Sport
Churchie hosted a successful third round of GPS fixtures over the weekend, kicked off on Friday with the highly anticipated Churchie Swimming Age Championships and our debating teams hosting Nudgee and serving both tantalising Chinese snacks (for the Lunar New Year) and great debates. Then, Saturday saw our host regatta at Lake Wyaralong while cricket and volleyball matches at Churchie had us on the edge of our seats.
For the results summary, visit myChurchie – GPS Sports and Activities.
Rowing
Regatta three, hosted by Churchie, provided an exciting race format, producing the best spectacle of the season so far.
Run as heats and finals, as opposed to our usual two-race format, this format placed crews into finals based on their finishing time and not constrained to their division of entry.
The result was a regatta full of tight races and thrilling finishes, pitting boats against those with similar skillsets and speed. Highlights of this week were Year 10 Thirds and Year 9 Fourths. The Year 10 Thirds continued to dominate, with the boat stroked by Ben Parker setting their best time of the season in 5:00.34, which also would have qualified them first in division two. The Year 9 Fourths won the E final in a fantastic time that would have also put them on the podium in the two divisions above them.
Two notable crews were our Open First VIII and Year 11 First VIII. The First VIII had their best row of the season. After a challenging heat, they collected themselves with the maturity fitting of our top boat and produced a fantastic A final. They pushed TSS right to the end and closed the gap to only 6 seconds, the closest anyone has got all season.
The Year 11 First VIII also had their best regatta of the year. A strong showing in their heat put them in the Open B final with our Open Seconds and Thirds. Their best row of the season saw them place fourth ahead of both our Open division boats.
A special part of the Churchie regatta is the Brian Chatterton Trophy awarded to the crew that wins the Opens Division 2 race. This is awarded each year at the Churchie regatta and was won by TSS this year.
Tyson Sholl
Director of Rowing
Swimming
Over 140 swimmers filled the marshalling list for the inaugural 2024 Churchie Age Championship. A wave of blue and grey filled the stands, mounted the blocks and made waves down the pool in pursuit of the perpetual championship trophy. A large crowd of parents added to the atmosphere, with Swimming Support Group providing an epic sausage sizzle and famous bake sale produce. Thank you to our staff for timekeeping and special thank you to Tom Wehl, Tom Pattison and Charlie Wehl for managing the marshalling of athletes and starting races. The presentation of our Captain of Swimming weekly Gnome Award went to Charlie Wehl.
Congratulations to the following Age Runners up and Champions:
| 2024 | Names |
|---|---|
| 10 years and under – Champion | Patrick Wolf and Harry Edwards |
| 10 years and under – Runner Up | Nash Walker |
| 11 years and under – Champion | Stirling Hall |
| 11 years and under – Runner Up | Dorce Walters |
| 12 years and under – Champion | Henry Zhao |
| 12 years and under – Runner Up | Harris Shonahn |
| 13 years and under – Champion | Matty Forrest |
| 13 years and under – Runner Up | Henry Juniper |
| 14 years and under – Champion | Boe Duncan |
| 14 years and under – Runner Up | Nicholas Shalders |
| 15 years and under – Champion | Maxwell Cunningham |
| 15 years and under – Runner Up | Flynn Swift |
| 16 years and under – Champion | Lachlan Evans |
| 16 years and under – Runner Up | Spencer Kilimnik |
| Opens – Champion | William Shepherd-Smith |
| Opens – Runner Up | Connor Davidson |
The fastest time in the pool was Open Age Champion William Shepherd-Smith, improving on his 2023 time with a 25.38 for 50 metres freestyle. The second fastest time was delivered by Connor Davidson (26.26) and the third fastest from Spencer Kilimnik (26.50).
Thank you to our amazing swimming staff and support group. Without you, this event would not have run so effortlessly and been enjoyed by all.
Our last two Friday meets will be held at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler, competing against other GPS Schools. Boys are reminded to register their attendance via the bus registration form as transport to Chandler is mandatory. Our final two race meets are the remaining opportunities for boys to register a race time in events for team considerations. All spectators are welcome to attend and, due to procedure changes by the Sleeman Sports Complex, parent spectators are asked to bring their phone to access the GPS Spectator pass and show upon entry to the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
The 2024 Awards Presentation event invitation and RSVP online portal are available on myChurchie – Swimming. All families are invited to attend and a list of awards and criteria presented on the night can be found on myChurchie.
Our Preliminary GSP championship team announcement is scheduled for Monday 19 March and the final team announced the following Monday.
Jaye Finocchiaro
Director of Swimming
Debating
Our round three home round was truly one for celebrations. From the Lunar New Year decorations to the high-energy and spirits of our parent volunteers eagerly feeding our boys and their visitors, we started our afternoon in fine spirits. It was this positivity that gave our debaters a confidence and morale boost that contributed to a truly excellent round of debating.
For our Year 7 GPS squad, it was their final round of trials, led by Mr Grant Smith (and assisted by coaches Harry Rae and Dashiell Young). After an exciting round of short-prep debates, we were able to confirm our 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 squads. Congratulations to those boys.
The captain’s ‘gee-up’ (a re-established tradition prior to debates) reminded boys that debating is fun, regardless of the outcome, and that wins aren’t possible unless we respect our opponent and every point they raise.
It’s advice that was clearly heeded by all boys. From the outset, the wins rolled in steadily in all age groups, and the excitement and tension grew with each win. The lively crowd in The Centenary Library lecture theatre provided great support for our Senior A debaters, who were tunnelled into enthusiastic cheering, and the crowd was rewarded with a split win to the boys on the topic ‘that we regret the commercialisation of Indigenous art.’
