St Michaels University School - Black Red and Blue Yearbook (Victoria, British Columbia Canada)

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SCHOOL vs. SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL This game, as was expected, was keenly contested and was witnessed by a very large crowd. Shawnigan kicked off and the game opened at a great pace. Following a short period of midffield play the School backs threatf ened dangerously and certain tries were saved on two occasions when Thorne was splendidly collared by the Shawnigan full back. A third movement however was more successful, Thorne taking a pass from Everett and, with a good burst of speed crossed, at the flag. Sproule failed to convert. For the remainder of the half, play was very even. Craig, who was more than usually agressive, tried hard to find a hole in the opposing defence and the only real chance the School lost occured when Everett dropped Sproule's pass when in an excellent scoring position. The Shawnigan left wing played grandly at this stage and gave the School defence many an anxious moment. The School still led 3fO at half time. Shawnigan pressed strongly after the restart and were soon ref warded by a try on the right wing which was not converted. At this juncture the Shawnigan forwards were heeling splendidly from the loose and School defence was severly tested. A splendid finishing dash to a good paying movement gave the Shawnigan left wing a try and his side the lead after abouty twenty minutes play in the second half. The try was unconverted. The game continued at a rare pace, Shawnigan having a slight territorial advantage, until the last eventful ten minutes. The School began to press very strongly and only desperate Shawnigan tackles robbed first Thorne and then Hicks of tries. A little later Craig burst through the loose with the ball at his feet and beat a surprized defence completely, only to knock on a yard from the line directly under the posts. This was a tragedy from the Schools point of view and a bitter disappointment to Craig who had played a grand game throughout. In the last two minutes of play a section of the crowd enroaching on the field caused a doubt as to whether the ball had gone into touch or not. Several School players were of the opinion that it had but a Shawnif gan man thought otherwise, and, kicking the ball ahead once, and then again, scored easily. Both sides played keen and vigorous football throughout. Shaw' nigan tackled splendidly and heeled well both from the set scrums and from the loose. The School team led by Gillespie, Craig, Thorne and Sproule, gave a good display and on the day's play, a draw would have been a very fair result. .LOT SCHOOL vs. VICTORIA HIGH SCHOOL This game was played at home against Victoria High School's first XV. Throughout the first half very mediocre football was played by both teams. The High School with a very definite advantage in the

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Weather and ground conditions were perfect but both sets of outsides found it difficult to make headway owing to close marking, and for some time play was largely of a forward nature and very even. Sproule made one nice cut through for the School but Gillespie, who was up in support, lacked the pace to finish it successfully. A little later however some nice passing among the backs ended when Hicks took Everett's pass and crossed at the flag for Sproule to kick a splendid goal. At this stage johnson, at outside half for Brentwood, was playing a fine game, and the School were fortunate in that he was at times poorly supported. just before half time the School in- creased their lead when Everett took a pass from Sproule to score near the posts. Sproule goaled and the School led 1OfO. Shortly after the restart johnson opened Brentwood's account when he sold the dummy to several School players and scored be' tween the posts. The try was not converted. The School now pressed strongly and Everett scored from Sproule's pass. Sproule failed to convert. Maintaining pressure the School were rewarded when an' other good threefquarter movement resulted in Thorne taking the final pass from Everett, and running strongly, crossed at the flag. Sproule again failed to goal. The School forwards showed suprising form and, magnificently led by Gillespie, fully held their own. All the backs played enter' prizing football and, as a group, were decidedly superior to their opposite numbers. Craig, the School outside half, had a splendid match, while johnson was outstanding among the Brentwood players. iw SCHOOL vs. OAK BAY HIGH SCHOOL For the second time this season the School was successful against Oak Bay High School. During the first half the School had a definite territorial ad' vantage but the backs handled badly and found the Oak Bay tackling very keen. Two tries were scored however, the first by Hicks on the right wing, and the other by Thorne who crossed on the left wing and scored between the posts. Sproule converted both tries, the first from a wide angle, and the School led 1Of0. Immediately after the restart Craig ran through the centre and scored between the posts. Sproule failed to convert. Following this the play deteriorated greatly. The High School backs confined them' selves entirely to spoiling tactics and offsides were frequent. The School seemed to lack a reply to this and the game developed into a confused forward scramble. The High School obtained one try when a forward dribbled a loose ball over, Grogan kicked a splendid pen' alty from the side for the High School final points, and the School won a poor game, 13f6. Gillespie again led the forwards well and received support from Brown. The backs, of whom Craig was the best, showed flashes of form, but were unduly upset by the unorthodox tactics of the op' position.

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tight scrums and in the loose made a forward game of it from the start. The School backs were given few opportunities being badly harassed by fast breaking forwards: in addition, their passing was ill timed and wild. The School opened the scoring however, Thorne crossing at the flag after all the backs had handled. Sproule goaled from a wide angle. just before half time the High School drew level through a try by their right wing which was splendidly goaled. A resolute tackle by Thorne might have prevented this try. After the restart the High School attained a considerable ter' ritorial advantage but ruined their chances by constant infringements of the off side rule. The School also had several chances but although Thorne again scored the backs were never really together and certain tries were lost through faulty or tardy passing. Shortly before the end Everett was quite needlessly caught with the ball on his own line and a High School try was the direct result. There was no further score and a very poor game resulted in an 8f8 draw. Although Sproule, Thorne, Craig and Thomas i, did several good things no member of the team with the possible exception of Gillespie did himself justice. The scrum were soundly beaten by a faster and more active pack. lo., SCHOOL vs. BRENTWOOD COLLEGE The return game against Brentwood College was played at Brentwood and won by three goals and three tries Q24 ptsj, to a penalty goal and a try Q6 ptsj. Brentwood kicked off and immediately rushed the ball into the School twentyffive. Some very spirited forward play then took place but the advantage was definitely Brentwoodls, and after a ten minute period of constant pressure their forwards scored a well deserved try which was not converted. The School then retaliated and lost a good chance when Everett held on too long and was caught with the ball. The School forwards had recovered somewhat however and from a set scrum just outside their own twentyffive they heeled cleanly for the first time and Mercer set the backs in motion. Craig, Sproule and Everett handled in turn and Hicks finished off a grand run tak' ing Everett's pass to cross at the flag and score between the posts. Sproule kicked the extra points. Thus encouraged the School kept up the pressure and were rewarded when Craig beat his man and Sproule ran cleverly through the centre and gave to Thorne, who scored. Sproule failed to convert. Brentwood then. attacked hotly and kept the School very busy in defence, but their only success came just before half time when the School were penalized for off' side and johnson kicked a splendid goal. The School backs had used their few opportunities splendidly but the Brentwood forwards had played extremely well and, on the play, the School were fortunate to be leading by two points at half time.