ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOLATHLETIC YEAR IN REVIEW | 2014-2015

GRAEME HYDE-LAY ROBYN NOEL MATTY MCCOLL

FLORA MANSON-BLAIR JASPER BOSLEY ACACIA WELSFORD

AWARD WINNERSTEAM AWARDSWork 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 PlayerJason Scully

Dalziel Cup Outstanding 1st XV Rugby playerJosh GraffiMax Pollen

Nancy Mollenhauer CupOutstanding Field Hockey Player Flora Staunau

Athletic Director’s Merit Award Outstanding performance in sportGrace 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 effortJasper Bosley

Peyton Cup Outstanding Female AthleteRobyn Noel (winner)Aveen Glen (runner-up)

Parents Auxiliary Sportsmanship AwardOutstanding effort, humility in victory, grace in defeatFlora Manson-Blair (winner)Ryan Cui (runner-up)

Parents Auxiliary Cup Outstanding Male AthleteGraeme Hyde-Lay (winner)Matty McColl (winner)

MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATIONS

From the Head of School From the Athletic DirectorWelcome 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. 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

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.

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

GIRLS FIELD HOCKEYThe 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.

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 1stProvincials: 2nd

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 semi-final. 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,

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 VOLLEYBALLDespite the loss of six talented seniors from a year ago, the 2014-2015 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

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 4thProvincials: DNQ

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 semi-finals 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

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 SOCCERWith 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.

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 1stProvincials: 1st

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

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.

ROWINGAs 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.

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

This 70th edition of the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) Championship was duly held June 5-7, and featured some 2,000 athletes representing over 120 schools.

As has been the case in past years, very strong head winds during the heats made life difficult for the various crews, with many taking longer than anticipated to complete the 2km course. Nonetheless, six SMUS crews ploughed through the elements to reach their

respective finals.

In truly wonderful fashion and in pressure circumstances, the Men’s Sr 4+, featuring Nathan Anter, David Cunningham, Connor Fenton, John Throne and Max Yong, continued their exceptional form in winning the gold medal. Not to be outdone, the Women’s Sr 63kg 4+ then also topped the podium, thanks to the sterling efforts of Sun-Eui Choi, Julianne Pohl, Acacia Welsford, Chloe White and Julianna Wong.

Also rowing superbly were the second place Men’s Jr 4+ and the bronze medalist Women’s 63kg 4+. In other finals, the Women’s Sr 63kg 8+ crossed the line in fourth while the Men’s Junior Double placed sixth.

Coach Susanne Walker-Curry, while very proud of all the medalists, paid equal tribute to the entire team. “There were many fine efforts, in what is such

a high quality regatta. Particular thanks are due the seniors for their dedication and leadership through the entire year.”

CROSS-COUNTRYWhile 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’

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 3rdIslands: 7thProvincials: 19th (Girls) 13th (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 Wong-Harrison’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, Wong-Harrison 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

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”.

SQUASHSquash, 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 BASKETBALLThe 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

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 1stProvincials: 1st

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 mid-March, 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.

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 BASKETBALLWhat 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.

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 2ndIslands: 5thProvincials: DNQ

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.

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.

BADMINTONFollowing 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.

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 1stProvincials: 8th

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

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.

CRICKETIt 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.

GOLFOnce 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

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 3rdIslands: 2ndProvincials: 11th

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 sub-par 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

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 RUGBYThe 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

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: n/aProvincials: 1st

the annual Boot Game vs Oak Bay, surrendering a 22-0 halftime lead. However, this disappointing loss proved to be a key turning point, highlighting several areas of play that needed addressing.

Indeed, the 1st XV did not lose again, with a miraculous 31-26 comeback victory over Mexico U19 a particular boost to morale. Then, SMUS gained revenge on Oak Bay, as a last minute Matty McColl penalty kick secured a 20-17 Alumni Day win.

Inevitably, after several straightforward early round playoff successes, SMUS found itself in the BC AA Final Four. In the best performance of the season, the Blue Jags built a 30-0 lead over Collingwood to claim a place in the final vs #1 seeded Rockridge.

