HOCKEY
Three of our boys' teams and five of our girls' teams played in an away derby against Victoria Park between Tuesday and Friday. The U14A sides managed particularly impressive results, with the boys winning 9-1 and the girls winning 11-0. However, VP hockey is on the rise, judging by the stiff competition their first teams dished out. The second-team girls also deserve a special mention, having dominated their game in an excellent 2-0 win. 

Our first team boys played VP on Friday afternoon in a closely contested encounter. Both sides had ample scoring opportunities throughout the game and our boys were eventually able to break the deadlock early in the second half. VP responded in the final chukka to even the score at 1-1, but our boys remained resolute in their desire to come away with a win. With less than a minute on the clock, a superb baseline drive resulted in a penalty flick for Woodridge, which Ethan Moothoo slotted with great composure, resulting in a well-earned 2-1 win for our boys. 

The first-team girls started their match against VP in a dominant fashion, moving the ball beautifully up the field and creating several goal-scoring opportunities. It was Becky Botha who slotted two excellent short corner goals in the first chukka, taking Woodridge into halftime with a 2-0 lead. The VP girls, however, had other plans, and fought back with well-structured, fast-paced hockey, asking several questions of the Woodridge defense and scoring an excellent short corner goal of their own. Our girls were able to hold onto their lead and regained the ascendency in the final chukka to end the game with a hard-fought 2-1 win. 

NETBALL
The Woodridge netball teams faced a challenging weekend against strong opposition from Victoria Park. Despite the tough competition, they demonstrated remarkable resilience in their matches. The 2nd team showcased their determination and skill, securing a well-deserved victory with a score of 19-13. Their performance was a testament to their teamwork and strategic play. 

The 3rd team faced a formidable opponent in Pearson F, resulting in a 8-17 loss. Despite the setback, the team displayed commendable effort and sportsmanship, never giving up and fighting hard until the final whistle. In a closely contested match, the 4th team emerged victorious against Pearson G with a score of 5-4. Their perseverance and tactical approach were key to clinching this narrow win. 

The U16C team experienced a heartbreaking loss with a narrow margin of 13-14. The girls played with exceptional tenacity and came close to victory, demonstrating their competitive spirit. The U16D team faced a tough match, losing 2-12. Despite the scoreline, the players gave their best effort and maintained a positive attitude throughout the game. The U14A team delivered a dominant performance, winning their match 15-4. Their excellent coordination and strong defense were instrumental in securing this decisive victory. The U14B team also celebrated a victory, defeating their opponents 8-2. Their focus and energy on the court were evident, contributing to their success. 

Overall, the Woodridge netball teams exhibited admirable spirit and determination across all matches. Their performances, whether in victory or defeat, highlighted their commitment and resilience against strong opposition from Victoria Park.

RUGBY
The U14s are developing into a formidable team as the season progresses. They are playing some exciting rugby and achieved another impressive win of 42-5. After being down 7-5 at halftime, the U15s were the first to score at the start of the second half. However, with two intercept tries against the run of play, they lost 17-12. With unwavering spirit and determination, the U16's performance was truly commendable. Despite trailing 14-20, they refused to give up. In a nail-biting comeback, they scored to clinch a 21-20 victory.

Our second team played some good rugby, at times, controlling most of the game, and ended with a comfortable win of 27-12. In a hard-fought battle, the first team demonstrated their composure and resilience. Despite a stalemate of 3-3 for most of the first half, they seized an opportunity to score just before halftime, taking the lead 10-3. With their unwavering defense, they kept VP at bay, securing a 10-6 victory. 

NETBALL
The Woodridge College 1st Netball team competed in the District play-offs on Saturday, 25 May, against the top six schools from the four zones within our district. The competition was intense, with six high-energy matches played with little time for recovery between them. Despite the challenging conditions, our girls performed admirably and showed great resilience on the court. The results of the matches were as follows: 

• Pearson: Lost 12-39
• DF Malherbe: Lost 17-20 (our best performance of the day; we drew the first quarter and won the last quarter 4-1)
• Despatch: Lost 9-36
• Brandwag: Lost 8-33
• Framesby: Lost 15-42 (a notable improvement from our previous encounter, where we lost 12-59)
• Collegiate: Lost 12-20

Though the outcomes were not in our favour, the team displayed exceptional dedication, teamwork, and perseverance. Each player should be proud of their effort and sportsmanship. A special mention goes to the match against DF Malherbe, where the team drew the first quarter and won the last quarter 4-1, marking our best performance of the day. Well done to the entire team for representing Woodridge College with such pride! 

EQUESTRIAN: 
Well done to Michaela Wedderburn for placing 3rd in the High school level 1 category at the Western Mounted Games held in PE on 19 May 2024.

Congratulations to the following riders for making the EC Amateur team for SA Champs: 
Junior 1m team, Annabelle Reitz 
Junior 90cm team, Iviwe Ngangelizwe 
Pony riders 90cm team, Kungamsa Sitoto