Athletic Year in Review 2014-2015

ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
ATHLETIC YEAR IN REVIEW | 2014-2015
GRAEME HYDE-LAY
ROBYN NOEL
MATTY MCCOLL
FLORA MANSON-BLAIR
JASPER BOSLEY
ACACIA WELSFORD
AWARD WINNERS
TEAM AWARDS
Work ethic, attitude, leadership and
sportsmanship, as voted on by teammates.
Boys Soccer
Callum Montgomery
Boys Rowing
John Throne
Girls Rowing
Acacia Welsford
Volleyball
Keeley Copeland
Cross Country
Acacia Welsford
Field Hockey
Siri Knudsen
Sailing
Santiago Mazoy
Boys Basketball
Jake Wilmott
Girls Basketball
Robyn Noel
Squash
Jason Yoo
Tennis
Aline Halliday
Golf
Leif Skogland
Girls Soccer
Flora Manson-Blair
Track and Field
Abdul Shokoya & Kenny
Shokoya
Cricket
Rachael Benjamin
Boys Rugby
Aidan McCleary
Badminton
Ryan Cui
Billy Greenwell Award
Outstanding Male Basketball Player
Jason Scully
Dalziel Cup
Outstanding 1st XV Rugby player
Josh Graffi
Max Pollen
Nancy Mollenhauer Cup
Outstanding Field Hockey Player
Flora Staunau
Athletic Director’s Merit Award
Outstanding performance in sport
Grace Thomas (Squash)
Acacia Welsford (Rowing)
Graeme Hyde-Lay (Triple Crown)
Matty McColl (Triple Crown)
Max Pollen (Triple Crown)
Jake Wilmott (Triple Crown)
Outstanding Junior Athlete of the Year
Outstanding all round performance and
effort
Jasper Bosley
Peyton Cup
Outstanding Female Athlete
Robyn Noel (winner)
Aveen Glen (runner-up)
Parents Auxiliary Sportsmanship Award
Outstanding effort, humility in victory, grace in
defeat
Flora Manson-Blair (winner)
Ryan Cui (runner-up)
Parents Auxiliary Cup
Outstanding Male Athlete
Graeme Hyde-Lay (winner)
Matty McColl (winner)
MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATIONS
From the Head of School
From the Athletic Director
One can hardly have any discussion of the school’s athletic program
without someone referring to one of the school’s mottos, “mens sana
in corpora sano”. This year’s success is powerful evidence that the
founders who conceived our school were building it on an enduring
vision. At the same time, they would not have foreseen the breadth
and depth of the program that tries to live up to this vision.
Welcome to SMUS, and the 24th Athletic Banquet. Please enjoy what
should be a splendid evening, as we gather to celebrate a significant
year of accomplishments, honour some of our finest performers, as
well as say farewell to the grads.
It is a wonderful sight on an afternoon to see fields full of athletes
playing, the colours of our school against the colours of other schools,
or simply in practice uniforms getting ready for the next game.
Likewise it is satisfying to know that similar activity is taking place in
the gym, in the squash courts, the rowing course, the tennis courts and
any of the other venues where our teams play.
When students play sports, they also lead healthier lives, they perform
better in school, and they have more successful futures. Never in the
school’s history have we had more athletes playing more sports on
more teams, a testament to the students, the coaches and the parents
who support them.
Vivat!
Bob Snowden
Indeed, 2014-2015 has simply been the finest year ever in SMUS
sporting history. Pride of place goes to the athletes and coaches who
combined on an incredible “Triple Crown”, winning BC AA titles in Boys
Soccer, Boys Basketball and Boys Rugby. One small step behind were
Girls Field Hockey and Girls Soccer, which missed out on blue banners
by the slimmest of margins.
In addition, six teams won Island titles, while, of the twelve sports
offering BC School Sports provincial championships, SMUS qualified
for ten. In addition, school squash players and rowers left their mark on
the national stage.
In thanking all in attendance for their support, I am so often reminded
of the huge role sport plays at SMUS. Indeed, participation, enjoyment,
performance and sportsmanship remain of vital importance, as
reflected in the mottos of St. Michaels (“Nothing is great unless it is
good”) and University School (“A healthy mind in a healthy body”).
To these, I would add a few final words.
To play is good, to win is better, but to love the game is the best.
VIVAT!!
Lindsay Brooke
GIRLS FIELD HOCKEY
The SMUS field hockey resurgence continued, as the team enjoyed
another hugely successful season, winning three major trophies
and coming within a single goal at the BC AA championships before
settling for a silver medal.
Through September, the Blue
Jags dominated all matches
against local AA and AAA teams,
winning the May Tully Shield
while scoring 25 goals and
conceding only one.
Then, early in October, the team
also won the SMUS Invitational
tournament for a record fourth
time in a row, defeating teams
from Ontario and BC in pool
play before a 2-1 shoot-out win
over Brentwood in the final.
Though fourth at the ISAs, SMUS
then re-claimed top spot on the
Island, defeating Brentwood
once again by the same 2-1
score line.