In this championship game, SMUS, playing with great resolve, broke open a tight

affair after halftime, riding tries by Lucas de Vries and Mitchell Newman, along with 13 points from McColl, to a well-deserved 23-7 triumph. In so doing, the squad, on the heels of Soccer and Basketball provincial successes, completed an unprecedented “Triple Crown” of BC titles.

A constantly improving forward pack set the foundation for success. Hooker Angus Catto, and props Aidan Cole and Dante Morandin, did their set piece work well. Locks Warren Marriott and Pablo Fernandez were a gritty and underrated pair, while Liam Catto, Myles Duncan, Josh Kahn and the starry Josh Graffi formed a quick and rangy back row. Key seniors Aidan McCleary and Noah Pryce-Baff both battled through injuries, but came through when it counted most, turning in courageous performances at the provincial tournament.

Behind the scrum, scrum

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!!

SAILINGThe 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 SOCCERWith 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

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 1stIslands: 1stProvincials: 3rd

creditably in the UVIC Invitational tournament. Then, the squad defended successfully its ISA title, defeating a strong Southridge squad 2-0 in the final.

Then in the Island Championships, solid victories over Carihi and NDSS propelled the team to the final against Ballenas. While the game remained scoreless deep into the second half, a 52nd minute strike by Gabby Freer proved enough as SMUS won 1-0.

Focus then shifted to preparation for the BC AA Tournament, held May 28-30 in Burnaby. Quality goalkeeping from Anna Mollenhauer, a solid defence anchored by Aveen Glen, Chloe Fitzgibbon and Taylor Noel, and opportunistic scoring from Claudia Wheler and Robyn Noel proved to be a successful formula. After knocking back LV Rogers (3-0), Crofton House (1-0), and Holy Cross (2-0) in pool play,

SMUS moved into the semi-final against a heavily favoured and very polished Seycove team from North Vancouver. Though the Seahawks dominated possession and territory for the 70 minutes of regulation and 15 minutes of overtime, a gritty rearguard action from the underdogs saw the game finished 0-0. Unfortunately, there was to be no Cinderella story, as, after six rounds of penalty kicks, Seycove advanced.

The following day, SMUS faced a strong Windsor team from the same North Vancouver zone. Swallowing their semi-final disappointment, the Blue Jags showed a fierce determination to leave the tournament with a medal. Playing its most complete match of the season, the team claimed third place overall with a convincing 3-0 win.

Coach Nikki Kaufmann noted “a truly remarkable effort after

suffering such a devastating semi-final 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 & 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, qualification began in earnest, first with the Lower Island

competition on May 7, in which SMUS finished 7th overall.

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.

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

and Lucas Simpson in the 800m and 1500m steeplechase.

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.

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

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.”

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 7thIslands: 8thProvincials: n/a

TENNISThe 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,

SEASON SUMMARYCity: 2ndIslands: 4thProvincials: 7th

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

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.”

Thirty-three former students of SMUS have gone on to represent Canada at the senior level. A thirty-fourth, Gary Tongue, represented Great Britain. The date in brackets indicates the graduation year of the student.

The SMUS teams listed below won BC High School Provincial Championships:

Senior Boys Cross Country:1988-89

Senior Badminton:1995-96

Girls Field Hockey:1988-89, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97

Junior Boys Basketball: 1996-97

Senior Boys Basketball: 1991-92, 2014-15

Senior Boys Soccer:2005-06, 2014-15

Senior Boys Rugby:1990-91, 1991-92, 1996-97, 2006-07, 2014-15

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

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.

HISTORY OF CHAMPIONS

Hosting ISA Senior Boys Soccer Tournament

Hosting WCISVC Senior Girls Volleyball Tournamment

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

September 18-19, 2015

October 14-17, 2015

November 4-6, 2015 December 4-5, 2015 January 14-16, 2016

January 29-30, 2016

April 7, 2016

April 30, 2016

June 8, 2016

SPECIAL EVENTS 2015-16

Our thanks goes out to:

SMUS Parents Auxillary

Sodexo

Team Sales

Passion Sports

Out of the Blue