Hedland Senior High School hosted one of the major carnivals on the local sporting calendar, the Pilbara Interschool Athletics Carnival on Thursday and Friday 6th/7th September. The timing of netball, soccer and footy finals decimated the St Luke's first-choice line-up, but some great athletes still on board, we travelled to Hedland quietly confident of winning back the shield.
Our student athletes were joined by Karratha SHS, Newman and Hedland SHS to showcase their athletic talents and competitive spirit. Events held that evening included Long Jump, discus, High Jump, 800m and 400m. After a great meal generously supplied by Roy Hill, we retired to our sleeping quarters- the new Sports Centre at HSHS which provided the added bonus of basketball games right up until bedtime.
The next morning we woke bright and early, packed our gear and ate breakfast, and then headed outside for the remaining events. After more track sprints, shot put and discus and jumps, it became evident that St Luke's and Hedland SHS were pulling away from the rest of the field for the overall shield. With just the relays to run, the two schools were on equal points at the top of the leaderboard. Our relay runners had some fantastic runs, but were ultimately pipped by Hedland SHS by a few points and had to settle for a well-earned second place.
Once again St Luke's students were exemplary in their participation, support and behavior on the trip. On top of that, 4 of our students were recognised for outstanding efforts during the carnival:
- Oscar Langfield - Runner-up Year 7 Boy
- Kaylee Muscat - Runner-up Year 8 Girl (joint winner)
- Legacy Harris - Runner-up Year 8 Girl (joint winner)
- Sofia Barker-Ruiz - Runner-up Year 9 Girl
- Alena Goh - Champion Year 9 Girl
- Cooper Leiper - Runner-up Year 9 Boy
- Ava Gibson – Champion Year 10 Girl
- Lawson Giltinan - Runner-up Year 10 Boy
- Ethan Wood-Hill – Runner-up Open Boy
Special mention to Ethan Wood-Hill for winning the SLC Spirit Award for outstanding commitment to his team.
Overall, the Hedland Interschool Athletics Carnival was a resounding success, bringing together students from different schools to celebrate sportsmanship, talent, and healthy competition. It promises to be even better next year and we look forward to the opportunity of bringing the shield back to St Luke's College.
