AthleticYEAR in REVIEW

2015/2016

Letters of Congratulations

FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Welcome to SMUS, and the 25th Athletic Banquet. Please enjoy what should be a splendid evening, as we gather to celebrate a �ne year of accomplishments, honour some of our top performers, as well as say farewell to the grads.

2015-2016 has been another very successful year. Pride of place goes to the athletes and coaches who won a second straight BC AA Boys Rugby title. One small step behind were Boys Basketball (2nd), Girls Field Hockey (3rd), Girls Soccer (3rd) and Rugby 7s (3rd).

In addition, three teams won Island titles, while, of thirteen possible BC School Sports provincial championships, SMUS quali�ed for nine.Moreover, 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 re�ected 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 �nal words. To play is good, to win is better, but to love the game is the best.

VIVAT!

Lindsay Brooke

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

One can hardly have any discussion of the School’s athletic programme without someone referring to one of the School’s mottos, “mens sana in corpora sano”. An evening like tonight 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 programme that tries to live up to this vision.

It is a wonderful sight on an afternoon to see �elds 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

Award Winners

Parents Auxiliary CupOutstanding Male AthleteLucas De VriesRunner-upHari Ikonomou

Peyton CupOutstanding Female AthleteAveen GlenRunner-upMia Roberts & Robyn Noel

Athletic Director’s Merit AwardOutstanding Sport PerformanceAnna Mollenhauer (Field Hockey)Grace Thomas (Squash)

Parents AuxiliarySportsmanship AwardOutstanding e�ort, humility invictory, grace in defeat.John Cook

Billy Greenwell AwardOutstanding Male Basketball PlayerRyan Hindson

Dalziel CupOutstanding 1st XV Rugby PlayerJosh Kahn

Nancy Mollenhauer CupOutstanding Field Hockey PlayerAnna Mollenhauer

Jim Weaver ShieldOutstanding CricketerJamison Schulz-Franco

Outstanding Junior AthleteAll round performance and e�ort.Matt HagkullTaylor Noel

Team AwardsWork ethic, attitude, leadership and sportsmanship, as voted by teammates.

Girls Field Hockey Aveen GlenBoys Soccer Hari IkonomouGirls Soccer Robyn NoelBoys Basketball Jamison Schulz-FrancoGirls Basketball Mia RobertsBoys Rugby Jonas RobinsonGirls Rugby Hayley WatsonGirls Volleyball Silke KuhnGolf Kitty LiangBoys Rowing Connor FentonGirls Rowing Sun-Eui ChoiGirls Rowing Sarah HagkullSailing Jasper Johnston Cross Country Aubry WilliamsTrack & Field Conrad ChinSquash Jason Yoo Badminton Hank QianTennis Bernard TungCricket Ben Edwards

GIRLS FIELD HOCKEYFor the second straight year, the Blue Jags went unbeaten on the local league circuit, recapturing the May Tully Shield, emblematic of City supremacy. Two wins and a draw in the prestigious Bridgman Cup then proved to be excellent preparation as SMUS dominated the Ridley College National Invitational in St. Catharines, Ontario. Anna Mollenhauer notched eleven goals in the competition, with strong support from Charlotte Bussche, Angel Tsui and Alexa Matthews.

Back in Victoria, SMUS moved straight to the Island AA Finals. In front of a large crowd, the girls saved their best for last in a 6-0 victory over Brentwood College. A rock-solid defence left Mia Roberts with relatively little to do, as the goalie ran her shutout streak to twelve consecutive games. Seniors Chloe Keeler-Young, Aveen Glen, Olivia Donald and Becca Thomson were all in �ne form, with the scoring load shared through the team.

SMUS then hosted the BC AA tournament on the turf at the University of Victoria. Hopes were high that the players could go one better than a year ago and so capture an elusive blue banner.

Though managing only a scoreless draw against Seycove in opening day action, the team quickly recovered to drop LV Rogers 5-0 and York House 4-1 and top its pool. Next, SMUS clipped South Kamloops 3-0 in a round of eight match-up, setting up the anticipated semi-�nal against Crofton House.

Unfortunately, for the third year in a row, Crofton House denied SMUS a possible provincial title, thanks to a 41st minute goal which stood up in a 1-0 win. The Blue Jags did bounce back to claim bronze with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Seycove. Roberts made a number of �ne saves to record yet another clean sheet.

