Ashburton College’s Samantha McArthur (left) has juggled head girl responsibilities and academic success to be named Dux on Monday night. Also pictured is Kirsten Clarke, who took home the Proxime Accessit award.Maintaining her willpower, spending “a lot” of time at her desk, and keeping track of everything in a notebook – that’s the recipe for success for Ashburton College’s Samantha McArthur.

The Year 13 student managed to both excel in her head girl duties throughout the year, and scoop up an impressive array of silverware at the college prizegiving on Monday – including the coveted Dux award.

McArthur’s haul included awards for music, German, chemistry, history and general excellence, along with a leadership award, Dux and two scholarships.

Despite also taking out Top Scholar awards in Year 11 and 12, McArthur said this year’s success came as somewhat of a surprise.

“I wasn’t really expecting it because it’s been a very busy year,” she said.

“I think the hardest part of this year has been taking the time out for study.”

Her secret for keeping on top of things?

McArthur said she is a big believer in carrying a notebook everywhere to keep track of assignments, due dates, anything else worth following up.

“You could probably describe me as hyper-organised.”

McArthur’s scholarships will set her up for studies at Otago University next year.

She will be pursuing a conjoint Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in German, and has secured a place in her first choice hall – Carrington College.

“Law’s definitely the direction I want to go in, and probably from a more international angle,” she said.

“I think the main reason I chose law is because I like working with people a lot.”

As she heads towards her final NCEA exams, McArthur is confident that she has put in enough work and everything should go well.

“I guess I’ve just got to keep focused now,” she said.

Runner-up to Dux and winner of the Proxime Accessit was Kirsten Clarke, who also took home an impressive total of 10 awards.

By Katie Todd © The Ashburton Guardian - 8 November 2017

Ashburton College’s Ben Niles checks the progress of his shot before running between the wickets. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayAshburton College’s First XI found something to celebrate this week, despite finding the going tough in the top grade of the Canterbury secondary schools’ cricket competition.

The side was convincingly beaten by Christchurch Boys’ High School at the weekend, amassing 112/9 – a total quickly and aggressively chased down by the national schoolboy champions with the loss of just one wicket.

However the game did yield some positives for the team.

Captain Will Graham started the match needing 14 runs to reach a 1000-run milestone for the college – he passed the mark easily with a tally of 25, beaten on the day only by Ben Niles, who top-scored with 28.

Graham becomes the eighth player in the college club’s history to reach 1000 runs, joining Jack Meyrick (1243), Matt Tait (1219), Kieran Hunt (1124), current team-mate Tom Ravenscroft (1103), Ben Mably (1083), Kurt Polson (1073) and Michael Burton (1054).

Graham’s tally is at 1011 with three games remaining in the season.

The seam bowler is also in the club’s top all-time 10 wicket-takers, currently sharing a career tally of 82 wickets with team-mate Gareth Hunt, who claimed the sole wicket on Saturday.

Graham’s star continued to rise this week when he was presented with the Noel Hoskin Cup for cricket at the Year 13 prizegiving on Monday, along with a cricketing scholarship to Lincoln University.

He was also selected in the Canterbury Under 19 team to play at the national age-group tournament at Lincoln on December 4-12.

Former Methven player Richard Turpie, who now attends Christ’s College, was also named in the side.

AshColl is back at the Ashburton Domain this Saturday for what is likely to be their last home game of the season, against North West.

On Sunday they travel to the Willows club at Loburn for their annual match against the cricket institution.

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 7 November 2017

The Ashburton College under 18 coxed quadruple sculls team picked up another prize for their dominant season on the water, picking up the sports team of the year at the Aoraki Secondary School Sports Awards last night. From left: Mollie Gibson, Veronica Wall, Emma Jansen, Olivia Gibson and Grace Wilson. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayIt has been another successful year at the Aoraki Secondary School Sports Awards for Ashburton College and Mount Hutt College, with plenty of awards coming back to Mid Canterbury.

The biggest win of the night was for rower Veronica Wall, who took out the female sportsperson of the year award.

She also collected two other prizes, one for playing her part in the Ashburton College under 18 coxed quadruple sculls team which won sports team of the year, and the future champion rowing award.

Aimee Elliott was the only other person to come away with three awards, one for multisport, the outstanding referee award and the female all-rounder award.

Matthew Clough secured a double, taking out the male multisport category and male all-rounder award.

AshColl dominated basketball and karate, with Ashlee Strawbridge and Fletcher Arnold taking the basketball awards, while Taylah Burrowes and Kyle Cabangun won for karate.

Anthony Van Asperen won the athlete with a disability award, while Ashburton College rowing coach Justin Wall won outstanding sports coach.

– By Jaime Pitt-MacKay

Awards winners:

Taylah Burrows – Ashburton College, Karate
Kyle Cabangan – Ashburton College, Karate
Aimee Elliot – Mount Hutt College, Multisport, Outstanding Ref/Umpire, All Rounder
Matthew Clough – Ashburton College, Multisport, All Round
Veronica Wall – Ashburton College, Rowing
Ellie Boekholt – Mount Hutt College, Skiing
Lanelle Millar-McArthur – Ashburton College, Smallbore Shooting
Kate Flanagan – Ashburton College, Softball
Ben Thomas – Ashburton College, Air Pistol Shooting
Taonga Mbambo – Ashburton College, Cross Country
Ashlee Strawbridge – Ashburton College, Basketball
Fletcher Arnold – Ashburton College, Basketball
Edmund Fordyce – Mount Hutt College, Croquet
Jessie Banks – Ashburton College, Cycling
Jaimee Bird – Ashburton College, Equestrian
Anthony Van Asperen – Ashburton College, Athlete with disability.
Sports Team of the Year Ashburton College U18 Girls Coxed Quad Sculls, Veronica Wall, Grace Wilson, Olivia Gibson, Mollie Gibson and Emma Jansen.
Justin Wall – Ashburton College, Outstanding Sports Coach

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 4 November 2017