The Catholic Weekly 30 October 2022

SPORT THE RIDGE Sporting Com- plex at Barden Ridge was lit up by a sea of fluorescent pink and green tags as Syd- ney Catholic Schools (SCS) launched its largest Oztag Competition to date. With an abundance of stu- dents and coaches yelling from the sideline, one voice in particular could be heard booming across the fields. It belonged to a legend of the sport: Peter Harris. Off the back of his win at the 2022 International Tag Series and Most Valuable Player award, Peter poured his knowledge and passion into the St John Bosco College Engadine Intermediate Boys team. The Australian Mens’ 50s player coached his team to victory against De La Salle College Caringbah in game 1 of the SCS competition. When asked about his top tips and Oztag strategies, Pe- ter said “I’m a big fan of com- pressing the defence.” ¾ Tasmyn Haynes Engadine reign in Oztag SCHOOL SPORTS “I’m massive on getting in front of them and having two targets for the tags. If you try to tag with one hand you rely on timing and it’s not as effective” he said. “I coach them to go forward early and we share the work around. I don’t let the guys in the middle do all the work.” When half time rolled around the score reflected Engadine’s skilful play and at- tacking attitude at 8 tries to 1. However, Peter wasn’t let- ting Caringbah get off easy. “I don’t want to win this game 8 to 3 or 4. It’s game 1, let’s make a statement,” he said. By the end of the match Engadine registered an im- pressive score of 13 to 4. As a school, Engadine came off the fields smiling after the boys and girls teams in all oth- er Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions got the job done and secured the win. It’s clear its students are gunning for a spot in the combined conference finals. In response to the high de- mand for the sport, the SCS Oztag Competition will run weekly throughout the term. Top teams from each con- ference will go head-to-head for the finals, with SCS offer- ing one team in each division a chance at glory and the title of overall Oztag Champions. Fast and coordinated: Sydney Catholic Schools has launched its largest Oztag competition to date. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED De La Salle Ashfield take on Aquinas College Menai in the SCS Cricket Tournament. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Action and spirit dominated the commencement of the 2022 SCS Volleyball Competition at the start of Term4. Played across all conferences, teams dug, set, and spiked their way to a strong start in round 1. With Conference 3 students pouring into Menai Indoor Sports centre, the courts were alive with the sound of shoe squeaks, tactical talk, and high-fives. Across the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior boys and girls divisions, two schools pocketed impressive sweeps and set themselves up as the ones to watch. Marist Catholic College Penshurst had a successful day at the Volleyball, with amajority of teams across both genders winning their matches - bar the Senior Girls who lost by one set. Impressively, none of the College’s Junior girls, Intermediate boys and girls or Senior boys dropped any sets. Similarly, St John Bosco Engadine also walked away with a victory in the Junior boys after a close game, and didn’t drop a set in the Intermediate boys and girls games. This large-scale SCS Volleyball Competition has already seen students bring out the best in each other with a ‘look up, get back up, but don’t give up’ attitude. The tournament looks set to see all schools bring their best game to competition all season. ¾ Tasmyn Haynes Penshurst on a roll in Volleyball College cleans up on day one thanks to its secret weapon: a top coach IT’S A game that has been played on Australian soil for over 200 years and contin- ues to thrive, filled with gen- tlemen’s agreements and ap- plause for players entering and exiting the field, a test of skill verses luck, for young and old, for men and women - a strat- egy and a passion. ‘It’ is Crick- Nail-biting match helps kick off SCS cricket season ¾ Tasmyn Haynes CRICKET Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Cricket Juniors & Seniors VOLLEYBALL Students across Sydney have welcomed the return of grass stains and hat-tricks with impressive performances on the pitch et. Term 4 marked the ongoing fostering of a grand tradition by Sydney Catholic Schools. The 2022 SCS Cricket Tour- nament opened to secondary schools, with a Junior division for Years 7 to 9, and a Senior category for students in Years 10 to 12. With teams divided I coach them to go forward early and we share the work around. I don’t let the guys in the mid- dle do all the work.” Peter Harris It is a game that has been played on Australian soil for over 200 years and continues to thrive.” OZTAG Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Oztag Competition WINNERS St John Bosco College, Engadine 13-4 pts into geographical pools, ven- ues all across Sydney kicked off the first week of T20 competi- tion for the boys, and Super 8s play for the girls. There were reports of a high level of interest from younger students in Year 7 and, after being pinpointed as a strong contender, Holy Cross College Ryde school for boys entered three teams into the Junior competition and two into the Seniors. The opening match of the Tournament saw a nail-bit- ing performance from Marist Catholic College North Shore and Ryde’s third team in Pool A of the Junior Boys. At the end of the 20 overs, Holy Cross finished with a score of 6 for 49 runs, only to be narrowly beaten by North Shore with 2 for 53. After a show of exceptional batting and fielding, Rosebank College dominated the Junior Boys Pool Bmatch. With Ryde’s second team 10 for 53, Rosebank collected fours and attacked every ball bowled for an impressive win of 4 for 116. With the SCS cricket season now officially open, it’s sure to be a season of catches, hat- tricks, and sixes galore.