As has been the case the past �ve years at the BCs, tiny margins separate the gold, silver and bronze medalists. SMUS, with multiple returnees, will look to take the �nal step once again in the fall of 2016.

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 1st

Provincials - 3rd

BOYS SOCCERWith the handful of returnees having to take on far more responsibility, it was always going to be very di�cult to match the consistent excellence of the 2014-15 BC AA title team. Nonetheless, the Blue Jags slowly began to hit form by mid-October, with playo�s on the horizon.In the Island AA tournament, SMUS was on the ropes versus Gulf Islands, knowing that a loss would end any chance of reaching provincials. Happily, a �rst-minute goal by Ben Wingert settled nerves, and a late Santiago Mazoy header ensured a 3-1 win.

In the �nal against Kwalikum, a 9th minute cross was tapped home by Jamison Schulz-Franco, as SMUS took a 1-0 lead. In the second half, pressure by Alec Keech and Hari Ikonomou allowed Wingert to slot home a rebound to make the game more secure, although a Blue Jags turnover shortly thereafter gifted the Condors their only goal. The hosts then had to absorb a pressure packed �nal few minutes, with Jasper Bosley making an excellent save and Donovan Sturdy clearing o� the goal line.

The team then headed to the BCs, looking to repeat as AA champions. After a 2-2 tie in the opener versus David Thompson, SMUS got o� to a better start against John Oliver with an early marker courtesy of Ben Edwards. Then came a fatal blow, as the Jokers, hugely against the run of play, claimed the equalizer in the dying minutes.

SMUS bounced back the following day to dispatch Aldergrove 5-0. However, with goals conceded being the tie-breaker in a three-way logjam, the draw vs David Thompson left SMUS third in the pool, despite not having lost a game.

With 9th now their best possible placing, the Jags beat Island rival Highland 3-0 then closed the season with a 3-2 loss to Brookswood, the deciding goal scored literally seconds before full time.

The BC tournament format meant that goals not scored or conceded at crucial times were extremely costly, as a glorious opportunity for SMUS to reach the �nal went a begging.

Season Summary

City - 2nd

Islands - 1st

Provincials - 10th

GIRLS SOCCERWith 2015’s heart breaking provincial semi-�nal loss, in a penalty shootout, still in the memory banks, this year’s team, featuring a miserly defence and led by very capable group of seniors, set out to make its mark at City, Island and BC level.

With six wins and a draw, SMUS sailed through AA league play, registering 27 goals without reply. In addition, the squad claimed a third consecutive ISA title and advanced, for the �rst time in school history, to the Ryan Cup, emblematic of City supremacy.

In the Islands, shutouts vs Parkland, Mark Isfeld and Carihi propelled the Blue Jags to the �nal. Following a scoreless game, Meggie Edwards, in the �fth round of penalties, scored the winner after a taut encounter vs Ladysmith.

Focus then shifted to preparation for the BC AA Tournament, held June 2-4 in Campbell River. Quality goalkeeping, more solid defending and opportunistic scoring again proved to be a successful formula in pool wins over Smithers, MEI and Notre Dame. But, once again, there was

to be extreme disappointment, as SMUS then fell to St. Thomas More in a tense and combative semi-�nal. Regulation and extra time could not produce a goal, leaving the season to again hinge on a dreaded penalty shootout.

To their credit, the Blue Jags battled back the following morning, though requiring two goals in extra time to defeat Okanagan Mission 3-1. Yet, even a bronze medal left a somewhat bitter aftertaste.

Goalkeeper Anna Mollenhauer enjoyed an absolutely superb season, making multiple key saves. Taylor Noel, Aveen Glen, Sara Cui and Chloe Fitzgibbon invariably sti�ed the opposition attack, while, in mid�eld, Robyn Noel, Mia Roberts, Maggie Manson-Blair, and Aysha Emmerson worked tirelessly. Up front, the pace of Gabby Freer and Angel Tsui keyed the attack, while Edwards, Sasha Boehm, Charlie Colby and Claire Swanston provided depth. In addition, newcomers Lizzie Watson, Abby Fraser, Desiree McIntosh, Jessa McElderry and Riley Clare proved themselves very versatile.