The AA provincials, held in
the Okanagan Valley in early
November, proved to be a
great experience. The Blue Jags
reached the championship
game without conceding a
goal, in the process defeating
Collingwood, a nemesis in
recent years, in the semifinal. Unfortunately, a BC title
remained tantalizingly out
of reach, as Crofton House
managed the only goal in a
superbly played contest.
Of the seniors, the Boyle
triplets (Kasey, Rylee and Jamie)
were towers of persistence,
athleticism and courage. Emma
Loughton was a doughty
fighter, Rebecca Bosworth
a steady and experienced
sweeper. Aline Halliday and
Siri Knudsen provided extra
options in defence and attack
respectively. An emerging
group of Grade 11s, including
Aveen Glen, Olivia Donald,
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 1st
Provincials: 2nd
Chloe Keeler-Young and Becca
Thompson, gained in stature
as the season unfolded, backed
up very capably by goalkeeper
Mia Roberts. Of the grade 10s,
Anna Mollenhauer confirmed
her position as one of Canada’s
rising stars, while talented
newcomer Flora Staunau, in
addition to Abby Fraser, Meggie
Edwards and Miwa Masuda, all
made important contributions.
David Kerr labelled his charges
as “fun to coach, enthusiastic in
their approach and ambitious
in wanting to win cups and
championships.” Expect more of
the same next year, given a host
of talented returnees.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Despite the loss of six talented seniors from a year ago, the 20142015 team still went on to enjoy a very competitive season. In
addition to a full slate of league and playoff action, SMUS also took
part in several exhibition tournaments. These included the ISAs at
Brentwood and the Western
Canadian Independent School
Championships
(WCISVC),
held at Notre Dame in Wilcox,
Saskatchewan.
In the latter event, SMUS won six
of its nine matches, although a
15-13 loss in the third game of a
quarterfinal matchup vs Crofton
House meant the team could
finish no better than fifth. Thana
Fayad and Beta Willeboordse
were judged Best Hitter and
Best Server respectively, while
Silke Kuhn was named team
MVP.
The Blue Jags then went
unbeaten through South Island
qualifying, knocking off PCS,
GNS, St. Margarets, St. Andrews
and Parkland to claim top spot.
Robyn Noel, Keeley Copeland
and Jen Shan all performed
extremely well.
In mid-November, SMUS hosted
the full Island event, a loaded
competition featuring BC #3
Ladysmith and #9 Brentwood.
The team, though beaten
cleanly by the 49ers, enjoyed
a solid victory over Kwalikum
before scraping by PCS thanks
to a nervy comeback.
The next morning, the players
overcame a slow start to edge
GNS before losing in the semifinals to Brentwood. This set
the stage for a bronze medal
matchup with Woodlands,
with the winner moving on
to provincials. In the best
of five format, SMUS, led by
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 4th
Provincials: DNQ
Kuhn, scrambled back from an
opening set loss to win 25-22.
However, the Eagles captured
the key third set and went on to
victory.
As was the case a year ago, the
Blue Jags had one last chance
to reach the BCs. Unfortunately,
playing in a six team wild card
event at MEI in Clearbrook, the
team, while starting strongly,
then faded in losses to Holy
Cross and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Coach
Melanie
Bendfeld
remains positive, allowing “we
are so very close to reaching
the BCs. With just a shade more
consistency and depth, we
would have been there this time
round. Hosting the WSISVC in
the fall of 2015 will be a big help
in our preparations.”
BOYS SOCCER
With multiple top quality players to choose from, coaches Wes Barrett
and Jeff Taylor expected SMUS to field “its best side ever” in the fall of
2014. From the outset, the squad set clear targets, aiming to win not
only the City championship, but also the ISA, Island and BC AA titles.
In the end, it came to pass, as a
very well drilled and skilful team
won 20 and tied 1 out of 22
matches. The sole loss, to GISS,
came in a meaningless Island
pool game after SMUS had
already qualified for the final.
Among the many highlights was
a thrilling 4-4 league draw vs
Oak Bay, with the Blue Jags then
beating the same opponent
2-0 in the Colonist Cup on a
frosty night at UVIC’s Centennial
Stadium. In this latter affair,
Max Pollen chested home the
winner in the 59th minute, while
Brian Im notched the clincher
near full time. Harrison Giles
returned from injury to record a
vital shutout, the first of several
in crunch playoff games.
Following
the
Island
tournament
victory
over
Brooks, the team moved on
to provincials in Burnaby,
negotiating pool games vs
Caledonia, Southridge and
McNair without undue difficulty.
This set up a semi-final clash
with co-favourite Archbishop
Carney. The Coquitlam based
Stars displayed wonderful skills
and maintained possession
for long periods of the game.
Yet, the SMUS defence coped
comfortably, while strikes by
Matty McColl and Alec Keech
confirmed the 2-0 win.
