All 29 finalists selected for this year’s SA School Sports Awards – event to be live streamed by The Advertiser
The countdown to SA’s 2021 School Sports Awards is on and ahead of our exclusive live stream, we unveil the 29 finalists. Who’s in the running for top awards?
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The countdown is on …
The nominations are in and the finalists have been selected for The Advertiser, Messenger and Department for Education School Sports Awards 2021.
All 29 finalists in individual primary, secondary, student officials and teams sections are listed below.
Winners and runners-up will be announced at the South Australian Museum on November 10 and exclusively live streamed for subscribers on advertiser.com.au.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE STREAM FROM 7PM ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Individual Primary section
YEONSUE CHOI
Mercedes College, judo
Yeonsue has had an outstanding year in judo.
The 12-year-old won gold for under-42kg senior girls in the recent international judo championships held in Canberra, which followed on from her success in the same category in the state championships.
ISAAC CHOI
Mercedes College, judo
Younger brother of Yeonsue, Isaac Choi has impressed just as much in the international judo scene.
Having only just turned 11, Choi won gold at the international championships in Canberra, gold in the state championships, and gold in the national championships.
All his medals were in the under-46kg junior boys category.
CHLOE SHARPE
Glenelg Primary School, gymnastics
At 11 years old, Chloe has already represented South Australia in aerobic gymnastics for three years in a row.
She performed flawlessly at this year’s nationals and has been selected for the national development squad.
CHARLIE HAIGH
Glenelg Primary School, gymnastics
A schoolmate of Chloe Sharpe, Charlie Haigh has also made significant achievements in gymnastics.
Most recently, he won silver in trampolining at the 2021 national championships and he has been selected again to represent South Australia at the next championships.
ABBIE HEALEY
Black Forest Primary School, football, basketball and netball
Abbie was best and fairest for the Goodwood Saints in the SANFL juniors competition, and was also best on ground in their under-13 grand final win.
She also represented her district in SAPSASA basketball and netball tournaments, while becoming a 2021 Basketball Australia National Junior Club Championship representative.
BRAYDEN CARTER
Walkerville Primary School, various sports
Brayden’s sporting achievements are nothing short of remarkable.
In 2019, he was seriously ill, but has made an amazing return to sport this year, representing his district in SAPSASA championships for football, cricket and soccer.
He has also recently been selected for Adelaide High School’s cricket program.
MAIA TAITE
Southern Montessori School, surfing
Gun surfer Maia Taite had the best year of her young career in 2021, remarkably winning first place in the Open Women’s division of the Hurley Winter Classic and consistently winning other open women’s events.
Taite has been selected for the Olympic program at the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre in NSW – and also does her bit raising money for Surf Aid.
TOM BRUNET-GRESEQUE
Charles Campbell College, judo
Another judo star out of SA, Tom has represented the state and country at the national judo championships.
The 11-year-old competed in four under-30kg division fights and won gold for each.
MAISY MAY PRONK
St Leonards Primary School, surf lifesaving, swimming
Maisy May couldn’t stop achieving in 2021.
She won the under-13 women’s champion lifesaver at Surf Lifesaving SA, three gold medals at the Surf Lifesaving SA pool state championships and two golds for freestyle and medley in the 2021 Swimming SA age short course championships.
AIDEN MITCHELL
Craigburn Primary School, various
Aiden plays a number of sports including baseball, lacrosse, hockey, football, netball and cycling.
The 13-year-old is a strong player for Edwardstown, plays in the under-17 age group in baseball and has recently been recruited by SASI for his track cycling talent.
Individual Secondary section
TAYLA BRAZEL
Seymour College, basketball
Tayla has become one of Australia’s young basketball stars in 2021.
The 17-year-old was part of the 2021 under-19 national squad and was also a development player training alongside the Adelaide Lightning.
She co-captained the under-18 SA team in this year’s national championships, was top scorer and had the most steals as her side went on to win gold.
JETT CARLIN
Trinity College, track and field
Jett’s list of achievements, notably in throwing events, gets longer each year.
In 2021, he won his third successive state hammer throw title with a new state record, and also won the under-20 hammer throw at the national championships which led to selection in the Australia junior team for the world championships.
Jett was also recently awarded a 2022 Australia Hall of Fame scholarship for mentoring and development.
ISABELLA VINCENT
Pembroke School, para swimming
Isabella “Izzy” Vincent’s 2021 was impressive to say the least.