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 1st

ISA’s - 1st

Provincials - 3rd

BOYS BASKETBALLGiven a demanding schedule, and with just two players returning from a powerful BC AA championship team, the 2015-16 season looked to be full of obstacles. Yet, perseverance paid dividends, as the squad kept plugging away despite some early losses.

In the Islands, the Blue Jags dumped favoured Shawnigan 68-47 in the semi-�nal to secure a berth in the provincial AA tournament. It relieved some of the sting of a last second loss to Lambrick Park in the championship game, where a very late three pointer the made the di�erence as the Lions prevailed 59-56.

At the BCs, 5th seeded SMUS continued its solid play. In one of the �nest performances in school history, the Blue Jags completely neutralized #1 ranked GW Graham, en route to a 75-63 semi-�nal upset. At very long odds, SMUS, with a completely new team, had for a third straight year reached the provincial AA �nal!

Alas, the clock struck midnight and the Cinderella story ended in rather decisive fashion. Full credit to a skilled and balanced Collingwood squad, which rode a dominant second quarter to a comfortable victory.

There were many positives in a season of no particular expectation. Seniors Alec Keech and Lucas De Vries made the most of increased court time, with the latter becoming a particularly e�ective rebounder and shot blocker. Hari Ikonomou, Sean Lider and Pablo Fernandez chipped in to provide the intangibles necessary for group success. Of the grade 11s, talented newcomer Ryan Hindson averaged over 22ppg and was named an All-Star at every tournament. Backcourt mate Jamison Schulz-Franco took on the bulk of ball handling and playmaking responsibilities, while Ben Keep, Jasper Bosley and Jason Liao added streaky shooting and solid wing play.

Up front, Sammy de Vries was something of a jack of all trades, while Bryn Haydock rebounded and defended well. Quinn Ngawati made a welcome return to the sport, controlling the boards and providing a rugged presence in the post.

Not surprisingly, given eight returnees, almost all of whom played signi�cant minutes this year, the pressure will be on for 2016-17. Indeed, SMUS will start next season ranked AA #1.

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 2nd

Provincials - 2nd

GIRLS BASKETBALLWith multiple returnees set to enter their senior year, and with several talented juniors also available, hopes were high that the team might leave its mark on the provincial landscape. The season certainly began promisingly enough, as SMUS opened with strong second place performances in both the Victoria Christmas Tournament and the ISAs.

In the New Year, the squad went one better, �rst winning the Wellington Super Ball event in Nanaimo. Then, behind strong performances from MVP Mia Roberts and All-Star Leah Sparkman, in a packed SMUS gymnasium, the Blue Jags upended favoured PCS in the Victoria City Police Tournament.

Finally, in capping a terri�c January, SMUS, led by forwards Aveen Glen and Georgia Haydock, dominated the �eld at the Southridge K-FACE tournament.

The Island AA quali�er, held in Nanaimo, promised to be a close-run thing, with a narrow City �nal defeat to PCS placing SMUS as South #2 in the tournament. A horrible shooting night proved costly in a semi-�nal loss to Ballenas,

which necessitated, a few days later, the Blue Jags having to meet Windsor of North Vancouver in a BC wild card game.

After a slow start, the SMUS used its superior depth and �tness to advance easily, and so qualify for provincials.

The BC tournament featured some terri�c teams, with the top four seeds in a di�erent class to the rest of the �eld. The Blue Jags, ranked #12, opened against a very capable Vernon out�t, with the Vipers’ size and physicality winning the day. In the end, after one big win and two narrow losses, SMUS ended up in 14th position.

Coach Lindsay Brooke, in thanking all the players for their e�orts, paid particular tribute to the seven seniors who have led SMUS Basketball over the past several years. This group, in addition to Roberts and Glen, included Chloe Keeler-Young, Robyn Noel, Olivia Donald, Hayley Watson and Charlie Colby.

Season Summary

City - 2nd

Islands - 3rd

Provincials - 14th

BOYS RUGBYFollowing the slog of January, February and March, the season began for real in early April. The much anticipated Boot Game vs Oak Bay, which saw the Blue Jags tied at halftime before falling 31-10, was quickly followed by further defeats to AA rival Rockridge and then to St. George’s.

