Kate Donald looks to make a bust up field during her Ashburton College/Mount Hutt College combined first XV’s win over Roncalli College in Ashburton on Wednesday. Photo Erin TaskerWith only one more game to go before the finals, the Ashburton College/Mount Hutt College girls’ combined first XV rugby side are on track to defend their Aoraki girls’ rugby title.

The Ashburton/Mount Hutt team played their final home game of the competition on Wednesday night, downing Timaru’s Roncalli College 38-7, and were sitting at the top of the leaderboard alongside Craighead with only Geraldine left to play in the round robin.

They’d play Geraldine in Geraldine next weekend before heading into the finals, where if results went as expected they’d end up lining up against Craighead in what should be a hard-fought final.

Ashburton/Mount Hutt coach Grant Elvines said his side had only lost one game so far this season and that was their first game, against Craighead. They lost that one 27-20, but the second time the two sides met this season Ashburton/Mount Hutt turned the tables and won 17-10.

“Craighead has a very good team this year, so hopefully it will be us and them in the final, and that will be a cracker game,” Elvines said.

Last year, Timaru Girls’ High School were Ashburton/Mount Hutt’s biggest opposition. The two sides met in the final and Ashburton/Mount Hutt won 64-40.

“We got off to an absolute flyer and they just kept mowing us down,” Elvines said.

“Even though it was 20 points in the end, with a few minutes to go it could have gone either way. I was a cot case, to be honest.”

That team featured Mount Hutt’s Te Moananui triplets – Chloe, Erana and Jamee – who had been an integral part of the Ashburton/Mount Hutt team over the past three years and heading into this season, with the triplets having finished school, some questioned how the Ashburton/Mount Hutt team would go without them, Elvines said. But they needn’t have worried.

“The 15 girls on the paddock have all stepped up. They’ve sort of come out of the shadows,” Elvines said.

“They can all do what the triplets could, and now it’s their turn to blossom.

“Every team evolves. You lose players one season and the next season you get new ones in. It’s not just us, it’s the All Blacks as well, like when Richie McCaw and Dan Carter finished up people were worried.”

Like the All Blacks, Ashburton/Mount Hutt had shown they were still a force to be reckoned with, and they were hopeful they could go all the way again this season and take the competition out.

Last year, Ashburton/Mount Hutt went through the whole season unbeaten. The year before that they lost just one game, and the year before that, they were unbeaten.

“Losing just isn’t on our radar. The girls have always been competitive, but don’t get me wrong, it’s a really good competition – the Timaru schools are really strong,” Elvines said.

Unfortunately for them, Ashburton/Mount Hutt had proven to be just that little bit stronger in recent years.

Elvines said while the 38-7 scoreline against Roncalli on Wednesday may have flattered his side a little, he was still impressed by much of what his side produced.

“The first half was really good rugby. The girls just struggled a bit with the wet weather to be honest,” Elvines said.

With the competition’s semi-finals and final played in Timaru, the game against Roncalli was Ashburton/Mount Hutt’s final home game for the competition.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 10 August 2018

Marc Juntilla top-scored with 26 points for his Ashburton College side in their win over Lincoln High School on Tuesday night. Photo Erin TaskerAshburton College’s senior girls’ basketball team ticked off one of their 2018 goals on Tuesday night, beating Cashmere 86-51 at the Oxford Street Stadium to see them into the Whelan Trophy’s play-off for sixth spot.

Ranked last in the division one competition heading into the Canterbury secondary schools’ basketball competition, next week’s play-off for sixth against Middleton meant they would finish higher than their seeding, which coach Mark Douglas said was one of their goals at the start of the competition.

Douglas said the win over Cashmere was his side’s best defensive effort of the season.

“After making some adjustments at halftime and increasing the work-rate the team were able to apply pressure up the court leading to scoring off turnover ball.

“Swish Pierce and Raspberry Strawbridge did a great job of getting in the passing lanes and disrupting their flow, along with Sam Tuck and Sophie Adams in the middle of the press,” Douglas said.

“Summer Anderson and Tessa Thompson were rocks at the back and along with Taryn Douglas passing bullets to the post, Alena Patterson driving the lane and Tessa Thompson making shots, the whole team were locked in and playing some exciting basketball.”

After taking on Middleton in the play-off next week, the Ashburton girls would head to the South Island championships in Invercargill with the goal of qualifying for the nationals.

Meanwhile, in the boys’ Thomson Trophy division two competition, the Ashburton College boys picked up an impressive 116-56 win over Lincoln High School.

Lincoln were vying for a play-off position and on a 3-0 run heading into the game, with guard Cody Wareham averaging close to 36 points for those last three games, and Ashburton’s key to success was negating his effectiveness, Ashburton College coach Brian Kerr said.

Ashburton employed a full court zone press and caused major problems for Lincoln as they regularly turned the ball over gifting easy layups.

Along with the easy fast break baskets, Abel Wilson slotted a trio of three pointers to help his side gallop away to a 32–6 lead at the end of the first quarter, with strong defensive play by the Ashburton guards only allowing the Lincoln danger man a solitary basket.

The second quarter continued in the same vein, with the Ashburton guards smothering Wareham, while their offence found the mark from the perimeter, landing six more three- pointers.

Only when Ashburton’s zone press began to tire a little did Lincoln find a bit more freedom to score, but the damage had been done and Ashburton went into the halftime break up 68–25.

Kerr said it was a game that virtually ended after the first quarter.

“This was the best the boys had run the zone press this season.  They were hungry and just played good trapping defence,” Kerr said.

“They also transitioned well once we scored to get into their positions to run the press.  The best parts were when changes were made to the starters – the guys off the bench kept up that transition and intensity.”

Kerr said Quinn Ritchie did a particularly good job of not allowing Wareham any space, while Abel Wilson had a good return knocking down five three pointers for his tally of 21.

Marc Juntilla also terrorised the Lincoln guards, top-scoring with 26 points and Penuel Pantaleon added 16 with another good all-round display. Fotu Hala also netted 23 points.

“He’s got a complete game.  He’s a strong rebounder, is a good perimeter shooter and dangerous on the drive to the basket, plus he has a good read of the game,” Kerr said.

“He is a pivot in the transition from defence to offence which allows our fast break to function. Most pleasing is his consistency.”

He said it was a good game for building confidence and for all players, including the bench, to feeling part of that overall team dynamic.

“We had a plan for this game, which the boys implemented and then stuck to it really well.  Really pleased with the effort.”

 By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 7 August 2018

Emma-Paige Dickson took to the stage with ukulele and voice box during an open mic event at Ashburton College on Friy. Photo Katie ToddMinutes after an open mic event wrapped up at Ashburton College yesterday, students were queuing up to secure their spot performing in the next one.

The lunchtime events at the college auditorium have been drawing big, enthusiastic audiences and a range of talent, from bands to solo performers, dancing and singing.

They are held every few Fridays and are one of a number of initiatives founded by this year’s student executive to foster a “positive and supportive environment within the school,” cultural committee leader Jack Bubb said.

Tumultuous applause followed every act yesterday afternoon.

The first open mic event was held in early Term 1 and yesterday’s was the third.

By Katie Todd © The Ashburton Guardian - 5 August 2018