SCHOOL AND PLAYGROUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18577, 27 September 1928, Page 12

SCHOOL AND PLAYGROUND.

By ‘

“DEMONI.”

REVIEW OF SEASON.

(Concluded from last week.) St Andrew's College. In addition to their fixtures against the other Christchurch schools, the St Andrew’s College first fifteen has two outside matches, these being against the John M’Glashan College and Scots College. This year their annual "ame with John M’Glashan took place in Dunedin, whilst' the Wellington team were supposed to visit Christchurch. However, an outbreak of scarlet fever in the northern college prevented the match taking place during the second term of this year, and it was decided to abandon this season’s game. The match between St Andrew’s and John M’Glashan took place on July 25 and on the whole the exhibition was not particularly impressive. This was largely due to the state of the ground, which at the commencement of play was soft and sticky and roon churned up very badly. In consequence the footing was treacherous, whilst the wet nature of the ball' militated against accurate passing and kicking. The first spell was evenly contested, and although there was perhaps a slight margin in favour of the visitors as regards the territorial play, M’Glashan were somewhat, unlucky as a penalty kick at goal hit the upright and bounced back into the field of play. Half-time sounded with the score 3-3, each side’s total consisting of an unconverted try. Little, who has been playing, such a good game for St Andrew’s at wing forward this season, notched the visitors’ score as the result of a crisp piece of forward play, whilst Thomson got across for the Dunedin team .after, a .fine run lor over fifty! yards. The second spell saw the visitors show better form, their backs getting into action . much more frequently, whilst the quick breaking of ,the ecrunpniages very effectively smothered the M’Glashan inside backs. First Shand and then R. B. Hamilton crossed the lino for the Blues, and as Sutherland added the major points to one of these tries St Andrew’s won the game by 11 points to 3. l or the visitors, the best backs were SI land and Coop, whilst the ball, came cleanly from Newburgh, who set his rearguard into action on a great many occasions. Sutherland and Esson played a really fine game on defence. However, the visitors mairUy owed their victory to the resolute play by their forwards, who packed nicely and were quick to break up when the other side had secured possession from a scrum. Little, Langdale-Hunt. D. J. Wilson and Lilly were perhaps the best of the northern - pack. .St Andrew’s College played five games this season, and of these they won two. lost two and drew one. Their record as regards points is only fair 1 as they scored 31 points and had 091 registered against them. The follow- i ing is a complete list of the interschool matches played by the Blues v. St Bede’s College, won 6-ntl. - v. Christ’s College 11., drawn 8-8. v. Christ’s College 1., lost 9-36. v. Boys’ High'School, lost 0-22. v. John M’Glashan College, won 11-3. a » St Bede’s College. As St Bede’s College did not play Timaru High School this season, the Blacks' only contested one game in addition to those played against the various Christchurch secondary schools. This additional game was their annual fixture with St Patrick’s College, and it proved a rather easy win for the Wellington boys b} - 16 points to. nil. ‘ It is remarkable that with such a fine- winter that the different' schools should be so unlucky in regard to the weather for their annual fixtures, for as fiith so many of the others, .the St Rede's-St Pa trick’s game was played under, very adverse conditions In fact, owing to rain for the previous t-,v**nty.four .. hours. the. ground at Northcote was absolutely water-logged when the team* lined out on Wednesday. August 15. The rain, coupled with a biting wind, made things verjy unpleasant for the player*, whilst the ground .was soon so cut. up thqt it. was almost impossible for the boys to keep upright, let alone give a decent exhibition of football. The ' visitor,*, however, acquitted themselves qCfite j " ell and their play under such adverse j conditions suggested that, given the; opportunity, they were capable of i realsy ’bright Rugby. j As might be expected, neither rear j guard saw much of the play, the game ! *oon developing into a dogged struggle f between the two packs of forwards. The fact that-the visitor? were-some-i wfiat heavier than St Bede’s stood to ’. their advantage, but the main factqr ; in. their victory la\ - in the fact that; they adapted themselves better, to the i conditions than did the home tegm. j After the first few minutes the Welling- I ton boys seldom attempted to pick! Up the ball, but bv hard kicking and j good following up combined with some j solid dribbling rushes, kept .$t Bede’s j on the defensive during the major \ portion of the first spell, which ended ! with the score 10-nil in favour of the visitors. I H X On resuming it was not long before the Wellington forwards had added another try and when they again broke through about a quarter of an hour after the start of the second spell,’ the ground was in such an atrocious state and the wind so piercingly cold that it was decided to abandon any attempt at further play. Little was seen of the Wellington rearguard, who were not called upon to do much defensive work, whilst in attack they had few opportunities. Wright, Hannah and Wall, however, showed great form amongst the visiting forwards, whilst G. Gaffanev, Coughlin and O’Sullivan were conspicuous for good defence in the Black rearguard. Foster, D. Gaffaney and Duggan were the bert of the St Bede's forwards. St Bede's College during the past season, played five secondary school games, of which they won one and lost four. In these matches they registered 32 points, whilst 74 were scored against them. The following is a list of the school matches played by St Bedeb College this season:— V. .St Andrew’s College, lost, 0-6. V* Boy?’ High School, lost, 6-23. V. Christ’s College 1., lost, 3-29. V. Christ’s College 11., won, 23-nil. V. St Patrick’s College, lost, 0-16. 55 55 55 Technical Tournament. As explained last week, owing to difficulties in connection with the billet-ing,-the tournament was split up this year, some of the games taking place in Christchurch and some in Dunedin- This tourney is a big thing nowadays, as in addition to the Rugby football competition between the first fifteens of the three Technical High Schools, net-ball, hockey and basketball are provided for the girls. The Invercargill-King Edward portion of the tournament this season took place in Dunedin, where the : football match between the two schools resulted in axrin for the home team by 14 points

