Sports News Term 4 Week 7

Friday, 28 Nov 2025

High Performance & Sports Academies – 2025 Year in Review

What a year it has been, and we’re still going strong right up until the final Monday of school!

Our Year 12 athletes have set the bar high in 2025, achieving exceptional milestones across multiple sports. Daniel Williams continues to impress with his US College offers and international performances; Amaia Wain has earned MVP honours in AFL and been recognised as a Sydney Swans Academy member; and Evie Martin has been elevated to the Sapphires Team for the Gold Coast Titans Netball team, an incredible achievement!

Our Primary Basketball Academy had a fantastic year, reaching the State Finals in Sydney and finishing 2nd in the state, while our Senior Academy prepares for the biggest event of the year, the All Schools Nationals on the Gold Coast in Week 8.

The AFL Academy launched successfully and will continue to grow next year. Our Golf Academy has gained strong interest, with plans to introduce a Junior Academy program in 2026. Next week, our senior golfers will embark on a three day tour to Forster, playing a total of 61 holes across Tallwoods Country Club and Forster Tuncurry, an exciting way to wrap up the year. Also, our best golfer, Milla Adamsome, went on to win the Club Championship at Bonville Golf Club, the youngest ever to do so.

Our Football Program goes from strength to strength, with several players earning Newcastle Jets Academy positions and others invited to train on the Gold Coast. A special mention to Charlotte Bunny, who played in an All Stars match against the Newcastle Jets W League team, an incredible experience and honour.

Our Netball Academy will also finish the year competing at the State Finals in Sydney next week, showcasing the continued strength of our BDC netballers.

The High Performance Program (HPP) has been a standout in 2025, with applications for 2026 reaching record levels. This year, we welcomed Stanley Watson (Dance) into the program, focusing on his strength and conditioning alongside Lili Smyth, our Head of S and C, and Chris Cherry, who delivered specialised balance and power sessions after athlete testing with Matt Hoy from Performance Ready.

We continue to be grateful for our ongoing partnership with Rob Hoy and Hoys Health & Wellness. Their onsite physiotherapy service during HPP sessions has been invaluable, supporting not only our High Performance athletes but also our Athlete Development and Academy students across the school. Their commitment remains a cornerstone of our programs as we head into 2026 and beyond.

To all our students, families, coaches, and supporters, thank you for another inspiring year of growth, resilience, and achievement.

On to 2026! We already have record applications for the High Performance Program, and we can’t wait to share the stories of our new and returning athletes as they continue to strive for excellence.

Signing off for 2025,

Nat Titcume
Head of High Performance and Sports Academies

2025 Anglican Schools Cup Report

On Thursday 13 November, over 500 students represented six Northern NSW Anglican Schools in the 2025 Anglican Schools Cup. The 2025 event once again offered six sports, including a change from Rugby to Touch, which was well supported.

Chess
Students from Bishop Druitt College, St Columba Anglican School, Manning Valley, and Lindisfarne gathered for a fantastic day of competition at this year’s Anglican Schools Chess Cup. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, with excellent sportsmanship on display throughout the event. The standard of play was outstanding, and Bishop Druitt College finished in first place with an impressive 23.5 points, winning 23 of 24 games and drawing the remaining match. St Columba placed second on 12.5 points, followed by Manning Valley with 6.5 and Lindisfarne with 5.5 points. It was a wonderful day of chess, connection, and challenge for all involved.
- Mr Atkins.

Football
The Bishop Druitt College Year 7/8 girls represented the College with great enthusiasm and teamwork at the Anglican Schools Cup. The competition featured fast paced six a side football, with BDC entering two teams, BDC Blue and BDC Red. They both showcased outstanding talent and sportsmanship throughout the day.

BDC Blue had an exceptional tournament, displaying impressive skill, composure, and teamwork across all matches. Their consistency and determination paid off, finishing the day undefeated with four wins from four games to claim first place overall, a fantastic achievement and a testament to their focus and communication on the field.