Then, in the final vs Sa-hali
of Kamloops, a 28th minute
corner from Kieran Large was
headed
home
powerfully
by tournament MVP Callum
Montgomery. For the remainder
of the game, SMUS defended
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 1st
Provincials: 1st
patiently while unlucky not
to finish off at least two
counterattack opportunities.
The quartet of Im, Large, McColl
and Montgomery led the way all
season, exhibiting the control,
skill and vision one would expect
of top flight performers. Giles’
return from injury solidified
the goalkeeping, while Michael
Cernucan, Owen Sudul, Jason
Scully and Graeme Hyde-Lay
formed an experienced back
line. Midfielder Ryan Cui also
enjoyed a fine campaign, while
Keech and Santiago Mazoy led
a group of underclassmen who
should again be in the BC mix
come September.
ROWING
As usual, tryouts began in the fall with a whole series of dry land,
ergometer and swimming tests. Over 60 athletes were selected to various
crews, with the autumn revolving around three local competitions. In
both the Greater Victoria Schools finals and in the “Cakewalk”, SMUS
performed with distinction, giving a hint of what might be in store
come the New Year.
respective finals.
a high quality regatta. Particular
thanks are due the seniors for
With the onset of winter, the
In truly wonderful fashion and
their dedication and leadership
more experienced oarsmen
in pressure circumstances, the through the entire year.”
upped their training schedules Men’s Sr 4+, featuring Nathan
in preparation for the spring Anter, David Cunningham,
racing season. At the Maple
Connor Fenton, John Throne
Bay, Brentwood and Shawnigan
and Max Yong, continued their
regattas, the various SMUS crews
exceptional form in winning the
took shape, all with an eye to
gold medal. Not to be outdone,
qualifying for the Royal Canadian
the Women’s Sr 63kg 4+ then
Henley in St. Catherines, Ontario.
also topped the podium, thanks
to the sterling efforts of SunThis 70th edition of the
Eui Choi, Julianne Pohl, Acacia
Canadian Secondary Schools
Welsford, Chloe White and
Rowing Association (CSSRA)
Julianna Wong.
Championship was duly held
June 5-7, and featured some
Also rowing superbly were the
2,000 athletes representing over second place Men’s Jr 4+ and the
120 schools.
bronze medalist Women’s 63kg
4+. In other finals, the Women’s
As has been the case in past
Sr 63kg 8+ crossed the line in
years, very strong head winds
fourth while the Men’s Junior
during the heats made life Double placed sixth.
difficult for the various crews,
with many taking longer than
Coach Susanne Walker-Curry,
anticipated to complete the
while very proud of all the
2km course. Nonetheless, six
medalists, paid equal tribute
SMUS crews ploughed through
to the entire team. “There were
the elements to reach their
many fine efforts, in what is such
CROSS-COUNTRY
While the beginning of the competitive season was delayed by the
public school strike, SMUS nonetheless prepared diligently. Eventually,
the laocal league races began, at Lambrick Park, Beaver Lake, Cedar
Hill and Juan de Fuca. Thanks to good depth, both the girls’ and boys’
junior teams finished second
overall. In particular, Karla
Yanez, Lucas Simpson, Aubry
Williams, Avery Thorpe, and
Ming Deng performed well. The
seniors, led by Acacia Welsford
and Michael Wong-Harrison,
also reached the podium on
several occasions.
At the Island meet, SMUS
produced
a
wonderful
combined effort. Maia Watson
dug deep in the homestretch to
win the Junior Girls gold medal,
becoming the first Blue Jag to
capture an individual zone title
in well over a decade. Simpson
(13th) and Williams (16th) also
recorded top times in a brutally
competitive Junior Boys race,
qualifying for provincials and
paving the way for a 4th place
team finish. Welsford (21st) then
paced the way for the Senior
girls to claim 8th, while WongHarrison’s solid outing (18th)
helped the Senior Boys reach
6th.
A week later, at the BC
championships, over 1000
runners participated at Juan de
Fuca. Several days of torrential
rain had turned the course into
a treacherous, muddy bog,
with many runners, in all four
divisions, struggling to cope
with the difficult conditions.
Nonetheless, Williams, WongHarrison and Welsford all
completed fine seasons with
gutsy performances.
All in all, there was much to
applaud. Coach Jeff Hunt, in
congratulating all those who
took part this year, indicated
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 3rd
Islands: 7th
Provincials: 19th (Girls) 13th (Boys)
also that “the future looks
very bright, both in the junior
ranks and with those grade 10s
moving up to senior level. With
continued effort, SMUS will
look to not only qualify for the
provincials, but also target a
podium finish in 2015”.
SQUASH
Squash, in its seventh year of operation in the Brian Graves Centre,
continues as a very real and successful part of the SMUS Athletic
program.
Under the guidance of coaches
Chris Hanebury and Giselle
Delgado, the team enjoyed
its most successful season to
date. Bolstered by the addition
of Hedvika Suchankova from
the Czech Republic, the girls
recaptured the ISA title, beating
Shawnigan 5-0 in the final. Led
by Nathan Von Hagen and Euan
Hannigan, the Junior Boys also
finished first. At senior level,
Jason Yoo and Robert Fisher
helped SMUS to third place.