But with strong senior leadership and a terri�c work ethic, the team rebounded in style, winning its �nal eight matches. Indeed SMUS hit top gear, with a 36-5 demolition of Collingwood in the newly minted Stadium Series followed by a 22-0 Howard Russell Cup triumph over the cross-town Barbs.

In the BC AA semi-�nal, the Blue Jags produced their best performance of the season, building a stunning 38-0 halftime lead over Brentwood on the back of some thrilling, multi-phase rugby.

In the championship game, SMUS, playing with great resolve in wet, miserable conditions, controlled play throughout en route to a well-deserved 17-3 triumph over Collingwood. In so doing, the squad defended successfully its 2015 BC title.

A constantly improving set of forwards laid the foundation for success. Hookers John Cook and Marcelo Olson, in tandem with props Aidan Cole and Bryce Forbes, dominated the set piece and carried well. Locks Pablo Fernandez, Bernardo Villegas and Dimitri Boroto were a gritty and vastly underrated trio, while Quinn Ngawati, Myles Duncan, Josh Gra� and Bryn Haydock formed a quick, skilled and rangy back row.

Behind the scrum, Sam Kahn and Jonas Robinson were brave and e�cient halfbacks, with the latter transitioning well to the challenges of �y half. Felix Butter�eld ran and tackled powerfully, while centre partner Josh Kahn was consistently excellent. In the back three, Hari Ikonomou, Jonathan Sudul and Jasper Bosley developed impressively, while Lucas De Vries, hampered all term by hamstring trouble, still showed on multiple occasions why he was the most dangerous �nisher in the province.

In the reserve group, Max Freund, Sammy De Vries, Donovan Sturdy, Avery Thorp, Dennis Siegrist, Francisco Labastida, Tyler Strandberg, Matt Hagkull and Artem Sakhbiev were among those who acquitted themselves well when called upon.

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 1st

Provincials - 1st

GIRLS RUGBYCanada, a �nalist in the 2014 Women’s World Cup and already quali�ed for the inaugural Women’s Olympic 7s competition this August in Rio Janeiro, is very much a major player on the international rugby stage.

Therefore, it was inevitable that this rapidly growing sport would gain an initial foothold at SMUS in 2016. Athletic Director Lindsay Brooke noted that “rugby has been the major sport for boys at our school for the better part of a century. Now the girls can also learn �rsthand. They will be challenged physically, mentally and emotionally in an athletic venue that they otherwise might not have experienced. They will further develop traits that foster leadership and character.”

The vastly experienced Spencer Robinson, assisted by Stefani Hanson, took on the coaching reins, giving the players a basic framework in sessions prior to spring break.

A series of intense 7s games began in April, with SMUS playing against Oak Bay and then giving a combined Mount Douglas/Reynolds squad all it could handle before going down 15-7. Then, against Spectrum, tries from Charlotte Bussche, Julia Henry, Tate Robinson and Oria James paved the way for the school’s �rst ever victory.

In the following weeks, SMUS drew with the same Mount Douglas/Reynolds combination, lost narrowly to GNS and then defeated Claremont. As was the case all season, Hayley Watson, Tate Robinson, Lucy Zeng and Charlotte Bussche were prominent. Grace Kwok, Kaitlynn Torstensen and Jane Wong also contributed positively.

The coaches have been delighted with the progress made by all players. In particular, they noted the leadership and all round skill of Robinson and Watson, the quick thinking of Saje Gri�th and Lucy Zeng, and the physical commitment of Maya Jervis and Ivy Chatvijitchoke.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALLThe season brought its successes as well as some bumps along the road, re�ecting the resilience and grit of the team. Under the direction of Mr. Keith Driscoll and Ms. Chelsea McMullen, the players improved a great deal, even if just missing out on a berth to BCs.

SMUS participated all fall in the local league, winning the majority of its games in the Vic Lindal Cup before entering playo� action. The team also featured in the Woodlands, Dover Bay and ISA tournaments.

Hosting the Western Canadian Independent Schools’ Championship was a huge highlight. Over the course of four days, SMUS battled top teams from all over BC and the prairies. Some of the volleyball on display was simply outstanding. In the end, though defeating pre-tourney favourite Rundle College of Calgary in pool play, SMUS fell at the quarter-�nal stage in three games to eventual winner Notre Dame. Silke Kuhn, by virtue of her high quality setting in all eight matches, was named to the All-Tournament team.

