South Island Champs! Our SBHS Senior Softball team smashed it at the Div 2 South Island Secondary Schools Tournament in Timaru!

During Summer Sports Week, the SBHS Senior softball team travelled to Timaru for the Div 2 South Island Secondary Schools Softball Tournament. 

After a narrow loss to King’s High School at an earlier interschool exchange, the team went to the tournament with something to prove and prove they did.  Under the expert coaching eyes of Leon Hopa and Rosie Cullen, both local Southland Softball stalwarts, and manager Jan Harrison, the team had no choice but to perform. 

Team members were Noah Moeakiola, Javarn Hardy, Kobe Pasco, Ethan Omond, Cooper Boyce, Jak Perry, Zavier Te Amo, Lucas Allison, Rylan Scott, Lincoln Te Tai, Cooper Nicol, Bentley McNamara and Tate Forbes-Murch  

Right from the first game, the team showed superior batting, fielding and base running skills compared to the other teams.  Results as follows for the double round robin… 

Ashburton High Win 16-0, Win 19-0 

Dunstan High     Win 6-5, Win 3-2 

Geraldine High   Win 18-3, Win 16-1 

In the semi final against Geraldine High, the boys stepped up again to win 16-1 and then through to the final against the ‘fruit pickers’ from Alexandra, who held their own against the might of the red and blues but couldn’t quite manage to keep them at bay with SBHS winning 5-2, becoming South Island Champs for 2025.  An awesome end to a great tournament. 

Team MVPs were Cooper Nicol and Tate Forbes-Murch who led the way on and off the diamond, but it was a complete team effort by all 13 players.  A special mention to Tate and Lincoln Te Tai who have both developed into very good softballers over the past 4 years that they have been in the team, and we wish them all the best on their softball journey in the future.