BDC Red also performed admirably, playing several tightly contested matches where a few missed opportunities could have easily changed the outcome. Despite not securing a win, the team showed resilience, spirit, and strong potential for future success.

A huge thank you to all the girls for their effort and positive attitude throughout the day, as well as to the participating schools and coaches for contributing to such a great event. Special thanks to Prue for her organisation and support in making the day such a success.

As the coach, I am incredibly proud of both teams, not only for their footballing performances but also for the way they represented Bishop Druitt College with respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
- Mr Rivas.

The Year 9/10 girls played six games through the day without much of a break. While they played well at times, they were well beaten by a very strong Lindisfarne side. Most of the team backed up a week later at the National Futsal competition in Brisbane. Thanks to all who played and organised for a fun day.
- Mr Klipin.

Our boys football teams were represented in the Year 7/8 and Year 9/10 divisions once again in the Anglican Schools Cup. There were three teams competing and all were very competitive on the day. Both Year 7/8 teams won their first games, with the Year 8 side winning all their matches to win the competition. The Year 7 team did really well, beating older teams and finishing the day in third place. Our Year 9/10 side had tough opposition and very close games all day. Lindisfarne were the strongest team but with a dominant win in the final match, our side was able to take out second place overall. Well done to all teams who played with good spirit and demonstrated fair play and teamwork.
- Mr Andrews.

Golf
The 2025 Anglican Schools Golf Day, hosted at Sawtell Golf Club, proved to be a successful and highly competitive event, showcasing the talent of student golfers from various Anglican Schools. The tournament provided an excellent platform for students to test their skills and participate in competitive golf. All students represented their school with pride and enjoyed the competitive and friendly nature of the event.

Senior Results
The Senior Division featured a strong field, with close competition deciding the top placements in both the Stroke and Nett categories.

In the Senior Stroke competition, Will Martin from SCAS claimed first place with a birdie on the second hole of the playoff. Dan Clark (BDC) and Blair Herford (BDC) rounded out the podium, finishing second and third respectively.

The Senior Nett event saw Charlie Paul (Lindisfarne) secure first place. Dan Clark (BDC) continued his strong performance to take second, followed by Nick Van Zeeland (SCAS) in third.

Junior Results
The Junior Division highlighted some exceptional young talent, particularly in the Nett competition.
Hunter Macloed (MVAC) took first place in the Junior Stroke event. Ethan Mills (MVAC) was second, and Taj Gray (BDC) finished third.

The Junior Nett event saw a standout performance from Ethan Mills (MVAC), who won first place with an impressive score of 52 Stableford points. Taj Gray (BDC) and Alex Battaglia (BDC) also secured top spots in the Nett rankings.

Congratulations to all the students and schools for a highly successful event. The Anglican Schools Golf Day provides a valuable competitive experience, contributing to the development of skills and competitive spirit among these aspiring golfers.

Thank you to Brendan and the team at Sawtell Golf Club for helping to run a successful competition.
- Craig Lang.

Netball
2025 was another fantastic year for the Anglican Schools Cup in netball. All teams played with exceptional sportsmanship and there was plenty of skill and teamwork on display. Congratulations go to St Columba Anglican School who came second in both the 7/8 Girls and 9/10 Girls, and a special hoorah to BDC who took out both grand finals and came home strong winners in the 7/8 Girls and 9/10 Girls.

Touch
It was great to see Touch Football included in the Anglican Schools Cup for the first time in 2025. Although we only had four schools attending, the atmosphere was great and the enthusiasm high. The touch played was of a high quality and we had some gripping contests. Even more pleasing was the spirit in which the games were played. Despite the intense competition, the players were all still smiling at the end. Many thanks to Prue, Kellie and Quinn for all of the planning and lead up work to get the carnival going. We also need to thank the refs and assistants who ensured that things ran smoothly on the day.

