West Brisbane’s best school sport stars revealed
The best school sporting stars in Brisbane’s west have been revealed. We’ve highlighted more than 30 of the top youngsters for 2020. See who made the list.
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Here is the Best of the West in school sporting talent. It is region so blessed, Brisbane’s western district could field its own Olympic team. And the next generation of sporting achiever is surging through the schools. We highlight some of the high achievers in school sports in an array of diverse sporting pursuits.
MORE TOP SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
SOUTHEAST BRISBANE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
LOGAN’S TOP SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
BEST OF THE WEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
NORTH BRISBANE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
REDCLIFFE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
MORETON’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
REDLANDS’ BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
BAYSIDE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
ST AIDAN’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL
ANGELINA TIGNANI
The humble Tignani is a fantastic field athlete with a long, long list of achievements. These include:
+ Australian All Schools javelin national champion for three successive years (2017-19)
+ the Australian Junior Athletics Javelin national champion for the last two years
+ a member of the Little Athletics Queensland development tour of New Zealand.
Last year wearing St Aidan’s colours she claimed the QGSSSA athletics track and field record with a throw of 44.09m in the 15 years javelin, smashing a long standing previous record of 42.44m set in 1985). She is also the current QGSSSA athletics record holder in the 13 years Javelin A (2017), 15 years Javelin A (2019) and holds the Australian under 15 javelin record (2018) while also being a four time QGSSSA athletics champion. On the school front, she was also a member of the St Aidan’s junior team which came second at the Nitro Athletics National Schools Final – 2018 and 2019.
STELLA HARRIS
St Aidan’s student Stella Harris has played her way into the state under 18 hockey team which was to have competed at the national championship this month – prior to the COVID-19 health crisis. Queensland selection continued a growing list of milestones for Harris, whose fondest early memory is making the state under 12 schoolgirls side. Harris, who is from a hockey family, said she loves the sport. ““I love the adrenaline the sport brings. I also enjoy being able to meet other people from all around Australia.’’
JASMINE FLEMING
The year 12 St Aidan’s student is a member of the Australian Junior Volleyball Development Squad and has competed internationally multiple times, with tours to the USA, Europe, Singapore and Malaysia. She is also developing her skills within the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) Volleyball Program – Elite Squad. Fleming impressed when she helped her team win at the 2018 and 2019 Australian Junior Volleyball Championships, winning the Most Valuable Player award last year. She is also an excellent beach volleyball player and is a recipient of the Australian Olympic Changemaker Award. She represents the Queensland Pirates in the Australian Volleyball Super League.
CENTENARY STATE HIGH SCHOOL
ANJA NAYAR
Nayar is an ace tennis player who has inched her way up to No. 443 in the under 18 world rankings despite being a 15-year-old. She is an Australian Merit team selection from 2019, one of 16 under 14s from around the world to attend the WTA Future staged in China last year.
SEAN KENDRICK
Sean is a blind athlete who is a member of the Australian Cricket visually impaired training squad, a cross country Met West representative, Met West swimmer and likely goalball state representative. Despite being born blind, Kendrick hasn’t been discouraged from throwing himself into sport. “As Sean was born without the ability to see, each day has been a challenge,’’ said Centenary SHS teacher Richard Haines. Mr Haines. “But he has an amazing positive attitude.” Kendrick takes part in training for cross country, athletics, goal ball and swimming. He trains for cross country many afternoons with his guide runner Billy Bishell.
ST EDMUNDS’S COLLEGE
MERRICK SMALL
Standing at almost 206cm, there is nothing small about Merrick Small who is a rare talent excelling on the volleyball court while also being an exciting basketball prospect. He is working his way through the Met West representative ranks and helped Met West to a gold medal. He has been identified by the Queensland Academy of Sport, and the Queensland representative has also been invited to an AIS Invitational Training Camp. The college’s First’s volleyball side leader, Small is also in the Brisbane Bullets Elite Development Academy for basketball.
