McGlashan Ice Hockey are South Island Champions!

John McGlashan College has a rich history with the fastest sport on ice. From social teams, to competitive leagues and tournaments, the College has been represented well in the past at Dunedin Ice Stadium, and 2023 has seen that carried on.

With a young core of Year 10’s, the McGlashan Red development team competed in the Dunedin Secondary School Weekly Competition, a league which had growing the sport as its focus. Games in this competition were about getting on the ice, experiencing the sport and allowing those new to the game to participate without any barriers. A number of McGlashan students got their first moments on ice in this league, and sparked a passion for the game that should burn bright into the future. McGlashan Red ended up second in the league, winning seven, drawing two and only losing one game all season to the eventual winners: a combined Kaikorai Valley and Otago Boys team.

But the real story lies in the South Island Secondary Schools Ice Hockey Tournament. The landscape of collegiate hockey has been restricted in the years post-Covid, and the school hasn’t been able to send a full-strength squad to the tournament since 2019. In 2023, the talent at the school was overflowing, with a number of students in the Men’s Dunedin Thunder squad, several competing at the U18 World Championships representing New Zealand, and countless others representing Dunedin at the Under 18 and Under 15 level. This led to an experienced squad and plenty of depth entering tournament week. Bolstered by brand new uniforms as a result of funding from the Parents and Friends Association, the team had the look to go alongside the level of skill.

Led by standout Year 13’s Jack Lewis, Max Simpson and Oliver Bary, as well as plenty of talent from Year 12’s Will Bary, Cody Byck and Simon Tomkins, John McGlashan got through the round robin with two large wins and a hard-fought loss against a strong Wakatipu High School Team, to put us in second heading to the semi-finals. However, a nasty knee injury to young Year 9 Alex Riach left the bench short and the boys hungry to succeed.

As the week progressed, the students, who had had only one hour-long practice as a team before the tournament, started to gel and understand how to play with each other. The semi-final against Wakatipu Blue was a tight 2-2 heading into the 3rd period, but McGlashan locked down their own end and allowed only two shots on net in the last frame whilst scoring four. The boys went into the final with a clear goal in mind, and laser focus. Playing against the undefeated Wakatipu Gold team, who had already handed McGlashan a loss in the pool stage, the boys put on their best performance of the tournament, allowing only seven shots on goal the entire game. Will Bary showcased his excellence with a four-goal game, and the young guns helped disrupt any offence Wakatipu could muster. George Bary, Ben Koh, Reuben Macalister, Angus McDiarmid and Archie McDiarmid locked down the opposition, with Isaac koh having his best game as goaltender, and this allowed the seniors to thrive on the attack.

As the highest points scorer in the competition, Jack Lewis led from the front, showcasing why he is such a formidable member of the Dunedin Thunder even at the age of eighteen. He was awarded Most Valuable Defender for his efforts, accompanying Max Simpson as the Most Valuable Forward.

John McGlashan had never won the South Island competition, which has been dominated in the past by Wakatipu High School, Cromwell College, various Canterbury schools, and seen King’s High School as the only other Dunedin winner. Needless to say, the students viewed a second-place finish as a failure, and were extremely proud to hoist the ‘Big Chill Challenge’ cup after the job was done. The significance of the achievement cannot be understated.

Ice Hockey is a sport that takes effort, time, serious investment, and serious support from parents, so to see the boys represent John McGlashan College on the ice was a special moment for many parents. Being South Island Champions was the perfect sendoff for our Year 13’s and sets the stage for what could be an Ice Hockey dynasty at John McGlashan College for years to come.

Ka mau te wehi McGlashan Ice Hockey!