At the AA Islands, SMUS �nished second in its pool before dropping Paci�c Christian School in a quarter�nal match-up. The team, in three close games, then lost to North #1 seed Woodlands before bouncing back to defeat Kwalikum for the bronze medal. Robyn Noel played outstandingly well, joining Kuhn as an All-Star.

As in the past three years, the third place Island �nish saw SMUS move to the provincial wild card tournament. Unfortunately, in a six-team �eld that included Kwalikum, Holy Cross, Southridge, St. Thomas Aquinas and West Point Grey, the Blue Jags could not claim one of the two BC berths on o�er. Coach Driscoll, in thanking seniors Kuhn, Noel, Sasha Boehm, Sara Owen-Flood and Hayley Watson for their contributions, allowed “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. We welcome some talented juniors next fall and will see where that might take us.”

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 3rd

Provincials - DNQ

GOLFOnce again, SMUS enjoyed a close a�liation with the Victoria Golf Club, with the ten team members bene�ting from organized practice sessions with the professional sta�. This was important, as the high school golf season is packed into an eight-week window.

In mid-April, at the prestigious Delta Police event, Grade 8 Richard Zhang carded a two-day total of 147, good for seventh place overall in the individual competition. The SMUS team enjoyed a 21-stroke improvement in the second round to move up to 9th overall.

The following week at the ISAs, SMUS – led by Tony Liu and Matt Bernsten – �nished in 5th position. The fact that only a single player in the entire �eld matched par re�ected the di�cult conditions at the Victoria Golf Club, as high winds, fast greens and devilish pin positions played havoc with scorecards!

However, things seemed to be moving in the right direction at the City tournament, hosted by the Royal Colwood GC. Indeed, SMUS missed out on a tie with Belmont for �rst place by a single stroke. Jack Rothwell played beautifully in recording an even par 70, while Adrian Hof,

Liam Dyson (aided by a hole out from 130 yards on the 16th hole) and Berntsen also contributed e�ectively. With con�dence growing, the team looked forward to Island AAs, set for Pheasant Glen GC and with three berths on o�er to provincials.

Alas, on a disappointing day for almost everyone, the team failed to measure up to expectations. With the course in excellent condition, and the greens rolling true, low scores were anticipated. Whether, based on the Lower Island tournament success, SMUS was overcon�dent or whether it was “just one of those days,” only Rothwell, with a one over par 73, played to his normal level. Otherwise, shots were squandered, with disastrous results.

In the end, a combined total of 334 resulted in a 4th place �nish, one stroke away from what would have been a playo� to qualify for BCs. Golf can be a cruel sport, and, on this occasion, so it proved to be.

On a happier note, Kitty Liang, Candy Li and Amber Yun provided some solace by winning the Brentwood Girls Invitational at Cowichan GC.

Season Summary

City - 2nd

Islands - 4th

Provincials - DNQ

ROWINGTryouts again began in the fall with a whole series of dry land, ergometer and swimming tests. The school’s Gorge Rowing centre hummed with activity, as over 50 athletes were selected to crews and the autumn revolved around various local competitions. In both the Crabfest and Head of the Hamster, SMUS performed with distinction, giving a hint of what might be in store come the New Year. There was also an enjoyable team building exercise, as the athletes took part in a dragon boat race.

With the onset of winter, the more experienced rowers upped their training schedules in preparation for the spring racing season. At the Elk Lake, Maple Bay, Brentwood and Shawnigan regattas, the various SMUS combinations took shape, all with an eye to qualifying for the Royal Canadian Henley in St. Catherines, Ontario.

This 71st edition of the national Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) Championship was duly held June 3-5. Nearly 2,000 athletes from 126 schools all across Canada and the USA took part.

SMUS was very well represented by 22 rowers who competed in twenty races over the three days of competition. Every crew reached the semi-�nals of their respective divisions, with �ve then advancing to Sunday �nals.

With thunder, lightning and torrential rain in the afternoon forecast, this last day of competition was moved forward to a 7am start!! In increasingly tricky conditions, the Senior Women’s quad placed 4th, while the Senior Women’s Flyweight quad, the Junior Women’s quad and the Junior Men’s double each placed 6th.