KELVIN GROVE STATE COLLEGE
SYDNEY STONE
The year 10 student from the college’s Tennis Excellence program is a duel national team champion (2018-19) who represented Australia with the Tennis Australia European Tour in 2018 and again in 2019, as well as attending the world championships in Italy last year. The 2020 National Academy Member is a reigning doubles national champion (clay court) and member of the Federation Cup Foundation tour.
CHARLOTTE DUNCAN
Duncan comes out of Kelvin Grove’s year 10 volleyball excellence program where she rose to make the Australian Youth Team earlier this year. She is a current Australian volleyball academy scholarship holder and a QAS elite tier volleyball scholarship winner. Last year Duncan played for the Queensland pirates senior women’s Australian volleyball league team and was a member of the Queensland Schools Cup side, winning the Year 9 girls honours MVP award. She was also the Kelvin Grove State College Volleyball Excellence Junior Sports Person of the Year and is an Australian youth representative and was a member of the school Sport Australia All Australian girls volleyball team under 15.
LILY TAYLOR
A year 8 student who is in the Kelvin Grove State College Tennis Excellence, Taylor is the 2018 national champion singles, the 2019 national teams champion and a 2019-2020 National Academy Member. Taylor was a member of the national team that competed against the Asia/Oceania play-offs as part of the world event.
HOLLY CAWTHORN
Cawthorn is an Australian footballer and football soccer player on the rise. A member of the college’s year 11 football excellence program, she is a current player within the Junior Lions Women’s AFL and in High Performance Squad. Cawthorn is also a member of the under 19 Queensland School Girls Football team after representing the North West District Athletics outfit. On the football front, Cawthorn, the College Sportswoman of the Year, is already in the NPLW under 18s at Lions FC, was runner-up in MVP Bill Turner Trophy Nationals and also a North West District cross country representative.
ST JOHN’S ANGLICAN COLLEGE, FOREST LAKE
LUCAS JOSEFSEN AND MATTHEW KEMP
Both boys represented Australia in youth volleyball teams and competed together at the Australian Junior Beach Volleyball Championships in March. Then Playing in Division 1 Men’s at the Queensland Beach Schools Cup, they attained gold medal after remaining undefeated. Matthew and Lucas took on some of the best players in the state to come out on top after two competitive days after being coached by St John’s staff member Ms Catherine Birch. The dynamic duo have also been drafted into the Volleyball Australia Junior Development Program.
IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
AIDEN CUSWORTH
IGS sprinter Aiden Cusworth is an absolute powerhouse, with his 2019 effort topped by a performance which contributed to IGS claiming its first GPS track and field championship since 2012. Last year was a 12 months to remember for Cusworth, a real breakthrough period in his career which included winning the national 400m hurdles title in April, 2019.
BRIGIDINE COLLEGE
MARISSA HANLON
Marissa Hanlon, a 100m, 200m and 400m gold medallist at the Queensland State All Schools meet last year, is also making a splash on the national level after claiming her first Australian title podium finish in 2019 when she snared a silver medal after her 400m effort. It was a huge moment because she only started running the 400m in the season leading up to nationals. She initially earned her stripes by winning at the recent Met West Little Athletics titles in 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump and triple jump.
MONIQUE HANLON
Marissa Hanlon’s older sister, Monique won gold in the 200m, silver in the 100m and was a member of the record breaking gold medal winning 4x100m relay team at last year’s Queensland State All School Championships, qualifying to represent Queensland.
SOMERVILLE HOUSE
Eloise Tolstoff, who attends Somerville House, is one of a host of outstanding young athletes at Somerville House. Tolstoff rose to the occasion to clinch gold in the girls under 16 high jump with a jump of 1.78m at the 2019 Australian All Schools Championships. She was coming off a gold medal winning effort in high jump under 16s at the Australian track and field championships held earlier in the year where she leapt 1.71m.
