Sport Results, Swimming

4th B Age Group Gala

A group of 16 Union swimmers, from U/13 to Open, participated in the 4th and last B Age Group gala of the season, in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 16th February. Our swimmers did very well, improving on their times and some again achieving awards times. The swimmers are awaiting their invitations to the prestigious Top 8 Gala, which takes place on the 9th of March.

Results:
Mack Rubidge (44 points) 1st place 50m Backstroke
1st place 100m Freestyle
2nd place 50m Butterfly
2nd place 50m Freestyle

Elia Railton (28 points) 1st place 50m Breastroke
2nd place 50m Backstroke

Megan Doyle (18 points) 2nd place 100m Freestyle
3rd place 50m Freestyle

Amber Binney (17 points) 3rd place 50m Breaststroke

Sport Results, Swimming

Sundays River Mile

After a successful outing at the B-age group gala on Saturday, nine of our more determined swimmers stayed over in PE to take part in the 95th Spar Sunday’s River Mile on Sunday, 17 February as well.

While the swim last year was exceptionally tough, the excellent conditions this year saw the swimmers slashing their times with an average of around 15 – 20 minutes all round.

As the incoming tide started pushing through, a field of 214 ladies took to the water in a flurry of splashing limbs. Following up on her success from last year, Hannah Bodenstein was our first female swimmer home in a spectacular time of 20 minutes and 20 seconds.  Hot on her heels was Amber Binney who crossed the finish line a mere 2 seconds later, despite sustaining a gash to her foot in the process.  Drew Dobinson followed shortly after with a time of 23 minutes, with Kelly-Page Scott, Brigette Oelofsen and Elia Railton all exiting the water in under 25 minutes.

The perfect conditions held as the group of 237 men began their race. The pushing tide helped the swimmers set a blistering pace and our 3 boys completed the race in good time; all crossing the finish line in under 25 mins.  Mack Rubidge powered through the course in an incredible 18 minutes, while Damon Fouche and Schea Johnson finished in 23 and 24 minutes respectively.

It is always wonderful to see our learners representing our school so well in events of this nature and they must be commended for their fine efforts this weekend despite the hefty academic workload that is synonymous with this time of term. Thank you all for your dedication.

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE UNION BEING SO WELL REPRESENTED AT AN EVENT OF THIS STATURE, AND IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THE EAGERNESS WITH WHICH ALL THE FIRST-TIMERS COMPETED. WELL DONE TO THEM ALL.

Bulletin

Swimming Pool Renovations

The school swimming pool is currently undergoing extensive repair and renovation. One might wonder why the school has chosen to embark on this project at this time of year, while swimming is underway, and have not waited for the winter. The answer to this is that the repairs were necessitated by an alarming leak and consequent drop in water level which simply could not be ignored.

The constant fluctuation of the water level and the weekly re-filling of the pool with water from the school’s furrows via Mackie’s Pit was causing havoc with PH levels and costing a fortune in chlorine and acid. Further, it was simply impossible to ensure the clarity of the pool for our swimmers.
The school’s maintenance crew has been feverishly digging trenches to expose the pool’s extensive plumbing network and searching for leaks and will take the opportunity to carry out extensive maintenance, including replacing all the sub-terranean plumbing. Further work will also be carried out to replace tiles, expansion gap sealant and the moulded tile around the perimeter.

Mr Colin Warner of Colin Warner Plumbing will supervise this work and will ensure that several improvements are made to the existing system which will provide a safe, appropriate swimming facility for our children.

We thank the Union community for its understanding and patience during this time.

 

Bulletin, Hostels, Student Life

Rain in the Karoo is Such a Blessing

Rainfall and all that goes with it, is of extreme importance in the semi-arid Karoo. With Nqweba dam’s levels having dropped to 1% of capacity, the veld dry and Graaff-Reinet’s water a real issue – water talk is common at Union. Then last week it started to rain! While the town itself has not received substantial rainfall at this stage, it fell heavily in the catchment areas on farms where some of our boarders live. On Monday morning some of this water reached the rivers that flow into the dam. With much jubilation, the Arthur Kingwill House matrics went to witness this wonderful event and saw the Sunday’s river in full spate after many, many months.

Bulletin, Cultural

Eco Club – Visit to Karoo Taxidermy

The Eco Club visited The Karoo Taxidermy on Friday 8 February. They learnt about the economic side of hunting and the Taxidermy, about job creation, the import & export logistics and also about the modelling of a fibreglass rhino shoulder mount (darted on a “green hunt”). Many thanks to Jason Marais for his knowledge sharing and Friday afternoon and to Mrs Nell for joining the tour and driving a bus. The group enjoyed their educational outing to Karoo Taxidermy.

Sport Results, Tennis

Snr Tennis

On Saturday our Top 12 Tennis girls travelled to Queenstown to participate in our annual tennis match against GHS. This time round Girls’ High had a very strong team and our girls had to give of their best in most of their matches. Although we beat them by 11 sets to 7, most of the.games were decided by tie-breakers. Well done to Jeanne-Marie Brummer, Lauren Rose-Innes, Tayla Kingwill, Anna Pringle, Leah Marais and Musa Kedamile for winning both their singles and doubles matches.