Saving the best for last, the Senior Men’s 66kg Four, featuring coxswain Katie McAulay and rowers Nick Considine, Aubry Williams, Brennan Parsons and Rosendo Gutierrez, performed brilliantly in bringing home a gold medal!! Congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment.

Coach Susanne Walker-Curry paid special tribute to the entire team. “The group was a pleasure to coach and represented the school so well on and o� the water.”

Season Summary

City - 3rd

Islands - n/aProvincials - n/a

SAILINGSMUS completed a very successful season on the waters of Cadboro Bay through April, May and June. Plenty of interest in the team necessitated a wait list just to take part, while the experienced sailors in the group worked hard to assist the novices. Based at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, all involved learned the basics of the sport, moved into racing mode, and came quickly to appreciate the �ner points of making a dinghy go fast around a course. This was all helped by wonderful weather, as warm temperatures and ideal breezes combined to make both practice and competition enjoyable.

In the �rst of two major regattas, SMUS entered two teams, with a second and third place �nish a fair reward. Then, having joined together for the June 4 City championship event, the Blue Jags’ crew, well led by Jasper Johnston, became the �rst group to repeat as champions.

In addition to Johnston, Andrea Ellsay, Olivia Roberts, Ricky Fabris and grade 7 Oliver Kerr proved themselves to be very capable skippers, especially in regard to helming the boats and working out race strategies. Others, such as Silke Kuhn, Sara Owen-Flood, Aysha Emerson, Matthew Owen-Flood, Yiyi Zeng, Tayte Gossling, Kimberly Chong and James Chen, learned very quickly.

“Overall”, head coach David Kerr re�ected “this was the strongest and largest sailing group SMUS has produced since the high school league began �ve years ago. It was wonderful to see the entire group display such enthusiasm. We do lose some key team members to graduation, but there are plenty of talented youngsters ready to step up as replacements.”

CROSS-COUNTRYLocal league races began in mid-September, with the Lambrick Park, Beaver Lake, Cedar Hill and Juan de Fuca courses each playing host to over 150 runners.

SMUS opened at Lambrick Park in spectacular fall weather. Newcomer Chrissa Tromp made an early move and then held on to win the Senior Girls 4k race, with sister Cordel then performing well in the Grade 9 event. Julia Southgate also ran strongly to �nish 5th in the Grade 10 race, helping the Blue Jags to a second place team �nish.

Michael Wong-Harrison, Aubry Williams and Lucas Simpson then paved the way for a second place team �nish by the senior boys, while good balance, thanks in part to the e�orts of Gabriel Reis and Jared Reis, saw the junior boys top the podium.

At the Lower Island Championships at Beaver Lake, Cordel Tromp had another solid showing, �nishing 6th in the junior girls competition. At senior boys’ level, Wong-Harrison (3rd), Williams (5th), Santiago Mazoy (10th) and Sam Kahn (17th) combined beautifully to claim a silver medal, a result that sparked a similarly solid team e�ort at the Islands a week later.

SMUS completed its season battling monsoon rains and a treacherously slippery track to claim a superb 6th place �nish in the provincial meet at Jericho Park in Vancouver. This was the best SMUS result in more than two decades, as Wong-Harrison, Williams, Simpson and Mazoy, supported by Kahn, Avery Thorp and Ming Deng, made light of the conditions to �nish as the top-ranked AA entrant! As a group, they celebrated a wonderful achievement by taking a dip in the ocean after the race.

On the girls’ side, the Tromp sisters, Cordel and Chrissa, also ran extremely well, �nishing 39th and 41st respectively in �elds of more than 230 competitors.

Coaches Judy Tobacco and Je� Hunt, in congratulating all those who took part, indicated that “had the Cross Country commission divided the BC races into AAA and AA categories, SMUS would have claimed a Senior Boys title.” Unfortunately, this change to the constitution only kicks into e�ect in the fall of 2016.

Season Summary

City - 3rd

Islands - 5th

Provincials - 6th

TRACK & FIELDOnce 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, quali�cation began in earnest, �rst with the Lower Island competition on May 7, in which SMUS �nished 5th overall.

