Sports News

NRCC Boys & Girls AFL

On Tuesday, August 20th, our boys and girls teams travelled to Byron Bay to play in the Northern Rivers Catholic Colleges AFL competition. 

Our under-16 girls had an amazing day! Their first game against St John's College Woodlawn started with a bang. Marlee, as ruck, jumped and contested the ball well, linking with the midfield of Jade and Jaz. Bridgette and Taya kicked great goals, and we came away with the win 35 - 2. 

The girls then faced off with a very tough Mount St Patrick College side, but with some great defence from Abby S, Isabelle, and our midfield, Zahlee and Abby G, we managed some great marks and narrowly held onto the win 15-13.  

Going into the third game against a young Trinity Catholic College Team, the girls really got into the spirit of the game, achieving some excellent marks from Millie and Isabelle and linking with the forwards Meliah and Charlie. We won convincingly 49 - 10, and the girls made it into the grand final round against our fiercest rivals, the Mount St Patrick's team. 

It was hard to decide who would be on the bench for this game as all the girls played exceptional football; however, Dusk and Taya kindly volunteered.  McAuley girls dominated possession in the first half with some great contests for the ball from Addison and Keeley.  The midfield combination of Eve and Taylah worked hard to keep the ball, and Ruby worked hard as a fullback, preventing at least two goals.  Our kicking for goals was put under immense pressure, and unfortunately, we couldn't convert goals. We were defeated 19-9 but walked away with our heads held high for the overall effort and achievements throughout the day. 

Congratulations to the girls who proudly represented McAuley and for all their hard work on the day. Thank you to all involved in the event; it was well-run, and everyone had a very fun day.  

Year 9 PASS Touch Football Gala Day - Wednesday 21st August

NRCC Volleyball

• U16 boys were undefeated for the entire day
• U16 girls came second to St. Mary's after a count back on points (however, we did defeat them during the round-robin)
• U14 girls and boys did very well overall for the day, given it was their debut at volleyball

Despite the sweltering weather, all teams displayed impressive athleticism and determination throughout the event.

The under 14s boys displayed a lot of promise and excellent teamwork, even as a few new players got used to the fast-paced rugby 7 format. The team managed to finish third in their pool after a win and two losses and then rallied to claim 5th place overall in the comp, winning the 5th vs 6th match in a closely contested finish. Throughout the competition, Eamon Mawn and Jesse Daley-Malone demonstrated exceptional leadership by utilising their knowledge to mentor and encourage their teammates.

The under 16s boys showcased their strength and skill with a series of outstanding performances through the pool matches and continued into the semi-final. Each match highlighted their resilience, as they overcame both the heat and strong opposition to secure a spot in the championship game. The team put up a valiant effort in a closely contested final but were narrowly defeated. Although they fell just short of victory, their performance throughout the tournament was commendable and they displayed great teamwork. Their ability to compete at such a high level in tough conditions is a testament to their hard work and commitment.

The under 16s girls had a stellar day as well, showcasing their talents and tenacity in three pool games. Their first victory came against Woolgoolga High School with a score of 12-7, thanks to tries from Abbey Spears and Zahlee Kilduff. The second game saw a commanding win over John Paul College, ending 22-5, with Millie Day, Raimi Mortimer, and repeat try-scorers Zahlee and Abbey leading the charge.

In a nail-biting final pool game against our arch-rivals, BDC, the girls demonstrated exceptional defence and edged out a win, 12-10. Marlie Hughes, Oliver Fuller, and Taylah Berry were outstanding in defence, contributing significantly to the victory.

This win secured the team a spot in the grand final, where they faced BDC once again. The girls played their hearts out, but despite their best efforts, they fell 24-7. Zahlee Kilduff scored the final try of the day, sprinting the entire length of the field.

Congratulations to the entire team for their incredible effort and impressive improvement throughout the day. They all played with passion and pride — well done!

On Tuesday, August 27th, Ava Whiley travelled to Sydney to represent the Lismore Diocese at the NSW Catholic Combined Colleges Carnival Trials. She was selected from over 150 girls to join the Lismore U18s Team. Mrs. Corcoran also attended as the Lismore Diocesan Manager and Assistant Coach.

Ava and her team performed exceptionally well at the carnival, playing five games. They came very close to defeating the Sydney Diocese, losing by only four points, and managed to secure victories against the Illawarra and Bathurst Dioceses. Throughout the carnival, Ava was observed by selectors for the "Possibles and Probables" team for the final selection of the top 10 players. Ava did incredibly well to make it into the "Possibles and Probables" group. Remarkably, six out of the nine players on her team were selected for this group, the highest number from any diocesan team—a fantastic achievement for a regional area.

Although Ava narrowly missed being selected for the NSWCCC team, she demonstrated a high level of skill as a defender. We wish her the best in her future state trials. Well done, Ava!

Netball Cup Finals 

On Thursday, 5th September, 4 boys and girls teams travelled to Lismore to compete in the Netball NSW Far North Coast Cup Finals. All teams played extremely well and showed great sportsmanship and teamwork against some tough competition. Here are the results:

The Year 7 and 8 boys did extremely well, winning 3 out of 5 of their games to come in third place overall in the competition.

Year 9 and 10 boys had a hard day playing against teams with renowned state players. Regardless, they gave it their all and ended up in 6th place in their age group. 

Year 7 and 8 girls had some really tough matches but played valiantly throughout the day, finishing in 7th.

Year 9 and 10 girls played extraordinary and were undefeated in their pool competition. They entered the Semi-Final round against St Joseph's and were up by 2 goals at the end of the first half. In a nail-biting second half, they were unlucky and defeated by 2 goals. Our girls then faced off with Emmanuel College in the third-place decider and worked extremely hard to walk away with a win by 7 goals. 

Congratulations to all teams on a very fun and successful day! Despite the hot conditions they all represented McAuley proudly with immense enthusiasm and determination.