teams from Players Club and getting the win 6-0 in his singles match.
Overall, it was a good day for Cranbrook Tennis winning 71% of all matches.
Ben Higgins
Head of Tennis
Cricket
The rain on Friday didn’t dampen the weekend at all, as we celebrated several positive results across the board. Most teams that chose to bowl first were able to put Trinity under pressure, setting the tone for an exciting round of matches.
1st XI
The 1st XI headed to Hudson Park uncertain of what to expect, especially when Trinity won the toss and opted to bat. Early pressure from disciplined bowling on a challenging pitch slowed the game down, requiring patience from our players. A direct run-out by Jack Flintoff sent one of Trinity’s main batters back to the sheds, and tight bowling continued with Tim Molnar’s impressive figures of 1 for 11 off 10 overs. Other bowlers, including Johri, Mann, and Pelly, also performed well, each maintaining tight spells. As Trinity crawled to just 89 runs, we capitalized on the situation.
Matthew Downes then had an aggressive start, scoring 39 off 46 balls, helping us chase down the total with 4 wickets down. This solid performance sets us up nicely for the upcoming fixture against Knox on Hordern Oval.
2nd XI
The 2nd XI played some entertaining cricket, managing to pull themselves out of a tough spot thanks to a solid partnership between Jago Schutzinger (39) and Ed Copping (41). Quick-fire contributions from Toby Foster (25) and Noah Teitler (18) at the end of the innings saw us finish on 193/8. Nick Tompkins claimed an early wicket, putting Trinity’s 2nd XI under pressure. Our well-managed bowling and fielding ensured they never recovered, resulting in a comfortable 70-run victory for us.
3rd XI
The 3rd XI executed good bowling and fielding techniques, but unfortunately, things fell apart when it was time for our batting. With 6 ducks, including 3 golden ducks, we fell well short of the target, with Rupert Tait top-scoring with just 19 runs.
10 A
The 10 A team was in fine form, with Luke Cassidy stealing the show by taking 3 wickets for just 6 runs, helping to bowl Trinity out for 60 runs. Hugo Helyar contributed another 2 wickets, as most bowlers managed to take at least one wicket. The chase was manageable, but a couple of soft dismissals prevented us from capitalizing fully on the situation.
9A
The 9A team bounced back strongly after a few tough matches, knocking over Trinity for a mere 69 runs. New spinner Hugo Hill was outstanding, taking 5 wickets for just 5 runs. While most batters scored in the teens, no one truly held the innings together, but we managed to chase it down with 5 wickets to spare.
8A
The 8A team found themselves in a tight contest where every run counted, managing to become the only team to win after batting first. Despite losing an early wicket, Kalan Joyce and George Andreatta held the innings together, both scoring 29 runs to help us reach a total of 100. Our bowlers needed to be on point, and Joyce was the standout with 4 wickets for 15 runs, supported by Tudehope, Jones, and Goodall, who all bowled economically.
7A
The 7A team opted to bat on a tricky deck and faced a solid Trinity outfit that had recently been bowling teams out for under 50 runs. A gutsy innings from Oscar Rouse (53*) allowed us to battle to a respectable 110/7 before Trinity chased it down with several overs to spare, winning by 7 wickets.
7B
The 7B team also encountered a strong opponent and were beaten convincingly, although Tom Clark managed to score 24 runs in a challenging match.
As we approach the last two weeks of the season, we are witnessing an exciting conclusion to the 1st XI Competition, with four teams still in the mix for the Arthur Shield and the 2nd XI chasing an unbeaten season. We eagerly welcome Knox to Hordern next weekend, which promises to be a great challenge across the board.
Lastly, we still have a couple of tickets available for the Cricket Lunch happening on 7th March at the Royal Yacht Club. The Parent Support Group is doing an amazing job organizing guest speakers and prizes, so please use this link provided if you’re interested in attending.
Looking forward to more great cricket ahead!
Ben Staunton
Head of Cricket
Touch Football
1s Report
Cranbrook’s 1st side started with incredible energy, dominating from the outset. Matt O’Neil was the star, scoring four tries that gave us a strong early lead. The larger field allowed us to use the available space effectively, and the team worked together to maximize every opportunity. The boys gave their all in the first half, pushing hard both in attack and defence. As the second half began, Trinity made their move and scored first, but our boys remained resilient. They quickly regrouped and tightened up defensively, holding strong against any further threats. Through solid teamwork and determination, Cranbrook managed to seal a hard-earned 5-1 victory.
2s Report
The 2nd team touch footy boys started strong against a sluggish Trinity side. By halftime, the score was 5-0 in favour of Cranbrook, thanks to their impressive defence. The team’s organization and communication were key, with players making solid decisions throughout the game. Zack Golovsky was a standout, scoring a couple of breakaway tries and making crucial touches on the defensive line. Despite facing a more aggressive and confrontational Trinity team, the Cranbrook boys maintained their composure. The team’s solid teamwork and strategic play led them to a well-deserved 8-3 victory.
3s Report
The game was a tough one for the 3’s, as they struggled in the first half. It took them some time to really switch on and find their rhythm. Their play lacked intensity, and they seemed to be playing catch-up for most of it.
However, things started to improve in the second half. The team came out with a renewed focus, particularly on their drives and defence. They showed more aggression and determination, making key plays on both ends of the field. The drives became more effective, breaking through the defence and creating better scoring opportunities. Defensively, they were more solid, shutting down their opponent’s attempts and creating turnovers. While they couldn’t quite recover fully from the first half, the improvements in the second half showed potential.
Peter Dumbleton
Head of Touch Football
Basketball
Round 8
Cranbrook Basketball were scheduled against Trinity in Round 8 of the CAS season. Cranbrook and Trinity have had a long history of Basketball battles and where instrumental in the introduction of Friday night games 23 years ago; the 1sts & 2nds played on Friday night at Trinity.
1sts
Friday at Trinity and the 1sts were enthusiastic to continue their development this Term. It was tough, Trinity had a strong team both physically and skill. Cranbrook got into a hole early but were able to fight back in the second quart training by 14 points at half time. In the second half Trinity got away from Cranbrook and were able to finish the game comfortably. The Brookie Ballers gave everything they had and there were plenty of highlights. Again, Cranbrook played hard all the way to the end, and although the scoreline was significant, Trinity had to earn every point.
Cranbrook 1sts 68 – Trinity 102
2nds
Cranbrook 2nds started slow against Trinity and were able to hold Trinity’s offensive pressure early in the game but were unable to score. At half time it was 12-30 and although Cranbrook matched Trinity for the rest of the game, Trinity finished clear victors.
Cranbrook 2nds 25 – St Aloysius 51
10As & Bs
The 10Bs had a fantastic 11-point win over Trinity. Final score 37-26. Much improved effort from their last match against Trinity which finished in a draw. Well done! The 10As had a fight on their hands against Trinity’s slick basketball machine. Cranbrook gained some momentum in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win. Loss by four points. Final score 32-36.