The Bishop Druitt College Year 7/8 Girls Touch Football team emerged as the overall champion. Competing against The Armidale School (TAS) and St Columba Anglican School (SCAS), the girls played four competitive games. After a narrow 3 to 2 defeat to SCAS in Round 1, the team dominated the rest of the day, defeating TAS 10 to 0 in Round 2, successfully gaining revenge over SCAS with a 4 to 2 win in Round 3, and closing out the tournament by beating TAS 12 to 1 in the final round. Their exceptional performance secured the championship title. Special thanks go to coach Caroline Mostert for her encouragement and strategic guidance, and to Indiah Gadsden for her fantastic leadership as team captain. Well done girls.

The Year 9/10 Girls also had a strong day competing against TAS and SCAS. After two rounds, the BDC girls finished in second position following tightly contested final matches against the eventual winners TAS. Well done to Xahra Donovan and Ava Roach for their skill and leadership.

Bishop Druitt College had two teams competing in the 9/10 Boys division, BDC Red and BDC Blue. BDC Red and BDC Blue played each other in the first game which was a great opportunity to warm up. BDC Blue came away with the win five tries to two. BDC Red then faced SCAS, winning comfortably six to two. Their third game was a tightly contested match against TAS who narrowly won seven to six. They then played the final for third place against SCAS, who were more competitive this time and narrowly lost five to four. BDC Blue were strong from the first game and progressed through the day undefeated to win their division. Charlie George, Tom Ricketts and Earl Wilson were particularly impressive.

Volleyball
A mixed team with a range of ages and experience, as well as some new players, took on other regional Anglican Schools at Sportz Central. With a less than perfect preparation, our energetic and enthusiastic players really threw themselves into every game and throughout the day showed growing skills and confidence.

We managed to snatch a victory early in the day over CVAS, but the other games saw teams with more depth and experience dominate.

A big thanks to all the students involved, as well as to Mr Franklin for his help training, coaching, and refereeing on the day.

The Bishop’s Cup
Congratulations to Bishop Druitt College on defending their title, winning their fourth Bishop’s Cup in 2025.

1st Bishop Druitt College – 280
2nd St Columba Anglican School – 205
3rd Manning Valley Anglican – 110
4th Lindisfarne Anglican – 80
5th The Armidale School – 70
6th Clarence Valley Anglican – 10

Without the work of our BDC convenors in the lead up to and on the day, this event would not be as successful as it is. Thank you to Mr James Atkins (Chess), Mr Ben Andrews (Football), Mr Craig Lang (Golf), Mrs Shelley Spagnolo (Netball), Mr Mark Reedy (Touch) and Mr Robb Kitcher (Volleyball).

2025 Australasian Champion of Champions Futsal Report

From 5 to 8 November, BDC once again travelled to the Gold Coast after competing in the highly anticipated Australasian Futsal Champion of Champions tournament. This competition brought together teams that had shown dominance in their local areas, meaning the level of play was exceptionally high and the competition fierce. The teams spent three nights at the Gold Coast High Performance Centre, preparing for the intense matches held at the Cornubia Sports Complex in Shailer Park and Mt Warren Sports Centre, Mt Warren Park, Qld.

12 Yrs Boys Report
The boys kicked off their campaign against the hot favourites, Peregian Beach College. This first game was an absolute nail biter, and despite a solid effort against a very strong team, the 12s boys unfortunately conceded in the last minutes, resulting in a narrow 6 to 7 loss. Showing great composure, the team secured their first victory in game two against a fierce Medowie Public School, keeping a cool head to win 6 to 4. However, the third game against Kings Christian College Pimpama was a very heated and physical encounter, which impacted the team's defensive structure, leading to a challenging 9 to 3 loss. In the afternoon, the boys put up a good fight against Elanora State School but went on to lose the match, taking away many valuable lessons from the experience.

The final day brought a showdown against the eventual competition winners, John Paul College from Victoria. This was a very even match where our boys played one of their best games and arguably deserved the win, but a couple of controversial calls went against them, with the opposition scoring in the last minute to win 3 to 2. Leading into their last match, the team was determined to prove they were no easy beats. They finished the tournament on a high note, winning convincingly against Mawson Primary School 7 to 4. Overall, it was a very strong performance by the team. They demonstrated perseverance, teamwork, and grit and learned a lot from this very enjoyable experience. A huge congratulations goes to Finn Adam for being our top goal scorer, and a special shout out to Deanie Gerhardt and Zye Zuvela for the incredible honour of being selected to compete for the Australian All Stars Team next year in Italy.