Well done to the boys, not just for the achievement, but for the tenacity, respect for opposition, and hospitality to our guests. We’re hoping to maintain this winning streak into our next round against Toowoomba Grammar School this Friday. Keep an eye on myChurchie for transport details and information about our ‘friendlies’ supplementary debates here at school for the teams not heading over the range.
Rebecca Hewitt
Director of Debating
Cricket
Our round three match-up against Nudgee was one of the most anticipated rounds of the season.
Despite rain intervals throughout the day, the boys performed well to achieve strong overall results. 7A, 9A, 10A and the Thirds continued to their impressive seasons to each notch a third straight win, while a number of B to D teams were also successful in securing wins after last week’s tough round. Highlights were the Third XI securing a huge 130 runs, 9A winning their match without losing a wicket and 9C reducing Nudgee to just 37 runs and chasing it down with all wickets to spare.
The First XI’s match was a challenging contest, with regular shifts in momentum due to the weather. Despite this, Churchie produced a solid performance with the bat to finish with 5/140 from 40 overs, led by 52* from Tighe Morris and 42 from Angus Storen. Nudgee then fell short in their run chase, with the left arm spin duo of Henry Hiller (3/22) and Rupert Bignall (2/9) standing out in the team’s victory. The win sees Churchie remain unbeaten after three rounds, sitting behind early pace setters Ipswich Grammar School and The Southport School.
Congratulations to these boys for their excellent performances:
- Tighe Morris 52* (First XI)
- Cooper Mostert 56 (Second XI)
- Conor Wrigley 82* (Third XI)
- Feliks Dunbar 3/11 (Third XI)
- Charlie Hartwright 75 (Fourth XI)
- Sean Hansen 58 (11A)
- Banjo Jenkins 48* (9A)
- Teddy Chandler 48 & 3/20 (8B)
This weekend we take on Toowoomba Grammar School, with the Firsts and odd year levels away.
A reminder to all members of the Churchie Cricket community that tickets to the End of Season Presentation Dinner are now for sale. Please see myChurchie for more information and to purchase tickets.
James Patmore
Director of Cricket
Volleyball
Round three was an incredibly thrilling event that surpassed all expectations. Despite facing the formidable Nudgee programme, our teams showcased their continuous improvement and unwavering commitment to excellence with only six programme losses throughout the day. The Nudgee College team arrived with a passionate and determined group of young men, eager to secure a victory. However, our blue and grey army demonstrated their resilience and refused to back down. The atmosphere in Sir John Pidgeon Centre was electric, with the venue packed to capacity with spectators as well as hundreds of boys from each school eagerly anticipating the Nudgee versus Churchie First VI showdown.
Before the highly anticipated 12:30 pm match, there were several standout performances worth mentioning. Ethan Thomas from the 11Bs delivered an impressive serving performance, leading his team to an emphatic win in The Campbell Centre. The Blue and Grey army, led by our 2024 passionate school leaders, not only supported the First VI for an epic three hours but also rallied the troops to get behind our amazing Second VI and their winning performance to then provide that much-needed push for the 10Cs to rise up and pull away to win their match.
Prep School Volleyball saw an exciting weekend for us, playing some nail-biting games against Nudgee. Both the Year 5 teams played excellent volleyball with great team effort. The 5As remained calm under pressure in a very close game and the 5Bs showed Nudgee they were a force to be reckoned with, consistently serving balls in and returning anything that came their way. Well done to Ari Mathews and Caiden Dastoor for keeping the ball with your stellar digging skills. The 6Bs showed determination on Saturday in their game against Nudgee. Well done to Caleb Cheng for returning some powerful serves and to all boys for their improved communication and quick decision making. The 6As went down to Nudgee, 1–2, in one of their hardest games to date. The boys showed grit and determination when faced with the pressure of their serves, spikes and tips all being picked up by their opponents. They showed that even when faced with a challenge they can hold their heads high and continue to show support for one another. The boys played exceptional volleyball and should feel proud of their skills and improvements each week.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the enormous crowd that gathered to support both teams. Their presence created a sense of anticipation and excitement that permeated the air. The closely matched abilities of both teams only added to the excitement and intensity of the game. Following our victory over Nudgee at AVSC, they came for redemption, resulting in intense rallies and closely contested scores in every set. The level of volleyball displayed by both teams during the match was nothing short of elite. Each point had the massive crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the epic five sets. While Nudgee’s First VI put up a valiant fight, it was our elated Churchie team that emerged victorious.
This weekend round four sees the senior programme up the mountain taking on Toowoomba Grammar School and the juniors playing at home. Don’t forget the end of season presentation link is live with an early bird price special—lock in your tickets now before you miss out!
Carrie Mill
Director of Volleyball
Sporting achievements
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved representative success in their sporting pursuits:
Benjamin Donger (Year 12) was selected for the 13 to 19 years Metropolitan East Tennis team to compete at the State Championships in Brisbane in March.
Caelan Smith (Year 12) was selected in the 13 to 19 years Metropolitan East Triathlon Team which competed in Harvey Bay last weekend.
Daniel Lane (Year 7) and Nate Strachan (Year 7) were both selected in the 11 and 12 years Metropolitan East Aquathlon team that competed in Harvey Bay last weekend.
Trent Goodrick
Head of Cocurricular