The talented jumper is joined on Somerville House’s list by these outstanding young sportswomen who include:
+ Ellie Saxby, an Australian under 16 softballer;
+ Olivia Steel, who was a member of the outstanding Queensland under 18 cricket team;
+ Louisa Downes, an Australian 16 years and under Water Polo national squad member who was training to attend the world championships before the COVID-19 health crisis gripped the world. From the powerhouse Mermaids club, she is also a Queensland squad member;
+ Annabel Cowan, like Downes, was also a member of the Australian 16 years and under Water Polo naaional squad, as well as being a Queensland squad member and Composite District Team and Met East Team representative;
+ Cali Westmoreland, the Queensland women’s artistic gymnastics team member of 2019 whose team won the Level 8 Australian National Championships.Her effort also included an individual placing on both the beam and floor (two silver medals) in the individual championship. It was a huge effort for her to walk away with one gold and two silver national medals:
+ Brigit McMahon – Queensland Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team member of 2019 who also collected two individual gold medals at the state championships on floor and vault. Her team finished second for the Level 10 Australian National Championships, while she also placed first on vault;
+ Brianna Leung, a state champion high jumper in the girls 14 years while also being an Australia representative in trampoline during 2019;
+ Phoebe Marsh has been a state medallist in javelin for three successive years;
+ Cate Dance is a member of the Australian under 16 skiing team for 2020.
BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
SAMUEL MELLICK
Samuel Mellick was recognised by the Australian under 16 water polo selectors before the coronavirus health crisis turned the world on its head. A player with the Brisbane Barracudas club, he had been selected in the national squad training to compete at the world titles.
AIDEN FRICK
Aiden, an overseas border, is an elite gymnastics who has represented Queensland and at junior International Level.
NATHAN NGUYEN
The southwest suburbs student is one to watch on the football field, having already risen to represent the Joey’s Australian under 16s outfit.
GUS WHITTOME
Gus in a national medallist from the 2019 Australian Age Swimming Championships, which included playing a significant role in a record medley relay team.
ALEX THAKUR
Brisbane Grammar School’s Alex Thakur had a fantastic meet at last year GPS track and field championships. Coming off winning the 14 years triple jump, he dipped his head on the line to beat Israel Leota (Ipswich Grammar School) by the slimmest of margins in the 90m 14 years hurdles. A 400m runner as well, Thakur is a relative newcomer to hurdles where he is coached by Stephen Howes and Harry Green.
BRISBANE BOYS COLLEGE
TAJ ANNAN
Taj is a fantastic all around sportsman at the college. A border from the New South Wales central coast region, Annan was one of BBC’s batting prime-movers during the recent GPS cricket season which saw the college share the premiership with Gregory Terrace. Annan is also a member of the BBC’s First XV rugby squad.
THOMAS BRENTNALL
Brisbane Boys College swimmer was part of an outstanding effort by the college at the GPS swimming championships in March. On a night when it rained personal best times for college swimmers, Brentnall broke through to win four events.
MARIST COLLEGE ASHGROVE
WILL VALENTINE
Will Valentine was honing in on a place in the Australian under 16 water polo team before the COVID-19 crisis closed down world sport. But despite that missed opportunity, Valentine still achieved plenty in 2020, including making his debut for the Queensland Thunder in the Australian Waterpolo League despite being asked just 15 years. “The first few games were a bit tough. I was a bit scared to get in with these massive blokes,’’ he said. “But especially after my first goal, I shot up a bit (in confidence). Now I am excited to get in, pumped up and ready. I am used to the system and know what is coming each game.’’
FLOYD AUBREY
Aubrey, the Marist College Ashgrove fullback, is a smooth operator who, like all players with natural ability, seems to have time. He glides across the ground and you can almost see him thinking as he goes as his carries the ball in both hands, giving himself the option of running, kicking, passing inside or outside. He steered his school to undefeated union and league premierships in the AIC competition last season.