12 Yrs Girls Report
Triumph and True Grit: Futsal Team Shines at Australasian Championships
We are thrilled to report on the brilliant performance of our 12 girl futsal squad at the Australasian Futsal Championships. The team was right up there with the best, battling through six tough games. The girls showed remarkable teamwork, resilience, and skill, snapping up three cracking wins. Ultimately, they finished in a brilliant fourth place overall against the best national talent in the country, a truly fantastic result that speaks volumes about their dedication.

Every player demonstrated incredible effort, consistently embodying the qualities of true grit and perseverance. They faced various challenges and had to quickly overcome different tactics employed by their opponents, proving their adaptability under pressure.

A huge shout out goes to our outstanding captain, Brooklynn Graham, who delivered a brilliant performance across all six games, leading the team both on and off the court.

The team’s success was capped off with a massive honour. Three of our players were selected for the prestigious All Stars team, earning the opportunity to represent Australia. Congratulations to Brooklynn Graham, Isla Hastie, and Piper Daley on this unbelievable recognition. Their selection is a direct result of the sheer determination they displayed throughout the tournament.

As coach, it was an absolute privilege to take this group of dedicated athletes to the Championships. Their commitment, sportsmanship, and passion made this trip a resounding success. The future of futsal is bright.

14 Yrs Girls Report
The Bishop Druitt College 14 Girls Futsal team represented the school with exceptional skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship at this year’s AFA Futsal Tournament. Across four fiercely contested matches, the girls demonstrated determination, resilience, and impressive tactical growth against some of the strongest schools in the country.

Game 1 vs Kotara High School
The girls opened their campaign with an exciting back and forth match against a strong Kotara High side. Goalkeeper Evie produced several outstanding saves to keep the team in front, while Mia found her rhythm in attack, scoring a brilliant hat trick to secure a 3 to 1 victory. It was a confident and composed performance to start the tournament.

Game 2 vs Mary MacKillop Catholic College
Game two presented a tough challenge against a well organised Mary MacKillop squad. The match remained close for much of the first half, with only a one goal difference separating the sides. Despite a number of promising opportunities, a lapse in focus allowed the opposition to pull away late, resulting in a 5 to 2 loss. The girls maintained excellent effort throughout and showed glimpses of the creativity that defines their play.

Game 3 vs Lisarow High School
The third match showcased the team’s resilience and never give up attitude. Facing one of the tournament’s top contenders, the girls created numerous chances and were unlucky not to score after striking the woodwork several times. Despite the final score not going their way, the performance was one of their best of the tournament, characterised by grit, energy, and strong team cohesion.

Game 4 vs Kings Christian College Pimpama
Still in contention for a semi final place, the girls entered their final match with determination. They dominated possession, displayed fluent passing, and even took the opportunity to rotate through unfamiliar positions while maintaining structure and control. The result was a convincing 4 to 1 win, a reflection of their skill and growing confidence. Unfortunately, results in other matches meant they narrowly missed a place in the semi finals, finishing a proud third in their pool.

Overall, the 14 Girls displayed outstanding commitment, teamwork, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Competing against some of the best teams in the nation, they represented Bishop Druitt College with pride both on and off the court. As their coach, I could not be prouder of their attitude, effort, and exemplary behaviour. They were a credit to the College in every sense and embodied the BDC way.

A huge thank you to Mr Samuel James, Mr Ty Gillon, and Mr Mario Rivas for their outstanding dedication and professional commitment in preparing our teams. Their months of training leading up to the tournament, along with their expertise, guidance, and care throughout the event, were invaluable. BDC is incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated, willing, and highly professional staff supporting our students.

2025 National Schools Futsal Titles

Between 24 and 26 November, BDC sent two qualifying teams to the 2025 National Schools Futsal Titles, hosted by Football Queensland at the beautiful Nissan Arena, Brisbane.