In the Islands, SMUS athletes then went on to produce 15 personal bests, with nine competitors qualifying for the BCs. Conrad Chin con�rmed his status as a top �ight triple jumper and javelin thrower. Aidan Cole, in the shot put and discus, and Ryan Hindson, in the long and triple jumps, also performed well.

In the Girls’ divisions, Danae Gendall continued to excel in the sprints while Ella Chin proved very versatile in running the 400m and throwing the javelin. Both then went on to join Cordel Tromp and Marika Shafonsky in a very competitive 4 x 400m relay team.

The BC Championships took place June 2-4 in Nanaimo. The quality and depth of the performances were breathtaking, with several long standing zone and provincial records being shattered. Conrad Chin performed extremely well, with top ten �nishes in triple jump and javelin, and 12th place in the long jump. Santiago Mazoy ran two tactically smart races in the 1500m and 3000m races, both of which took place in gusty cross winds.

Gendall and Chin, both in grade 9, competed exceptionally well in the Junior category. The former logged a personal best of 13.04 in the 100m and anchored the relay.

Coach Judy Tobacco was delighted with the overall performance of her charges. “The standards in the provincial meet this year were extremely high. Any top 15 �nish was noteworthy.”

Season Summary

City - 3rd

Islands - 6th

Provincials - n/a

SQUASHSquash, in its eighth year of operation in the Brian Graves Centre, continues as a very real and successful part of the SMUS Athletic program. Even before the school year began there was cause for celebration, as Grace Thomas traveled to Eindhoven in the Netherlands to represent Canada at the World Junior tournament. Playing in both individual and team events, she helped the national team to a 5th place overall �nish.

Starting in the fall, SMUS coaches Chris Hanebury, Giselle Delgado and Maia Kirk entered the team in multiple competitions, with pleasing results. One such example was the Paci�c Northwest Tournament, held in Victoria at various sites in the middle of February. More than 220 athletes from all across Canada and the western United States took part, with the 44 from SMUS performing very well.

Pride of place went to Brooke Herring, who won the Girls U17A in a �ve-set thriller against a Lower Mainland opponent. Katie Rothwell (U17B), Charlotte Campbell (U17), Alex Brown (U13) and Thomas (U19A) also reached the podium.

On the Boys’ side, there were medals for Mark Felea-Motet, who dropped a �ve-set heartbreaker in the U19B Division, while Matthew Wong placed third. Nathan Von Hagen �nished third at U17A level, losing only a single match, while Stanley Weng reached the �nal of the U15B event.

After dominating the ISA tournament, the team then competed in the Junior Nationals in Markham, Ontario. Nine members of the team took part in a very high-level competition, with Christian Yuen reaching the Boys U17 quarter�nals. The girls also had some very strong results, with Thomas completing a stellar SMUS career in getting all the way to the U19 �nal before falling 3-1 to the defending champion. Brown and Herring both reached the quarter�nals in their respective groups.

Hanebury pointed to the overall youth of the group, noting “we will continue to work hard to have players in the future match and hopefully even surpass Grace’s achievements.”

BADMINTONWith a long spring break less than ideal in terms of preparing for the league season, it was perhaps not too surprising SMUS found itself on the wrong end of a 10-1 league defeat to Mt. Douglas. However, this setback gave the team a much needed jolt, with four straight victories the result. Still, a second loss to the Rams, this time by 9-2, con�rmed there was still much work to do.

Things began to turn for the better when the girls claimed second place at the ISAs, while the boys followed suit with a terri�c performance before falling 3-2 to St. Georges. Nonetheless, with con�dence renewed, SMUS successfully completed the remainder of league play really believing that Mt. Douglas could be toppled.

After moving smartly through the early rounds, thanks to sterling play by Grace Weng, Sena Youn and Hank Qion, the Blue Jags did indeed face their cross town rivals in the Island �nal. An absolutely riveting contest, in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, went down to the wire, before SMUS fell 21-19 in the deciding game to lose the match 6-5.

The team then headed to the BCs in Richmond, seeded #10 but hopeful of springing an upset in pool play. Alas, despite an 11-0 whitewash of Sahali, defeats to provincial powerhouses Steveston-London and Semiahmoo consigned SMUS to the consolation bracket. After solid victories over Claremont (8-3) and Moscrop (6-5), SMUS then dropped a narrow decision to Richmond’s JN Burnett.