to 6 after a keen contest in which conditions were. ve,ry unpleasant owing to .ntermittent rain and a greasy ball. The hockey match was also won by King Edward College, the final- score being 2-nil in their favour., Invercargill however, had their revenge in the net ball and basket-ball contests, both of which resulted in their favour, the .’.cores being 7-4 ancf 16-1. 1 However,- a's the latter two branches only count half a point in the final result of the toiirnariient, - the- Invercar-gill-Dunedin section of the tourney resulted ixi a win for the home- school by two/points to one. After their- games in .Dunedin the Invercargill teams - continued their journey. up to Christchurch, where, they played the "local Technical High School on August 21,: when.-the matches took place at the Ensoj-’s Road ground in fine weather. In the football match the Christchurch- forwards bad a big advantage .as regard? .height and weight, and were able to win .the majority of the scrums and .line-outs.. The home rearguard also showed more versatility than the visitors, the three-quarter line giving a nice display and proving that they possessed plenty : of pace. The first - spell saw Gallaher . gain a couple of tries after some determined running whilst; \Vray also" crossed, the. Ujie after a fine-dodgy run -down the touch-line. Pentley added, the major points to all three tries, .and .when half-time was called the local boys were leading by 15-nil. ‘ On resuming, the local players appeared to / slacken -off a little, -and .although they- held the- upper hand throughout,. they, only’ added two. tries, these being scored by Wray; and Hooper. As : Bentley added the , major points to the former’s try the final whistle sounded with. the hpme team victorious by 23 points to nil. In the hockey- match the ■ Christchurch girls • showed 5 good form,, being markedly superior in the forwards, and carried off the victory by 7 - goals tp nil. Mary IVl'Kenzie, at centre forward for the home team, was-the. outstanding player. She netted the ball on four occasions, whilst goals were also, scored by Janet Craig (2). and Muriel Anstiss. Honours were shared in the r net-hall and . basket-ball sections, Invercargill i winning the latter game by 6 ‘goals. to 5, whilst Christchurch had their revenge, 13-6, in the former. Joan Craig and Joan Fletcher - were the best players for the Christchurch teams. The. final. result of the CanterburySouthland section of the tournament was a win for the local school by 2$ points to h. Last week, the Christchurch teams ; travelled down to Dunedin to meet , King Edward College in what was virtually the final of the tourney. The football match between the first fifteens proved a strenuous struggle throughout, and at half-time neither side had succeeded in piercing their opponents’ defence. In the second spell, the game was practically entirely waged between the | forwards, and here King Edward sbowjed their superiority and eventually carj ried off the victory by 8 points to •3. For the winners, Henderson and Shanks scored tries, one of which was converted by the latter. The Christchurch total consisted