At just 15 years old, Vincent was selected for the Australian Paralympic team – the only female South Australian team member and the youngest Australian athlete in Tokyo – and she came home with silver and bronze medals in two relay events.
Before the Tokyo Paralympics she won five gold medals, three silvers and a bronze at the national championships.
DARCY MILLER
Mercedes College, athletics
Darcy was ranked first in the world in 2020 for under-16s in discus after throwing 57.46 in a state meet.
He was named SA Athletics Male Junior Athlete of the Year in 2021 and currently holds every school record in shot-put and discus, from under-14 to open ages.
EMILY COCHRANE
Seymour College, hockey
Emily has now been part of the SA hockey team for four straight years and was also selected for the 2021 Australian Futureroos Squad this year.
She has a full scholarship with SASI and has been part of the Seacliff Premier League women’s team since 2018 – an impressive feat for someone still in her teens.
LACHIE DAVIS
Pembroke School, gymnastics
In 2021, 17-year-old Lachie became state champion in all six individual apparatuses.
He also had the highest individual all-round score in the national gymnastics championships and has been attending the AIS for training.
LAUREN YOUNG
Henley High School, football
Lauren has been a sensation in football this year.
The now 16-year-old West Adelaide star won the SANFLW Best and Fairest medal at just 15, and was also the MVP in the under-19 national championships.
After her first three SANFLW games this year she was the leader in the SANFLW competition for team points.
RILEY YEATMAN
SEDA College, baseball
Pitcher Riley Yeatman had a massive 2021 and has been rewarded with a professional Major-league Baseball contract with the San Diego Padres.
He won the SA Super League rookie of the year award, golden arm award, was the youngest member of the Adelaide Giants team and was also selected in the under-18 Australian World Cup squad.
LAYLA KINNANE
Mercedes College, athletics
Layla made a name for herself last year after winning the Bay Sheffield open women’s title at just 15 years old.
She has also made a habit of dominating the SA athletics championships, winning golds in the 200m and 400m and silver in the under-17 400m in this year’s national championships.
NICHOLAS SIEGMUND
Henley High School, golf
Nicholas often plays significantly above his age in golf, and always finishes with impressive results.
He is currently ranked 12th among Australian juniors having only played three rounds of junior competition this year.
Among his best results are third in the Australia junior championships, an 11th place finish in the Tasmanian Men’s open, and an eighth place finish in the Victoria Golf Club’s Master of the Amateurs event.
Student official section
MATTHEW GUERRERA
Roma Mitchell Secondary College, soccer
Matthew has been a reliable soccer referee in Football SA competitions for years now.
He officiated his first senior National Premier League and National State League games this year.
KAYLA TSOROTIOTIS
Glossop High School, football
At 18, Kayla has been a football umpire for under-13s, under-15s and under-18s level for a number of years and has now started field umpiring local A-grade games.
JAYDEN BETTERMAN
Sacred Heart College, soccer
Jayden has officiated at a number of cup finals recently, including the NPL women’s cup final, the under-18 boys cup final and the under-15 girls cup final.
SEAN GABELL
Salisbury High School, basketball
18-year-old Sean Gabell has been officiating NBL1 games in 2021, the highest level of basketball after the NBL in Australia.
He also conducts referee coaching clinics each week to develop young officials.
CAMERON DIXON
Glossop High School, basketball
Cameron also officiates at the A-grade level of basketball, and this year was a referee in the national under-14 championship in Melbourne.
Teams section
EASTERN FLEURIEU SCHOOL YEAR 7 STATEWIDE NETBALL
The Eastern Fleurieu School year 7 team were undefeated state champions in this year’s SAPSASA knockout netball competition.
HENLEY HIGH SCHOOL OPEN STATEWIDE BOYS BASKETBALL
Henley High School’s open boys basketball side won the Open Statewide Boys Basketball championship for the first time in its history this year, defeating powerhouses Trinity College and Prince Alfred College in the process.
ST PETER’S COLLEGE ROWING OPEN SCHOOLBOYS EIGHTS
This team won the 2021 Australian Schoolboy Rowing Eights championship against the best schools around the country.
It is the first time a South Australian school has won since 1968.
HEATHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL/MT LOFTY OPEN BOYS AND GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The Heathfield High School Open Boys and Girls teams – who also represent Mt Lofty – had a successful season, winning club and school championships.
They will travel interstate for the national school championships if Covid restrictions allow.
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