Sporting News
On Wednesday, July 23rd, our McAuley U15 Boys Rugby League team traveled to Coffs Harbour to compete in the Country Cup Regional Final. This was a significant step up in competition, as it featured schools that had already won their local area Country Cup carnivals. With longer 30-minute games, the boys faced a tough challenge.
Our first game was against Great Lakes, who ultimately went on to win the competition. While the first half was very competitive, Great Lakes pulled ahead in the second half with a flurry of tries.
The team regrouped and played much better in their next match against St Joseph’s Regional, narrowly missing out on a win. The final game of the day saw us face St Clare's Taree. By this point, the rain had set in, making the ball slippery and conditions challenging for tired players. Despite a strong effort from everyone, we went down by just one try.
It was a fantastic effort from all the players, especially our more experienced boys: Kye Hogg, Zaden Nipperess, and Cooper McLennan. A special mention goes to Billy Baxter, who was outstanding despite not playing rugby league regularly.
Well done to all the boys for representing McAuley with such determination and spirit at the Regional Final:
A big thanks to our Coaches - Mr Nipperess and Mr Smith.
They began with a commanding 22-0 victory over Woodlawn, followed by an emphatic 34-0 win against St Mary's, showcasing both their defensive strength and attacking prowess. The tournament culminated in a thrilling final against Ballina Coast, where McAuley demonstrated remarkable resilience to clinch a narrow 24-22 victory.
The players represented the college with pride and fantastic sportsmanship throughout the day - congratulations to all players involved: Liam Adkin, Kamsiyochukwu Anachuna, Hugh Anderson, Taj Angelo, Xavier Cassidy-Thomason, Mason Cone, Rayne Hartley, Taj Hextall, Ezra Robertson, Cruz Sewell, Campbell Stainlay, Jeremy Stainlay.
A big thanks to Mr Ralston and Mr Bancroft, who travelled with the team.