Sports Corner

Representative Sport

Diocesan Cross Country - Friday 19 May

44 students headed to Grafton to represent the College at the Diocesan Cross Country Championships. Students ran a punishing hill course on what turned out to be a very warm day. We has some excellent results and a number of personal bests. Congratulations to Finn Klinkers (Year 12) and Riley Woods (Year 10) who both finished 2nd in their races respectively to be named Diocesan Runner Up Age Champions.

The Diocesan team is made up from the top 6 runners in each age division. Congratulations to Year 12’s Diaz Voglsinger, Lily Betland, Rhys Mulholland and Finn Klinkers who will compete for the Diocese in the 18 years division. Riley Andrews (Year 11) 17 years, Riley Woods (Year 10) 16 years, Maddison O’Leary (Year 10) in the 15 years and Adelaide Keating (Year 8) in the 13 years who have all qualified to run at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships in Sydney.

SJPC Cross Country Age Champions

Congratulations to our College Cross Country Champions who were crowned based on their Diocesan Cross Country finish:

12 years - Holly Johnson and Zavier Martin

13 years - Adelaide Keating and Max McKeon

14 years - Matilda Newton and Levi Newton

15 years - Maddison O'Leary and Jack Harrison

16 years - Jade Newton and Riley Woods

17 years - Riley Andrews and Flynn Oates

18 years - Diaz Voglsinger and Finn Klinkers

Australian Schools Futsal Championships - 23 - 26 May, Coffs Harbour

During Week 5, we had 8 teams compete in the Australian Schools Futsal titles in Coffs Harbour.

Tuesday 23 May-  three 13 years teams played, with one of the boys teams and our girls team making it to the grand final. The boys came away champions and our girls finished runners up.

Wednesday 24 May - we had one boys and one 14 years girls team enter. The boys finished 1st in a shootout with BDC in the grand final while the girls were unfortunately knocked out in the semi finals.

Thursday 25 May - Our 15 years boys came up against a combination of 15 and 16 years teams throughout the day. Fortunately, they went through to a final and despite finishing second, were excellent sports and represented the College with pride..

Friday 26 May - Two 19 years boys teams represented us on the final day of the tournament. The Year 12 team was knocked out in the semi finals, however the Year 11’s went through to the Grand Final against BDC, winning 5 - 3.

Congratulations to all players and  coaches. Five of the teams have now qualified for the Champions of Champions round on 20 - 23 June.

CCC Open Girls Basketball Champions - 29 and 30 May, Port Macquarie

As the champions of the Diocese of Lismore, the SJPC Girls Basketball team headed to Port Macquarie for a 2 day championship against the best from across the state. Our team, made up of primarily Year 9, 10 and 11 students competed in the Open female division.

Team members:

Coach: Ms Trish Furey, Tully Jarvis, Charlotte Cougle, Eve Genrich, Diaz Voglsinger, Kira Juffermans, Bella Wiffen, Charlize Morrison, Maya Duncan, Brooke Dart, Ausrae Harrison (injured), Manager Mrs Danielle McAra (taking photo)

On day one of the event, the ladies came up against All Saints Maitland (W 33 - 25), St John’s Dubbo (W 39 - 21) and St Patrick’s Sutherland (W 49 - 22) placing them first in Pool A.

Tuesday marked a day of finals. A quarter-final against James Sheehan High School from Orange saw the girls comfortably win 44-19. The semi-final against McCarthy College Tamworth followed, although the score, 32-14, was not a reflection of how tough the game turned out to be. The grand final against All Saints College from Maitland was a relentless and hard-fought battle, where it was goal-for-goal for the majority of the game.

The whole team contributed to the amazing result, but of particular note during the Grand Final was Kira Juffermans (Year 9) who took a leadership role on court and was a focal point in both attack and defense. Charlotte Cougle (Year 11) displayed individual brilliance to steal the ball on many occasions and convert, giving the team some breathing space. Charlize Morrison (Year 11) and Maya Duncan (Year 10) took control on court and were involved in all plays, creating many turnovers and pressuring the opposition. Tully Jarvis (Year 9), was instrumental in the team's success, stepping up into the Open division for the first time. Our girls held out to win 30–24 and have been named NSW CCC champions!

We are incredibly proud of the integrity and humility our girls displayed. Their win was well deserved and a testament to their determination and high level of skill. Congratulations ladies!