DAN MEGGITT
Leaping Dan Meggitt is a thrilling high jump exponent who, at last December’s All Schools national track and field championships in Canberra, he jumped 1.99m and to win the bronze medal.
ALL HALLOWS’ SCHOOLS
ELIZABETH DEKKERS
The 15-year-old Dekkers was the swimmer of the meet at the state titles late last year when her 200m butterfly (2:08.51.) swamped previous records. Dekkers, who carved an extraordinary two seconds off her previous best time, broke the Australian 15 years record, the Queensland 15 years record and the Queensland all-comers 15 years record. Ironically she beat a 10 year old record held by another Wilston State School past student, Maddie Groves.
That Dekkers could slice two seconds off a PB and drag herself high up the open all-time list makes her a contender for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Dekkers is one of a dozen outstanding schoolgirl talents at All Hallows’ School. These include Dekkers’ Australian teammate at last year’s world junior swimming championships Bronte Job, Brodie Baker (Australian Volleyball and QAS squad member), Audrey Fuller (Queensland basketball and US Scholarship recipient), Imogen Rice (Australian fencing team), Josephine Crimmins (national swimmer and outstanding water polo player who is part of a club team, Mermaids) that has not been beaten for five years, Lily Bassingthwaighte (Queensland cricket team), Caitlyn Blade (Queensland touch football team) and Phoebe Fredericks who was in the Australian squad under 16 squad that was training to attend the world junior championships, only for the competition to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.
MT ST MICHAEL’S
ELISE CONDON
The MSM hockey player Elise Condon is an excellent talent who so impressed her club of 2019 Norths that she made her Division 1 debut aged just 13 last year. In 2019 Elise was selected in under 15 Brisbane 1 which won the state championships. She was also named in the under 15 Queensland Gold Indoor team and also in the 2020 outdoor under 15 Queensland 1 team. Also on the indoor hockey front, Condon was an under 13 player state representative where she was named best play for the Queensland Fire team at the national indoor championships.
SHELBY PEACE
An exciting volleyball talent who, despite being new to the sport, is making giant strides – and quickly. Earlier this year Peace made the Queensland representative volleyball team bound for the Australian Junior Beach Volleyball Championships in Coolangatta. Peace’s next goal is to take what she has learned on the beach to indoor volleyball. “I want to make the Queensland indoor team as well, or at least just make the training squad,” Peace said.
STUARTHOLME SCHOOL
MOLLY NASSER
Nasser is one of the most exciting water polo prospects in Australia. The Stuartholme student, whose uncle was a fantastic Wallaby and Queensland flanker, has broken into the Queensland Thunder set-up where she made her debut this season. Nasser has come through a champion Mermaids team, learning her craft from coach Nicola Johnson who has contributed to taking her game to another level. She was eyeing off Australian selection in her age group this year prior to the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.
ST PETERS LUTHERAN COLLEGE
SPRINGFIELD CAMPUS
ELLA RAMSAY
The 15-year-old from St Peters Lutheran College Springfield campus received a letter from Swimming Australia last month stating had the 2020 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii not been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis, she would almost certainly have been selected. Such is her progress over the last 12 months that Ramsay is now ranked in the top 10 Aussie open swimmers in the 100m freestyle (10th), 200m freestyle (10th), 200m breaststroke (9th), 200IM (5th) and 400IM (10th) which is a huge achievement for a 15-year-old.
MOLLIE O’CALLAGHAN
Mollie O’Callaghan has positioned herself for a tilt at making the Australian Dolphins swimming team at next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. She will be a chance of selection if she maintains her upward trajectory in the next 14 months. She is ranked No. 4 in Australia for 100m freestyle.
ST PETERS LUTHERAN COLLEGE
INDOOROOPILLY CAMPUS
MICHAEL PICKETT
Pickett is a freestyle speed demon who was on the verge of confirming his place in the New Zealand swimming team for the Tokyo Olympic Games prior to the event being cancelled. A border in year 12, he has speed to burn and benefits from expert training at the St Peters Western Club pool within the college grounds.