The 10th place BC �nish, given the 185 schools across the province �elding teams, was, according to coach Je� Hunt, “very credible, especially as we began the spring term so slowly. Several team members really stepped up their games over the past few weeks and for that should be very satis�ed.”

Season Summary

City - 2nd

Islands - 2nd

Provincials - 10th

TENNISThe team had a most enjoyable few months together, with some pre-season training starting before spring break. For the most part, the weather also cooperated, with the vast majority of practices and matches taking place in the sunshine.

In what is always a brutally short competitive window, the squad �nished mid pack in the ISAs but won the City AA competition by virtue of �nishing ahead of Lambrick Park and GNS.

These results quali�ed the team for the Island AA tournament. While two places were on o�er to provincials, a strong and balanced Shawnigan team stood in the way at semi-�nal level. SMUS, led by Tony Liu, Lauro Teixiera, Max Zhang and Bernard Tung, competed extremely well in this match but were unable to close out the key points.

While the defeat appeared to have ended the season, SMUS, with the Dunbar sisters, Stephanie and Sierra in good form, did then defeat Lambrick Park for third place. There was even hope of a wild card to the BCs, as there was some question whether or not the Okanagan zone would ful�ll its quota of berths. But, in the end, it was not to be.

Coaches Chris Freitag and Danny Jones commented “it was a pleasure to watch the players perform and learn so much about themselves on the way. We hope even more students will want to get involved in the sport in the future.”

Season Summary

City - 1st

Islands - 3rd

Provincials - DNQ

History of ChampionsThe SMUS teams listed below won BC High School Provincial Championships:

Senior Boys Cross Country1988-89

Senior Badminton1995-96

Girls Field Hockey1988-89, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97

Junior Boys Basketball1996-97

Senior Boys Basketball1991-92, 2014-15

Senior Boys Soccer2005-06, 2014-15

Senior Boys Rugby1990-91, 1991-92, 1996-97, 2006-07, 2014-15, 2015-16

Reg Wenman(1921) Cricket

Percy Williams (1922) Track and Field

Jim Weaver (1931) Cricket

Doug Peden (1934) Basketball

Reider Getz (1958) Tennis

Lynn Eves (1958) Track and Field

Ken Wilke (1966) Rugby

Jim Wenman (1966) Cricket

Rob Frame (1979) Rugby

Gareth Rees (1985) Rugby

Andrew Heaman (1985) Rugby

John Graf (1987) Rugby

Bob Ross (1987) Rugby

Jeremy Cordle (1991) Rugby

Jason Penaluna (1991) Rugby

Claire Ostick (1991) Cricket

Steve Nash (1992) Basketball

Martin Nash (1993) Soccer

Rob Card (1993) Rugby

Meggan Hunt (1996) Field Hockey

Ed Fairhurst (1997) Rugby

Jamie Pollock (1997) Ice Hockey

Gary Tongue (1997) Baseball

Mike Danskin (1998) Rugby

Matt Pettinger (1998) Ice Hockey

Danny Boticki (1999) Basketball

Jelena Mrdjenovich (2000) Boxing

Mike Pyke (2002) Rugby

Meara Crawford (2002) Cricket

David Spicer (2003) Rugby

Beau Parker (2011) Rugby Sevens

Liz Fenje (2009) Rowing

Mike Fuailefau (2012) Rugby Sevens

Mickey Aylard (2011) Rowing

Luke McCloskey (2011) Rugby Sevens

Thirty-four former students of SMUS have gone on to represent Canada at the senior level. A thirty-�fth, Gary Tongue, represented Great Britain. 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 �gures from the province.

Special Events for 2016/2017

Sep 16 - 17, 2016 Hosting ISA Senior Boys Soccer Tournament

Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2016 Hosting CAIS U15 Girls Soccer Tournament

Nov 26, 2016 Alumni Basketball Game

Jan 12 - 14, 2017 Hosting Victoria Police Basketball Tournament

Jan 27, 2017 Hosting Squash ISA Tournament

Apr 28 - 30, 2017 Alumni Weekend

Jun 8, 2017 Athletics Banquet

Special Thanks To

SMUS Parents Auxillary

Out of the Blue

Passion Sports

Team Sales

Sodexo