Von Hagen turned out to be a
top performer, capturing the
silver division at the Shawnigan
Open, finishing third at the
Alberta Jesters and second at
the BC Juniors. Yoo also had
some top results, claiming
bronze medals at both the
Evergreen Junior Open and
Alberta Jesters before placing
fourth at the Pacific Northwest
(PNW) competition.
With the girls, Uma Hallea won
silver at Shawnigan and gold
in the PNW U19B. Madison
Liew placed second at both the
Vancouver Island (VI) Open and
BC Juniors. Finally, Suchankova
placed third in the gold division
at Shawnigan and at the BC
Juniors.
However,
Grace
Thomas
operated at another level
altogether.
Second
at
Shawnigan and in the VI Open,
she then placed third at the
Canadian Junior Open and
Junior Nationals. She won both
the Alberta Jesters and BC Junior
Closed events, before capturing
a silver medal for BC during the
Canada Winter Games.
Furthermore, based on her
high level of play and overall
consistency, Grace qualified
for the Junior Girls National
Team. She will travel to
the Netherlands in July to
represent Canada at the World
Championships. This is a simply
tremendous accomplishment,
and she goes with the best
wishes of everyone at SMUS.
On a final note, Hanebury
extended
congratulations
and thanks to seniors Hallea,
Suchankova, Ryan Cui and Leif
Skogland. “All have been fine
ambassadors for the school” he
noted. “Good luck in the future on and off the squash court”
BOYS BASKETBALL
The bitter 2014 BC finals loss to Lambrick Park was always going to
provide plenty of motivation to a SMUS team with multiple returnees
and plenty of skill and experience. So it proved, as the Blue Jags, after
an injury affected start to the season, picked up momentum en route to
a comprehensive AA provincial
title.
Indeed, after the ebbs and flows
of December and January, when
the team achieved some quality
wins but also suffered a number
of frustrating defeats, the players
recommitted to defence and
rebounding, with devastating
results. From January 23 through
to the end of the season in midMarch, SMUS won 18 straight
games. Of these, nine came in
the playoffs, as the Blue Jags ran
the table at City, Island and BC
level, outscoring opponents by
an average margin of 70 to 39!!
A stellar senior class included
forward Jason Scully and guard
Graeme Hyde-Lay, both of whom
confirmed their reputations
as among the province’s best
players and went on to sign with
UVIC. Likewise, Jake Wilmott
and Max Pollen concluded their
SMUS careers in style, defending
with great tenacity and skill, in
addition to contributing multiple
high scoring games. Post Matty
McColl went from strength to
strength, and, along with wing
Callum Montgomery, supplied
the grit and other intangibles so
necessary for team success. Liam
Catto added more defensive
consistency to a sweet shooting
stroke and so also became a key
performer. In a reserve role, Alex
Caton and David Lee contributed
effectively at every opportunity
and often more than matched
the starters. Finally, Angus Catto
and grade 11s Lucas de Vries and
Alec Keech made huge gains in
terms of game knowledge and
skill development.
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 1st
Provincials:1st
While many of the players
collected
major
individual
awards over the course of the
season, it was always team
chemistry, balance, unselfishness
and work ethic that stood out.
For coach Ian Hyde-Lay, “one
basket in particular, early in the
fourth quarter of the BC final
vs Delview, summed up the
collective approach. A defensive
rebound, a sizzling fast break in
which all five players touched
the ball, seven passes and only a
single dribble, all ending up in a
thundering dunk. The move put
an exclamation point on a simply
wonderful year!”
GIRLS BASKETBALL
What proved to be a rollercoaster of a season got off to the worst possible
start when Mia Roberts, projected to be a principal ball handler and
leading scorer, went down with an ACL injury in the opening game vs
the Alumni.
This loss precipitated an ongoing
shuffling of lineups, starting at
the ISA tournament. SMUS, led by
Robyn Noel, managed a promising
enough start vs Shawnigan but
then fell to Southridge in the
semi-finals.
At the Notre Dame Invitational,
an event featuring the top AA
teams in BC, the Blue Jags played
well enough, even if further
non availability limited roster
flexibility. Leah Sparkman finished
as top scorer and showed real
athleticism off the dribble.
Hosting the Police Tournament,
SMUS opened with solid victories
against Spectrum and Nanaimo,
before, in its best performance
of the season, registering a
comprehensive victory over
favoured PCS. The team, behind
Aveen Glen and Olivia Donald,
rode this momentum into the
final, giving a very good effort
before falling again to Southridge.
The jolt in confidence was evident,
as the Blue Jags then upset
Lambrick Park 48-41 in league
play. Further wins, over GISS,
Edward Milne and Brentwood
moved SMUS to the South Island
championship game. This time,
however, the Lions prevailed.
