Named: The 2020 Messenger, Advertiser School Sports Awards Finalists

One of Australia’s fastest bowlers, an Olympic hopeful and a junior track cyclist are finalists in the 2020 School Sports Awards. Check out the full list here.

Gymnast Jesse Moore at Marion Sport and Leisure Centre. Moore is a finalist in the 2020 School Sport Awards. Picture: Sam Wundke

One of Australia’s fastest bowlers, an Olympic hopeful and a junior track cyclist are finalists in the 2020 School Sports Awards.

Gymnast Jesse Moore, cricketer Darcie Brown and tennis star Edward Winter are among those nominated for the secondary school category’s top gong.

Rising track cyclist William Brown, netballer Kashiah Dixon-Miller and Alinta Dingwall, meanwhile, are among a host of young athletes nominated for the primary category.

The awards, which were relaunched under a new format in October, also have two new categories — team and official.

Immanuel College’s open girls basketball team and Brighton Secondary College’s boys and girls open volleyball teams are also finalists, as is softball umpire Briahn Cammell and netball umpire Jet Verwey.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL FINALISTS

The coronavirus pandemic halted competitions for Moore last year but in 2019 he claimed a fifth Australian all-round championship in a row.

The Sacred Heart graduate was also a finalist in the apparatus category at the 2019 under-17 World Championships and finished as the highest placed Australian (25th).

He also won the Victorian state championships and finished as the highest placed Australian at the 2019 Houston Junior International in the under-18 category.

Moore was honoured to be a finalist in the 2020 School Sports Awards.

Olympic hopeful and SA’s top male gymnast Jesse Moore. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“I am stoked to be a finalist, it’s pretty cool,” Moore said.

“There’s been no competitions (in 2020) but during lockdown I managed to get a piece of equipment from the gym and did some home training which was good.”

The postponing of the Tokyo Olympic Games has also been a blessing for Moore.
Although ranked one of Australia’s best, Moore was not in contention for Olympic selection because of a strict world gymnastics governing body rule that all competitors must be at least 18.

But with International Olympic Committee moving the Games to July 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moore will meet the age qualification, as he turns 18 in February.

He is now preparing for the Oceania Championships between Australia and New Zealand which will be used as an Olympic qualifying event.

Meanwhile, Adelaide Strikers star and Henley High graduate Darcie Brown is also a finalist for a second year in a row.

Brown debuted with the Strikers last year and was clocked bowling at speeds over a remarkable 125km/hr, to be named the WBBL06 Young Gun of the tournament.

Darcie Brown during the WBBL match between Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Thunder. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

It comes after she made headlines in 2019 when she was signed by the Strikers as a 16-year-old, making her the youngest cricketer — male or female — to do so.

Brown’s WBBL debut was against Hobart Hurricanes on October 25 and helped the Strikers to an eight-wicket win, finishing with figures of 3/13, including the scalp of Australian all-rounder Nicola Carey, whom she bowled for a duck.

The School Sports Awards are a joint initiative of The Advertiser, The Messenger and the Department for Education.

They recognise and reward the outstanding sporting achievements of young people in our community.

Education Department sport and water safety manager Jan Sutherland said there had been “an outstanding list of nominees”.

“School sport enjoyed a year of challenges and opportunities,” she said.

“It is exciting to see the South Australian students who have been successful in many sporting activities.”

Winners will be announced in February.

2020 MESSENGER SCHOOL SPORTS AWARDS FINALISTS:

Individual Primary:

■ Alinta Dingwall — Swimming (Cummins Area School)

■ Emilia Noriega — Swimming (Immanuel College)

■ Kashiah Dixon-Miller — Netball and Athletics (LeFevre Peninsula Primary School)

■ Jasmine Morgan — BMX (McDonald Park School)

■ Layla Barbaro — Soccer (Woodville Gardens School)

■ William Brown — Cycling (Magill School)

■ Kegan Coulter — Swimming (Faith Lutheran School)

■ Ollie Gear — Motocross, Enduro and Athletics (Lucindale Area School)

■ Matthew Price — Artistic Roller Skating (North Haven Primary School)

■ Khai Tran — Swimming (North Adelaide Primary School)

Individual Secondary:

■ Connie Doupis — Football and netball (Glossop High School)

■ Darcie Brown — Cricket, netball and football (Henley High School)

■ Demi Bates — Kayaking (Henley High School)

■ Isabella Vincent — Swimming (Pembroke School)

■ Kate Case — Football (Orroroo Area School)

■ Edward Winter — Tennis (Immanuel College)

■ Ethan Hutchinson — Gravity Enduro Mountain Bike (Birdwood High School)

■ Jesse Moore — Artistic Gymnastics (Sacred Heart College)

■ Hayden Crowe — Athletics (Mt Gambier High School)

■ Roshan Chandran — Fencing (Heathfield High School)

Team:

■ Aldgate Primary School Year 6/7 state netball

■ Brighton Seconadry School open boys and girls volleyball

■ Immanuel College open girls basketball

■ Willunga Waldorf School — Year 6/7 state soccer

Official:

■ Briahn Cammell — Softball (Seaton High School)

■ Jet Verwey — Netball (Eastern Fleurieu School)

■ Zac Brittan — Football and soccer (Golden Grove High School)