Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

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Rugby Notes 1948 — 1949 1 Q M 9 til m BACK ROW: D. Green, D. Maclnnes, M. Morrison, R. Berry, G. Butt, J. Burr, M. Bayly, D. Johnson. FRONT ROW: B. Loughary, A. Parke, C. Tuttle, G. Parke (Captain) , M. Birch, J. Cowell, W. Bice. ABSENT: J. A. Pearkes. One cannot help reflecting that the School should have ended the season with a better record. Certainly luck contributed nothing. The game against New Entries Naden should have been won, and we were beaten at University School on a foul day with a much weakened team. Our first match against the Canadian Scottish Regiment Cadets was won rather easily. From the time that Birch kicked rather a good penalty goal until Putnam ploughed through the opposition like a hippopotamus through the pampas, there was no doubt as to which was the better team. It is rather dismal to note that of the seven tries scored, only one was converted. This inability to kick goals was a big failing throughout the season. We turned up at Royal Roads for the match against the Services College B team with an uncertain feeling of confidence in our stomachs and one victory under our belts. It was obvious as soon as the game got under way that the referee had had a difference with the rule book, and in the space of five minutes awarded three penalty kicks against us. This was just a taste of what was to follow. Soon the College was three points up on a good penalty goal. This seemed to rouse the team out of its doldrums and for the next ten minutes they played really attractive rugby with the three quarters handling well and running straight and hard. Johnson scored our first try, pouncing on a dropped Page 16 Shawnigan Lake

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Probably most of our success is due to the expert guidance of our House Master, Mr. E. R. Larsen. He is an Old Boy of Shawnigan who returned last September to take over his old House. In the inter-house rugby matches, the most important event of the year, Groves ' exulted in the victory over Lake ' s with a score of 14-3. Lake ' s had previously managed to edge Ripley ' s out of the running. Ten minutes before the end of the game, Groves ' was suddenly handicapped by the loss of their Captain, Gordon Parke, who was carried off the field with a broken leg. Congratulations are due to Parke I, Parke II, Bice, Loughary and Johnson for winning their School Rugby Colours and to Parke I, Parke II, Bice, Lough- ary, Johnson, Green, Edgett, Morrison and Patrick for winning House Rugby Colours. In spite of the fact that some performers managed to forget some of their lines, our play at the Rag Concert did go over pretty well. The play was Her Shawnigan Lover which was just that with a few other lovers thrown in. The House executives this year are Parke I who is also Head of the School and Parke II who is a School Prefect with Bice, Loughary and Johnson as House Prefects. We are very proud as a House of certain boys who have captured the School ' s most coveted prize, the Efficiency Cup, for four terms in succession. These boys are Parke II, Michaelmas 1947, Day, Lent 1948, Billings, Summer 1948, and Parke I in the Michaelmas Term of 1948. This cup is presented to the boy who has shown the most unselfish devotion to duty during the term and we feel that these four accomplishments are significant of the general tone of the House. On the whole, Groves ' has had a very successful year. We have tried to work as a team and not merely as a group of individuals and so have been able to overcome successfully any obstacles which have confronted us. Badminton A fair amount of badminton was played at the School this year. A ladder of over forty boys has been functioning and four tournaments have been played which included an Inter-House contest. All the three open tournaments were won by the same boy, Gowman. In the Annual Tournament, Gowman beat Patrick in the finals 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6. An Inter-House tournament was organized with a team of four represent- ing each house. The results were Groves ' 5, Lake ' s 4, Ripley ' s 3. Unfortunately, Gowman did not play; he would probably have made some difference in Lake ' s standing. School Magazine Page 15

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pass and racing through onto the opposing full back as if he intended to run him down. Luckily he missed, so the score was now tied at 3-3. Royal Roads pressed at the beginning of the second half and after five minutes and against the run of play, we scored. From a loose maul Cowell got his hands on the ball, and via the Morrison, Johnson, Loughary route, it finally reached Alan Parke on the wing who, showing a turn of speed we did not know he possessed and sporting his new hand-off, reached the line in the corner for a most spectacular try. With the score now at 6-3 in our favour, we all felt a great deal better. However, our pleasure was short lived, for Cadet Laudenbach regained the lead for his team with two fine penalty goals in quick succession. Johnson tied the score for us with a resolute dash for the line when the ball reached him from a five yard scrum. The Cadets now really put on the pressure, and for ten minutes pressed the School on their line. However, Birch relieved with a nice kick to touch and when the final whistle went, we had almost scored again. After this disappointing result against Royal Roads, our return match against them provided a mild tonic, though the feet of clay were still visible for short periods. In this match Johnson found his real form and was the spear- head of the attack in the remaining matches. Twice he cut through beautifully, but inability to pass at the right moment cost us tries. After five minutes, Butt put us three points ahead with rather a lucky penalty goal, the ball striking the upright but bounding to the right side. Tuttle received a nasty gash over the eye and spent the rest of the game dashing off and on to receive minor repairs. The School three quarters for once ran smoothly and constantly looked dangerous, Alan Parks, Loughary and Johnson making long gains. The School ' s first try was a beauty. It was the fruit of much practice. Cowell reversed a pass to Johnson, who had cut back to the blind side and it caught the opposing team so much on the wrong foot that Johnson was able to score standing up. Alan Parke scored the last try, getting over in the corner after a good three quarter movement. The team played well and the forwards were well led by Gordon Parke, for once doing what they were told and having the ball back at the right time. We were without Maclnnes I for our next match, his place being taken by Bayly. Green was another casualty, so it was a slightly disorganized team that took the field against H.M.C.S. Naden New Entries. Birch was moved up from full back to the centre and Patrick put at back. It is no slight on Patrick ' s play to say that had the team been at full strength, Naden would never have had the opportunity to score two tries. Our six points came from two penalty goals by Butt. The team, as a whole, never settled down against a team that employed spoiling tactics. Naden won because they seized their opportuni- ties and had someone who could convert a try. The match against the Old Boys on Rag Concert Sunday, was a most enjoyable game. The only fly in the ointment was the weather. It rained quite hard and did not look like stopping. It didn ' t. The School did most of the pressing in the first half, but missed a great many scoring opportunities due to sloppy handling of the slippery ball, particularly by the back field. Berry scored the first try from a pass by Cowell round the blind side. It looked as if he Old Boys had been caught unawares. 3-0 at half time was a slightly flattering score. The Old Boys felt relieved and a little amazed. On resumption of play, the School improved, although, there was still a good deal of poor passing. After School Magazine Page 17