of a penalty goal kicked by Bentley. In the hockey match both teaips showed very nice form and the final score of a win for Christchurch by 3 goals to 2 was a fair indication of how the game went. Mary M’Kenzie (2) and Mildred Todd - scored for the winners, whilst Belle M’Gregor and Thurza Caines registered goals for King Edward. As both Otago and Canterbury play net-ball there was no basket-ball match in this section of the tournament. The net-ball game in consequence counts a full point, and in this game the Christchurch girls gave a finished - display and defeated King Edward by 29 .points, to S after a fine open, game. Joan . Craig, attacking centre, was the _ best, player for the | winners. ' ■ . . Although the-Christchurch boys lo?t their.game the,girls, by their, fine form succeeded* in ‘winning the’section by 2 points to 1. • - - - The ’ final totals were therefore :-rChrisH'hur*'!) -4’- points.-King-Edward 3 point?. Invercargill 1 b yin.s.- . Christ church .Technical, also sent their colt: Hinder ts> Rugb' foot bail team over to .the \V *--t Cqa'st last week, where th- v-- . arc 'to games fti*■’Greymouth, Reef;on and Westpor.t The foot bail tpafir - yrtis accompanied by iunicr net-bad". V*»?ke’uball and hockey teams;’ luri ’as the t ’■ur had not concluded fit the'time of writing it is impos siblc at prosent’ to - Comment upon the FCSUIt S' of the •gtfiTlt'-S:" .*"’■• -’ y.~ ’' ’ Sevsn •! sid/9 f • a-ride’ tournamentamongst 1 lie Christ ohunT secondary schools ' va<: played on August 8 at. the polo”'-grounds, and as“a n en try* ’>f Co IdSte - tiffin 74 teams was received dn-the - live gradpß provided tticre "scents ‘little doubt that, the tourney ha? i coppe *to. stay.” t,n 1927 when the competitir n was..JeVivVjd after a .lapse f> ( about a ‘.doyen- years the entry, was 47, team's ip .tV-ur grades, and I owing ‘to tfie keenness of the games’it | was decided' this year to provide ’ an additional grade, this being for boys under. 17-years of age. It .wgs also suggested that ail under 18 grade should be provided,; but- the decision was that it-was not advisable to extend too rapidly. This-action was well advised as was evidenced by the fact • that the under 17 section only received an entry of six teams, four of which came from one school. College I, School I, St Bede’s I, St Andrew’s I, School II and College II were excluded from this season’s competition and, whilst this restriction is- in vogue, it is my opinion- that further grades are quite unnecessary. In the different sections the entries were as follows Under thirteen grad?, 6 teams, under fourteen grade. 21 teams; under fifteen grade, 22 teams; under sixteen grade, 19 teams; under seventeen grade. 6 teams. The following is a list of the winners in the various grades, the names m brackets being those of the previous season’s winners:— Under Thirteen Grade— St Bede’s College (Boys’ High School). Under Fourteen Grade—Technical College (Technical College). Under Fifteen Grade—Technical College (St Bede’s College). Under Sixteen Grade—Boys’ High School (St Bede’s College). Under Seventeen Grade—Boys’ High School (no competition K