 

Cricket, Sport Results

Snr Cricket Results

“You do well to love cricket, for it is more free from anything sordid, anything dishonourable, than any game in the world. To play it keenly, honourably, generously, self-sacrificingly, is a moral lesson in itself and the classroom is God’s air and sunshine. Foster it, my brothers, so that it may attract all who can find time to play it; protect it from anything that would sully it, so that it may grow in favour with all men.” (Lord Harris, 1931)

1st XI vs Daniel Pienaar – T20

On Friday the 1st Xi played against Daniel Pienaar in a T20 match.
Union won the toss and elected to bat. Daniel Pienaar hit their lines and length right from ball one putting our batsmen under pressure and had us at 27/4 after 8 overs. However an excellent 60 run partnership between Bowen Langmead and Caerwyn Spence got us to a modest 101 in our 20 overs.
Batting performances:  Bowen Langmead 41;  Caerwyn Spence 22;  Luke Mc Naughton 13
Daniel Pienaar came in to bat and the Union bowlers struggled, bowling too many lose deliveries and allowed Daniel Pienaar to score freely. This team however showed tremendous character and fight. Despite having their backs against the wall defending such a low total, were able to take the match right down to the second last over.
Bowling performances:  Jaden Brotherton 1 for 18 in 4 overs;  Luke Mc Naughton 1 for 15 in 3 overs
Union lost the match by 8 wickets.

1st XI vs Daniel Pienaar – Declaration

On Saturday the 1st XI took on Daniel Pienaar again in a Declaration format match.
Union won the toss and sent Daniel Pienaar in to bat.
We were treated to some fantastic new ball bowling from Lung Zantsi, Luke Mc Naughton and Lihle Mxhunyelwa who ripped through their top order and had them 33 for

Congratulations to Lihle Mxhunyelwa on receiving his First Team Cap today before the declaration match against Daniel Pienaar today.

4 after 12 overs. This was followed by some excellent spin bowling from Jaden Brotherton, Trevor Moos and Brett Amsterdam and Union ended up bowling Daniel Pienaar out for 116.
Bowling performances:  Lunga Zantsi 3 for 24 in 9 overs;  Jaden Brotherton 3 for 20 in 9 overs;  Trevor Moos 2 for 20 in 7,1 overs;  Brett Amsterdam 1 for 19 in 7 overs

Union went in to bat and once again were met with excellent accurate bowling and soon found ourselves in trouble. We were then witness to some outstanding batting from Brett Amsterdam who took control of the innings with great maturity and Bowen Langmead who scored at an alarming rate and exciting flare and together put on a 106 run partnership in which each batsman complimented each other perfectly allowing us to reach and extend on our target.
Batting performances:  Bowen Langmead 57 off 44 balls;  Brett Amsterdam 47;  James Pringle 13
Union won the match on 1st innings by 6 wickets.

 

2nd Team

Jarrod Naude (50) and Matthew Hesselink (84)

UHS won the toss, electing to bat and did well to reach a score of 206/8 in this 35 over match. Matthew Hesselink 84 and Jarrod Naude 50* were the main contributors with their 119 run partnership for the 5 wickets in 17 overs.  Khwezi Simon made 12 runs.

Daniel Pienaar were well on their way at drinks with a score of 109/3 at 17 overs bowled, but with good accurate bowling by Khwezi Simon 4/10, Gregon Jenneke 3/12 and Matthew Hesselink 2/18, the Daniel Pienaar side were all out for 145 in the 25th over. Gregon Jenneke took an important catch on the boundary to get the wicket of their top scorer.  Mihlali Tyanase also took an impressive catch at mid-on.

UHS won by 61 runs.

Congratulations to Jarrod Naude (50*) and Matthew Hesselink (84) in their second team win against Daniel Pienaar

U/15A (T20 Format)

Union High won the toss and elected to bowl first.  Daniel Pienaar scored 110 for 6 in 20 overs.  Best Bowlers:  Hlaki Skepe 2 for 25 in 4 overs;  Daniel Nel, Rhuzé Hendrick, Sisipho Arnols and Kwande Mhlabeni each picked up a wicket.

Union High replied with 93 for 9 in 20 overs.  Best Batsmen:  Sisipho Arnols 19;  Hlaki Skepe 17.

Union High lost by 17 runs.

U/15A (Limited overs – 50)

Union High won the toss and elected to bowl first once again.  Daniel Pienaar scored 206 all out.

Best Bowlers:  Hlaki Skepe 4 for 20 in 8 overs;  Kwande Mhlabeni 2 for 60 in 9 overs;  Sisipho Arnols 2 for 47 in 7 overs.

Union High replied with 69 all out in 21 overs.  Best Batsmen:  Sisipho Arnols 21;  Hlaki Skepe 18;

Union High lost by 137 runs.

Our boys need to apply themselves better, grind it out and spend time in the middle.  The old adage of catches win matches was also part of the 50 over match. We had Daniel Pienaar up against the ropes at 70 for 6, from this point we dropped 4 catches and missed 3 run outs which proved to be our downfall.