JENNA FORRESTER
The big hearted Forrester is of South African decent and that grim, gutsy determination shines through when she competes in the gruelling 400m individual medley and 200m IM events. Forrester, in her final year of schooling at St Peters, has moved up to fifth ranked open women’s 400m IM exponent. With a time of 4:46.07, she and three others are chasing No. 1 ranked Kaylee McKeown (4:38.69).
HILAL DURMAZ
Hilal is arguably the most exciting female track and field sprint talent in Queensland. She comfortably has all competitors covered in the state over 100m, yet she is mystified where her pace comes from. ““It is weird. My dad was a (soccer) goalkeeper and mum did not do anything so I guess it is just luck,’’ she said.
OLIVIA COLLINS
Another St Peters swimmer on the move, Collins has inched her way up the open rankings to be now placed No. 5 in Australe 50m butterfly and No. 9 for the 100m butterfly, no mean feat.
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL
NIKITA MOORE
The classy Brisbane State High School middle distance athlete Nikita Moore of Kenmore was a triple treat gold medallist at the 2019 Queensland School Sport Track and Field State Championships. Moore scooped the pool with first placings in the 1500m, 3000m and 2000m steeplechase events in the 17 years age group. An Australian world cross country representative last year, she was robbed of an opportunity to again represent Australia in 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis shutdown the world under 20 championships which were set to be held in Kenya next July. Moore’s sister Keira (3000m) was also part of the Athletics Queensland Q-squad.
TOSHI BUTLIN
Butlin is one of the big improvers in schoolboy athletics highlighted by his five-star performance for BSHS at the GPS track and field championships late last year. Butlin, who is a member of the Queensland Athletics track and field training squad, won the 14 years discus, the 100m sprint and 200m in a personal best time. He was also third in the shot put. It was a huge turn around by Butlin, a Kenmore Little Athletics product, who did not place at the GPS last year, but who has made giant strides in 12 months.
ST JOSEPH’S GREGORY TERRACE
JACK FRENCH
The Paddington resident was closing in on Australian under 16 water polo selection before the COVID-19 crisis shutdown world sport. A relative newcomer to Brisbane, French feels right at home within the famous Terrace family and that atmosphere has contributed to his success in the water polo pool.
FELIX WILSON
The next generation of eye-catching Terrace swimmers is being led by Felix Wilson who impressed at the GPS swimming championships earlier in the year. Ironically Wilson trains at Rackley Centenary, just across the road from the college, where junior Australian representative Tom Neill and senior Australian representative Louis Townsend – both Terrace old boys – are his training partners.
FOREST LAKE STATE HIGH SCHOOL
DEVONTE VAIVELA
Outstanding rugby league centre or second rower who posesses the size and strength of a starting second rower in most teams, yet has the speed to play in the outside backs. Has represented SEQ in the second row when he was Player of the Championship, under 14s.
BRANDON TIKINAU
Brandon is meticulous with his technique both with and with out the ball as a halfback. He is very skilful and possesses a strong kicking game.
RENE BAGON
Big league prop who has a big motor that can carry him 60 minutes..Rene has enormous potential as he grows in to his already big frame. Rene has never missed a rep team.
MOU TAUMALETILA-MAULOLO
Mou is a tradition-style ball-playing league lock who possesses the organisational traits of a halfback while also racking up huge numbers on the stat sheet on both sides of the ball. Mou is also a regular in rep football.
JACOB TINSLEY
A year 9 hooker, Jacob is an out and out competitor. Rarely is Jacob not the best player on the field. He reads the game very well and his toughness earns him great respect from not only his teammates but also opposition. To add more strings to his already impressive bow, Jacob posseses a strong kicking game and is a goal-kicker.
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LOGAN’S TOP SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
BEST OF THE WEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
NORTH BRISBANE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
REDCLIFFE’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS
MORETON’S BEST SCHOOL SPORTS STARS