Bill Turner Trophy - Tuesday 30 May, Coffs Harbour

We hosted Bellingen High at the Synthetic Fields Leisure Park for Round 3 of the Bill Turner Trophy. Our young team played hard all game and to their credit, only went down due to a golden goal in extra time. Unfortunately, the girls are now out of the competition. Thank you to Coaches Mrs Istrate, Mr Gregson (absent) and Mrs Slaviero and to our linesmen Jack Hartmann (Year 9) and Dayne Watson-Sinclair (Year 12) who officiated the game.

Cochrane Cup - Tuesday 30 May, Port Macquarie

Our 14 year old League players took to the paddock in Port Macquarie as part of the NRL Cochrane Cup competition. Starting strong the boys won their first game against St Paul’s, Kempsey. Unfortunately, the following two games against MacKillop and St Joseph’s Regional did not go our way and we went down narrowly in both. The boys represented the College well. Thank you to Mr Podesta and Mr Gregson who accompanied the team.

NRL Country Rugby League Cup (CRL) - 31 May, Coffs Harbour

Our 13s, 15s and Opens League teams competed in the Coffs Coast Country Rugby League Cup on Wednesday 31 May against a number of local high schools. Each team shone in their respective division with many great team performances throughout the day. The Opens and U15s progress on to the Regional final in Port Macquarie on 20 June.

School Sport

Year 10 Challenge Day

On Thursday 25 May, while our Year 9s were away on camp, our Year 10s participated in a Homeroom based challenge for sport. The students rotated through 4 stations involving Basketball, Oz Tag, Dodgeball and Football in order to score the most points across all sports. The students were outstanding in application and attitude and approached the afternoon with maturity and enthusiasm. Congratulations to all students and thank you to the staff who made the event a success.

Year 7 and 8 Sport

Week 6 marks a change in sport for all Year 7 and 8. With the new system, all students participating in off campus sport must have parent permission via Compass to attend. As the sports program is carefully constructed to include elements of the PDHPE syllabus, it is vital that all students attend and participate in all sports offered. This is especially so for the Aquatics unit. New Compass permissions for the whole of Term 3 will be sent out over the next week; please ensure consent is given before the due date.

Competition: Opens Country Cup

St John Paul College Opens Rugby League team kicked off their Country Cup efforts with a bang, securing three consecutive victories without a single loss. The team's hard work and determination were on full display as they showcased their skills and teamwork on the field.

Match 1: St John Paul College vs. Macksville High School

Score: St John Paul College 14, Macksville High School  0

In their opening match, St John Paul College faced a tough challenge against Macksville. Both teams displayed exceptional talent, but it was the St John Paul College Opens Rugby League team that emerged victorious. Ainsley Dalton, Cooper Lawlor and Lachlan Mifsud were standouts. With a combination of powerful runs, strategic plays, and solid defense, St John Paul College outscored their opponents to secure a well-deserved win.

Match 2: St John Paul College vs. McAuley Catholic College

Score: St John Paul College 22, McAuley Catholic College 6

The second match saw St John Paul College take on McAuley. The team continued to impress with their relentless efforts and effective game plan. The players' coordination and skillful execution allowed them to dominate the match from start to finish, with the outside backs Dayne Watson-Sinclair, Drew Mowle, Gurkirit Dhariwal and Riley Carniato playing a vital role in another convincing victory for St John Paul College.

Match 3: St John Paul College vs. South Grafton

Score: St John Paul College 18, South Grafton 10

In their final match, St John Paul College faced their last opponents, South Grafton. The Opens Rugby League team showed no signs of slowing down and maintained their unbeaten streak. With unwavering determination, the players put up a stellar performance, executing their game plan flawlessly. The match concluded with St John Paul College emerging victorious once again, capping off a perfect record of three wins and no losses.

Logan Lacey steered the side around well, with big performances from forwards Xavier Hartley and Ben Perin working tirelessly.

Throughout the three matches, St John Paul College Opens Rugby League team demonstrated exceptional teamwork, individual skills, and sportsmanship. Their commitment to excellence and dedication to the sport were evident in their performances, providing a solid foundation for a successful season ahead.

Congratulations to the St John Paul College Opens Rugby League team on their outstanding start to the Country Cup!

Mr William Gregson
Opens League Coach

Coming Up - Term 2 & 3 2023