So it was all to play for in the
Islands, with the event held at
SMUS and with the top three
finishers qualifying for the BC AA
tournament. In opening round
action, a box and one defence
against Mark Isfeld star Avery
Snider propelled the Blue Jags
to a sixteen point lead mid-way
through the second quarter.
However, the Ice kept their
composure, and, despite the best
efforts of Chloe Keeler-Young,
pulled away to win 68-51.
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 2nd
Islands: 5th
Provincials:DNQ
While gaining the third BC berth
remained a possibility, the loss to
Isfeld clearly took a mental toll.
Though giving a sound defensive
effort the following day, SMUS
could not get on track on offence,
dropping a 48-35 decision vs
Carihi to end the season.
Coach Lindsay Brooke rued the
missed opportunity in the Isfeld
game, but looks ahead to 2016
with optimism. “The majority of
this year’s team were in grade 11.
All these players received a lot of
floor time and gained plenty of
experience” she noted.
BADMINTON
Following a six week February-March training period and a few
invitational tournaments, it was evident that SMUS had much work to
do. Indeed, after a lengthy spring break holiday, the team’s 6-5 league
loss to Claremont was an immediate reality-check.
However, over the next two
months, the players practised
diligently in order to regain
their polish and consistency.
A subsequent winning streak
resulted in SMUS capturing the
City championship. Throughout,
Renee Guan, Sara Cui, Airlia Hie
and Blair Zheng performed
especially well.
At the ISAs, the girls made
their way to the final. However,
Crofton House, with a roster
stacked with national level
talent, proved to be too strong.
The boys, sparked by veterans
Ryan Cui and Kyle Tang, also
reached the podium, though
falling at the final hurdle to St.
George’s by a 3-2 score.
This
year,
the
Island
Championship was hosted in
Nanaimo by Dover Bay. Again,
depth and consistency proved
decisive, with SMUS gaining an
outstanding 7-4 victory over
arch rival Mt. Douglas. This
Island title would be SMUS’
twelfth in the past 14 years.
The Provincial Championships
was then held in Kamloops
in late May. An opening day
9-2 thumping of favoured Sir
Winston Churchill vaulted the
team into the championship side
of the bracket. Unfortunately,
consecutive 6-5 losses to both
Moscrop and Semiahmoo left
SMUS in 8th place over all. Ryan
Cui was named to the All-Star
team for his outstanding play
throughout the tournament.
An 8th place provincial finish,
given the 185 schools across
the province fielding teams,
was, according to coach Jeff
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 1st
Provincials:8th
Hunt, “hugely satisfying, as
we played to the limit of our
ability.” Although a number of
key seniors are set to graduate,
youngsters such as Jake You,
Wilson Ye and Iris Zhou should
be in position to carry SMUS to
Island and provincial success
again next year.
CRICKET
It has been seven years since the magnificent statue of Reg Wenman
was unveiled next to the Cricket Pavilion that bears his name. The
life sized bronze memorial to “The Bird”, a University School icon for
over a half century as an outstanding scholar, athlete, teacher, mentor
and friend, also overlooks the SMUS pitch, on which the current
generation of students can play
the sport he loved so much.
This year’s SMUS squad
contained a few experienced
players who compete weekly
in the local senior club cricket
scene and one, Jamison Schulz
Franco, with representative
honours. However, the vast
majority started in early April
having never picked up a bat
or bowled a ball in anger.
Once again, led by coaches
Tony Cordle and Graham Lilly,
these newcomers discovered
a real enthusiasm for the
game through long hours in
the nets and on the field. And,
with the more experienced
team members demonstrating
correct techniques, each player
developed key basic skills and
gained confidence.
The opening match of the
season, vs the Alumni, is always
baptism by fire. This year was
no exception. Batting first, the
Alumni registered 119 runs for
the loss of just four wickets,
despite some tidy bowling
from Amrit Saini and Sean Lider.
Schulz Franco (39), Ben Edwards
(35), and Rahul Nair (14) then
batted extremely well before
the SMUS XI was all out for 104.
As this program went to print,
games still to be played include
a return match vs the Almuni, a
fixture against the University of
Victoria as well as the traditional
June 12 staff-student battle.
In the latter affair, expect, in
Lilly’s words, “a festival like
atmosphere”, what with classes
over for the year and music
blaring from the grade 12
celebration near the Pavilion.
GOLF
Once again, SMUS enjoyed a close affiliation with the Victoria Golf
Club, with the ten team members benefiting from organized practice
sessions with the professional staff. This was important, as the high
school golf season is packed into an eight week window, with good
preparation therefore vital.
Competitive events began in
mid-April at the Delta Police
tournament, played at the King
Links in Boundary Bay and then
at Northview GC in Surrey. While
senior Leif Skogland finished
in 10th place, overall the team
underperformed, albeit on two
difficult courses.
In the ISA’s, hosted by SMUS at
Cordova Bay GC, the team ended
up 4th. The quality of play from
all schools involved was hugely
impressive, with multiple subpar rounds posted. The Blue
Jags then rode this momentum
to the Lower Islands at Highland
Pacific GC, snagging 3rd place in
a very deep field.