The Open Girls team demonstrated excellent skill and teamwork, winning three matches and losing just two, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final. Their strong commitment to working together was evident throughout the tournament, and without it they would not have achieved such impressive results. The team's success was thanks to all the girls, with outstanding performances from Charlotte Bunny and Phoebe Oliver, who were consistently recognised as top players. A special mention goes to Dakota Weatherby. Despite being a rugby player and this being her very first futsal competition, she bravely stepped up and gave her best as the team's goalkeeper throughout the tournament. Well done to all girls.

The U15 Boys team was met with a noticeable step up in competition, facing skilled teams from across the country. The pace, physicality, and technical demand of the tournament provided a valuable challenge, requiring the boys to adapt quickly and compete with resilience. Despite their efforts and moments of promising play, they were unable to convert their many scoring chances into goals and secure the results they were chasing. However, the experience proved invaluable. The boys returned home with a clear understanding of the level required to succeed on the national stage. They should be proud of the effort they displayed and of the growth that comes from competing at such a high level. With the lessons learned and a commitment to developing their skills, the team will undoubtedly return stronger, more prepared, and ready to take full advantage of the opportunities ahead.

Thank you to the staff who accompanied our teams throughout the three days of competition, Mr Matthew Ryan (U15 Boys Coach), Mr Chris Cherry (Open Girls Coach), and Mrs Rachel Watson (Manager). Without the commitment, time, and dedication of these staff members, our students would not have the opportunity to compete and experience representative sport at this level.

Wiburd Shield Cricket

On 11 November, BDC met Carinya College at Dorrigo for round 2 of the Wiburd Shield. After a strong win over SCAS, the team was excited and confident to take on another strong team. Carinya won the toss and elected to bat.

We started well, taking four early wickets, but then their batsmen put together a good partnership, pushing the score over 100. Manat Singh then took a fantastic close catch, removing the danger player, and we were able to limit their total to 141. Manat, Riley, Xavier, Will, and Finn all bowled well and contributed to the result.

We then had a difficult run chase, especially after losing the first two wickets cheaply, with Xavier getting caught and Will getting run out early. Manat and Riley then steadied the game with a good partnership, with Manat playing some big shots to lift the score and Riley solid at the other end. Manat finally got caught on 90 runs, with Riley taking over, with help from Charlie and Alex who got the runs to win the match in 23 overs. Riley finished on 38 runs not out.

Well done to all players and they will play Emmanuel in round 3.

NSW Primary Basketball State Cup Finals

The team won the right to compete at the State Finals in Sydney while in Coffs Harbour, and after a short turnaround travelled to Castle Hill to compete against the best in the state. After an epic two day tournament, our Primary Girls team secured a place in the finals, eventually going down 20 to 6 to a very strong St Therese (Wollongong West).

The girls were outstanding across all areas, showing skill, teamwork, resilience and determination in every match. A huge credit goes not only to the players but also to the amazing staff and students who supported them throughout the tournament, including Zara, Tim, Maddi and Natalie.

Primary NCIS Touch 5 November 2025

Bishop Druitt College's Primary touch football teams put in a tremendous effort today at the NCIS Primary Touch Football Carnival. Facing a high standard of competition on a hot and sunny day, our students showcased fantastic skill, resilience, and most importantly, the true BDC spirit.

We proudly entered teams in the Boys, Girls, and Mixed divisions, coming up against well drilled sides that tested our players throughout the day. Despite the challenge, every player dug deep and tried their absolute hardest, resulting in a fun filled day and plenty of spectacular tries being scored across all teams.

The commitment to teamwork and support was evident, with everyone cheering on their peers from the sidelines. This day was a valuable learning experience, especially for the large contingent of Year 5 students who gained great exposure to the high level competition. Their experience bodes well for a very exciting campaign next year.

Well done to all the players for representing Bishop Druitt College with such pride and demonstrating wonderful sportsmanship throughout the entire carnival. We are already looking forward to seeing what this talented group can achieve next year.