Arbutus Ridge GC was the
sight of the Island AA event,
with three berths to the
provincials up for grabs. In
windy conditions and on
speedy greens, SMUS produced
a strong, balanced performance
en route to winning the silver
medal and securing the school’s
first appearance at the BCs in six
years.
The provincial event, held at the
world famous Predator Ridge
course in Vernon, was a severe
test indeed, as deep rough,
undulating greens and rain both
days made scoring extremely
hard. In fact, over the 36 holes,
only one round of even par 70
was recorded.
The race for the medalist
position was extremely close
and exciting, as seven players
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 3rd
Islands: 2nd
Provincials:11th
finished within two shots of
the winning total of 145. SMUS’
Leif Skogland was very much
in the hunt throughout the
competition, opening with 74
before a closing 72 left him just
outside a playoff.
The others who took part, Emily
Cuell, Christina Sipos, Matt
Berntsen and Liam Dyson, all
had their moments as SMUS
finished 11th overall.
Returning to the Island, Kitty
Liang, posting a career best 79,
then captured the inaugural
BC Girls Invitational at the
Cowichan GC. Cuell completed
her own solid season with a
second place finish.
BOYS RUGBY
The slog of January and February was certainly more bearable given a
planned spring break tour to Spain and Portugal. This 17 day trip was
certainly memorable, with the 1st and Junior XVs combining for a 5-5
record against high level competition.
Ironically, given the positive experience overseas, SMUS dropped
the annual Boot Game vs affair after halftime, riding tries
Oak Bay, surrendering a 22-0
by Lucas de Vries and Mitchell
halftime lead. However, this
Newman, along with 13 points
disappointing loss proved to be from McColl, to a well-deserved
a key turning point, highlighting 23-7 triumph. In so doing, the
several areas of play that needed
squad, on the heels of Soccer and
addressing.
Basketball provincial successes,
completed an unprecedented
Indeed, the 1st XV did not lose “Triple Crown” of BC titles.
again, with a miraculous 31-26
comeback victory over Mexico
A constantly improving forward
U19 a particular boost to morale. pack set the foundation for
Then, SMUS gained revenge on success. Hooker Angus Catto,
Oak Bay, as a last minute Matty
and props Aidan Cole and Dante
McColl penalty kick secured a Morandin, did their set piece
20-17 Alumni Day win.
work well. Locks Warren Marriott
and Pablo Fernandez were a
Inevitably,
after
several gritty and underrated pair, while
straightforward early round Liam Catto, Myles Duncan, Josh
playoff successes, SMUS found Kahn and the starry Josh Graffi
itself in the BC AA Final Four. formed a quick and rangy back
In the best performance of the row. Key seniors Aidan McCleary
season, the Blue Jags built a 30-0 and Noah Pryce-Baff both
lead over Collingwood to claim
battled through injuries, but
a place in the final vs #1 seeded came through when it counted
Rockridge.
most, turning in courageous
performances at the provincial
In this championship game, tournament.
SMUS, playing with great
resolve, broke open a tight Behind the scrum, scrum
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: n/a
Provincials:1st
halves Carson Smith and Jonas
Robinson were brave and
efficient, while captain and fly
half Graeme Hyde-Lay was a
steady hand on the tiller. McColl
was the find of the season at
centre, while Newman’s return
from a shoulder problem was
a real tonic. In the back three,
Owen Sudul and de Vries were
dangerous attackers, while
Max Pollen’s flair and footwork
ensured there was never a dull
moment!!
SAILING
The team enjoyed a short but successful season on the waters of
Cadboro Bay. Through April, May and June, thanks to the Royal Victoria
Yacht Club (RVYC), the many newcomers quickly learned the basics
of the sport, moved into racing mode and came to appreciate the
finer points of making dinghies
go fast around a variety of
courses. Even better, week after
week of wonderful weather
resulted in perfect conditions,
with the warm temperatures
and moderate breezes ideal for
sailing.
The first of two principal
regattas was the Discovery Cup,
held in early May. In this, SMUS
was in contention for the title
the entire day before narrowly
missing out on first place by two
points.
Then, the team absolutely
dominated the June 6 South
Vancouver Island regatta. Out
of fourteen races, SMUS won
seven and placed second in
three others to take the overall
competition by 17 points.
On the water, Jasper Johnston,
Andrea Ellsay, Olivia Roberts,
Aysha Emmerson and Jonathan
Mostovoy proved to very
capable skippers. All showed
their ability, not only in helming
the boats and working out
race strategies, but also in
coaching less experienced crew
members. This group included
newcomer Santiago Mazoy,
who at times seemed to spend
more time in the water than in
the boat, as well as Silke Kuhn,
Alex Nesdinalova, Ethan Otto,
Sara Owen-Flood and Yiyi Zeng.
James Hayashi and Camila
Strasdas also need mention,
as they picked up key sailing
concepts very quickly, proved
very capable on the race course
and contributed plenty of
humour in the process.
Overall, this was the strongest
sailing group the school has
produced since the introduction
of the local league. All
involved showed tremendous
enthusiasm and had a lot of fun.
Final mention also should go to
grade 12 student Dylan Jones,
who, as one of the coaching
regulars at RVYC, inspired
many on the SMUS team in the
process.
GIRLS SOCCER
With a disappointing conclusion to the 2014 season still in the memory banks,
this year’s team, led by six very capable and determined seniors, set out to
make its mark at City, Island and Provincial level.
Early on, SMUS moved smoothly through local league play and performed
SMUS moved into the semi-final
creditably in the UVIC Invitational
against a heavily favoured and very
tournament. Then, the squad
polished Seycove team from North
defended successfully its ISA title,
Vancouver. Though the Seahawks
defeating a strong Southridge
dominated possession and territory
squad 2-0 in the final.
for the 70 minutes of regulation
and 15 minutes of overtime, a
Then in the Island Championships,
gritty rearguard action from the
solid victories over Carihi and NDSS
underdogs saw the game finished
propelled the team to the final
0-0. Unfortunately, there was to
against Ballenas. While the game
be no Cinderella story, as, after six
remained scoreless deep into the
rounds of penalty kicks, Seycove
second half, a 52nd minute strike
advanced.
by Gabby Freer proved enough as
SMUS won 1-0.
The following day, SMUS faced a
strong Windsor team from the same
Focus then shifted to preparation for
North Vancouver zone. Swallowing
the BC AA Tournament, held May 28their semi-final disappointment,
30 in Burnaby. Quality goalkeeping
the Blue Jags showed a fierce
from Anna Mollenhauer, a solid
determination
to
leave
the
defence anchored by Aveen
tournament with a medal. Playing its
Glen, Chloe Fitzgibbon and Taylor
most complete match of the season,
Noel, and opportunistic scoring
the team claimed third place overall
from Claudia Wheler and Robyn
with a convincing 3-0 win.
Noel proved to be a successful
formula. After knocking back LV
Coach Nikki Kaufmann noted
Rogers (3-0), Crofton House (1-0),
“a truly remarkable effort after
and Holy Cross (2-0) in pool play,
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 1st
Islands: 1st
Provincials:3rd
suffering such a devastating semifinal loss. The girls played for each
other all season and this certainly
characterized their outstanding
performances at the BC’s.”
Indeed, to gain a bronze medal,
and not concede a single goal
in regulation or extra time in
such an emotionally exhausting
tournament, were noteworthy
accomplishments. Many thanks
to the graduating players, Claudia
Wheler, Flora Manson-Blair, Rachel
Olson, Siri Knudsen, Samantha
Biberdorf, and Sarah Loughton, all of
whom provided strong leadership.
They will be missed next year, but
have left a legacy on which their
younger teammates may continue
to build.
TRACK & FIELD
Once again, weekly meets in April and early May at Centennial
Stadium allowed athletes to get up to speed, quite literally, in addition
to trying various new events.
Then, qualification began in earnest, first with the Lower Island
competition on May 7, in which
SMUS finished 7th overall.
and Lucas Simpson in the 800m
and 1500m steeplechase.
In the Islands, SMUS athletes
then went on to produce
24 personal bests, with six
competitors qualifying for the
BCs. Abdul Shokoya confirmed
his status as a top flight sprinter
in both the 100m and 200m.
The BC Championships took
place June 3rd-5th at McLeod
Athletic Stadium in Langley.
Immediately, Shokoya laid
down his marker with a sizzling
11.19 in the 100m heats. Then,
in the closest of finals, he
missed out on a silver medal
by .05, finishing fifth after a
photo finish. He then went on to
record a personal best of 23.47
in the 200m, while Chin ended
up 12th in the javelin. Mazoy ran
bravely in the 3000m.
Likewise, Conrad Chin improved
his javelin personal best to
47.13, Silke Kuhn ran a tactically
smart 800m to finish fourth
while Santiago Mazoy also
advanced in the 3000m.
Unfortunately, the 4 x 100m
Men’s relay team of Shokoya,
Chin, Jasper Johnson and Aidan
Kerr, after posting a season
best time of 46.99 in the heats,
narrowly missed a berth to the
BCs after a slight stumble in one
of the passing zones.
Other provincial qualifiers, these
in the junior division, included
Jayne Leggatt in the high jump
At junior level, Leggatt’s 1.35m
high jump was her second best
performance of the season.
Simpson turned in two simply
outstanding efforts, improving
his personal best in the 1500m
Steeplechase by a whopping
eleven seconds before then
clocking 2.04.42 in the 800m.
Incredibly, this time was good
for only 13th place overall, as
sub 2.01 was required to make
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 7th
Islands: 8th
Provincials:n/a
the final.
Coach Judy Tobacco was
delighted with the overall
performance of her charges.
“The standards in the provincial
meet this year were extremely
high. A top 15 finish for any
athlete was noteworthy.”
TENNIS
The team had a most enjoyable few months together. For the first time
ever, pre-season training started in January. In the first competition,
held in the spring term, the girls took second place at the ISAs, while
the boys finished fifth. In addition to a series of exhibition matches,
SMUS played a league game
with Lambrick Park, losing 7-4,
before bouncing back to defeat
GNS by the same score.
In what is always a brutally short
competitive window, the squad
then advanced to the Island
tournament. With only one spot
on offer to provincials, a tough
loss to Shawnigan appeared
to have ended the season.
However, with one team then
unable to attend the BCs, SMUS
were invited to take part as a
wild card entry.
Day 1 of the BCs proved to be
most interesting. For many
of the players it was the first
time under big event pressure,
and they did well to calm
nerves and go on to win 8-3 vs
Sahali of Kamloops. Despite a
subsequent loss to top ranked
Carson Graham, SMUS was
through
to
championship
round play.
While, at the quarterfinal stage,
SMUS fell 9-2 to a well-balanced
Collingwood squad, the team
then regrouped nicely vs West
Point Grey. With the match
evenly balanced at 5-5, it was
left to Sierra Dunbar and Justin
Tung, in the mixed doubles, to
claim the decisive match.
The final day saw another
close tussle, this time against
University Hill. Up 5-4, SMUS
relied on the Max Zhang and
Emilio Macario in the boys
doubles. The pair’s 6-3 win
allowed the team to finish the
tournament in 7th position.
New coach Zoran Stojkovic
indicated “it was a pleasure
SEASON SUMMARY
City: 2nd
Islands: 4th
Provincials:7th
to watch the players perform
and learn so much about
themselves on the way. I hope
even more students will want to
get involved in the future.”
HISTORY OF CHAMPIONS
The SMUS teams listed below won BC High
School Provincial Championships:
Senior Boys Cross Country:
1988-89
Senior Badminton:
1995-96
Thirty-three former students of SMUS have gone on to represent Canada at the senior level. A thirtyfourth, Gary Tongue, represented Great Britain. The date in brackets indicates the graduation year of
the student.
Reg Wenman(1921)
Cricket
Martin Nash (1993)
Soccer
Percy Williams (1922)
Track and Field
Rob Card (1993)
Rugby
Jim Weaver (1931)
Cricket
Meggan Hunt (1996)
Field Hockey
Doug Peden (1934)
Basketball
Ed Fairhurst (1997)
Rugby
Reider Getz (1958)
Tennis
Jamie Pollock (1997)
Ice Hockey
Girls Field Hockey:
1988-89, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97
Lynn Eves (1958)
Track and Field
Gary Tongue (1997)
Baseball
Ken Wilke (1966)
Rugby
Mike Danskin (1998)
Rugby
Junior Boys Basketball:
1996-97
Jim Wenman (1966)
Cricket
Matt Pettinger (1998)
Ice Hockey
Rob Frame (1979)
Rugby
Danny Boticki (1999)
Basketball
Senior Boys Basketball:
1991-92, 2014-15
Gareth Rees (1985)
Rugby
Jelena Mrdjenovich (2000)
Boxing
Andrew Heaman (1985)
Rugby
Mike Pyke (2002)
Rugby
John Graf (1987)
Rugby
Meara Crawford (2002)
Cricket
Bob Ross (1987)
Rugby
David Spicer (2003)
Rugby
Jeremy Cordle (1991)
Rugby
Beau Parker (2011)
Rugby Sevens
Jason Penaluna (1991)
Rugby
Liz Fenje (2009)
Rowing
Claire Ostick (1991)
Cricket
Mike Fuailefau (2012)
Rugby Sevens
Steve Nash (1992)
Basketball
Mickey Aylard (2011)
Rowing
Senior Boys Soccer:
2005-06, 2014-15
Senior Boys Rugby:
1990-91, 1991-92, 1996-97, 2006-07, 2014-15
Furthermore, in a 2005 Almanac of Greatest British Columbians, three SMUS alumni (Percy Williams,
Gareth Rees and Steve Nash) were listed in the Top 10 all-time sports figures from the province.
SPECIAL EVENTS 2015-16
Our thanks goes out to:
SMUS Parents Auxillary
Sodexo
Team Sales
September 18-19, 2015
Hosting ISA Senior Boys Soccer Tournament
October 14-17, 2015 Hosting WCISVC Senior Girls Volleyball Tournamment
November 4-6, 2015
December 4-5, 2015
January 14-16, 2016
January 29-30, 2016
Passion Sports
April 7, 2016
April 30, 2016
Out of the Blue
June 8, 2016
Hosting AA Girls FIeld Hockey BC Championships
Hosting ISA Senior Girls Basketball Tournament
Hosting Senior Boys & Girls Victoria Police Basketball Invitational Tournament
Hosting ISA Squash Tournament
Boys Rugby Boot Game against Oak Bay
Alumni Weekend Boys Rugby, Girls Soccer, Girls Field Hockey
25th Annual SMUS Athletic Banquet