Sports News

Congratulations to everyone involved in this year's Winter Tournament, where our staff members travelled with students to participate in various sports events across the North Island. We are very proud of our students for their hard work, not only during Tournament Week but in preparation for it. 

Winter Tournament

Netball

Our Dio Premier Netballers finished their Upper North Island Tournament in Auckland 15th in A grade (out of 115 teams). This is an awesome achievement in our development year. Great work, team netball! 

Day 1: v McAuley - Win - 43-36 v Kerikeri - Win - 28-13 Day 2: v St Kentigern - Loss 22-43 v Waitakere - Win 40-33 Day 3: v Howick - Loss 21-39 v Trident - Loss 35-21 Day 4: v Rangitoto - Draw 29-29 v St Paul's - Loss 26-31 Day 5: v Carmel - Loss 23-26 v Waiuku - Win 39-19

Hockey

Our Dio 1st XI Hockey team headed to Napier to compete at the Federation and Marie Fry Cup. Dio started off their campaign with a tough first couple of games against local rivals Hamilton Girls' High and Bethlehem College, both resulting in 1-1 draws. Their final pool match was against Burnside College, where they got a good 2-0 win on the board. At the end of pool play, this put Dio in 3rd place. They had a must-win crossover match against Sacred Heart New Plymouth, winning 3-1. They then came up against our cross-town rivals St Paul's, in the quarter-finals for the Marie Fry Cup. This was a very intense game, but St Paul's was the better team that day, winning 2-0. 

After losing this game, Dio ended up playing for 20th-24th - losing 5-2 to a strong Iona College side. This meant they were now playing for 23rd-24th. Dio's final match was against Columba College, which resulted in a 3-1 loss, with Dio finishing 24th in the Federation and Marie Fry Cup. Despite the result, all the team enjoyed themselves. We kept spirits high by having fun activities like karaoke night, themed dinner, visiting the aquarium and going to the hot pools. 

Football 

Dio's 1st X1 Football finished their competition19th out of 32 teams at the NZSS National Tournament in Taupo. In the pool play, Dio drew the first game, 0-0, with Takapuna. Their second game was against Westlake, where they lost 3-0. On day two, Dio played St Kents, who looked like a strong team, but Dio managed to stay strong, resulting in a 2-1 loss. This meant that Dio finished 3rd in their pool.

The next game was against New Plymouth, which, after full time, was a 0-0 draw. Since a result was required, the game went to penalties and then sudden death. Dio won on the 8th penalty, getting their first tournament win.

Dio's 5th game was against Marist, which was also a 0-0 draw, going to penalties, and again Dio won. The semi-final game was against Hillcrest High, which scored 0-0. This meant that, once again, it went to a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, Dio lost, meaning that the team were playing for 19th-20th. Dio's final game was against Hutt Valley, which they won 2-0. 

Lacrosse

Our Dio Lacrosse team finished their competition a fantastic 5th in New Zealand at the NZSS Lacrosse Tournament in Cambridge. This topped off a great season after they finished 1st in the B Pool grade of the Waikato Premier League! 

Sports Climbing

It was an impressive finish to the NZ Secondary School Climbing Competition in Tauranga. Renna Park finished 3rd in the Junior Girls. Emily Makinson, Dio's amazing team captain, took 2nd place in the Senior Girls. The seniors ran to the Olympic format, including competing on a 15m high Olympic Speed Wall in the final - the first time on it for our athletes. The strong finish from Renna and Emily, along with an 11th from Zoe Weldon, 14th from Sophie Carmichael and a strong performance from new climber Georgia Bruton, meant the Dio team finished 3rd school overall. This was a wonderful achievement against around 120 competitors from around 40 schools. Team Dio also managed a swim in the ocean and a climb up Mauao to see the sunset.

 Weightlifting 

Our small but mighty weightlifting team made Waikato Dio and Waikato Weightlifting Club proud, coming away with incredible and well-deserved results at the NZSS National Weightlifting Championships in Porirua. 

• Carys Foot - Gold over 15 W55kg
• Petra Pratt-Rink - Silver over 15 W64kg
• Lucy Hoskings - Bronze over 15 W64kg

Thanks to coach Gabi Peach for taking these students on their weightlifting journey. 

Northern Cycling Tour

The Dio cycling team started preparing for the upcoming nationals, with the Northern Tour gaining the following results.

U14 Girls

• Gabriella Schuitemaker:

 Individual time Trial (ITT): 6th; Hill Climb: 5th; Criterium: 6th; General classification: 5th

• Brooke Devaney

Individual time Trial (ITT): 17th; Hill Climb: 6th; Criterium: 17th (unfortunately crashed but bravely completed the race); General classification: 14th

• Elyse Barnett

Individual time Trial (ITT): 18th; Hill Climb: 17th; Criterium: 16th; General classification:          19th

U15 Girls

• Catriona Fairweather

Individual time Trial (ITT): 15th; Hill Climb: 6th; Criterium: 6th (5th over the finish line, but the rider behind her got more points in an intermediate sprint); General classification: 8th

• Caitlin Wright

Individual time Trial (ITT): 16th; Hill Climb: 15th

• Tiara Potaka (in her first race)

Individual time Trial (ITT): 24th; Hill Climb: 23rd; Criterium: 20th; General classification: 20th

U16 Girls

• Kezia Schuitemaker

Individual Time Trial (ITT): 14th; Hill Climb: 13th

U17 Girls

• Hayley Dawbin

Individual time Trial (ITT): 12th; Hill Climb: 7th

U20 Girls

• Kate Heatley

Individual time Trial (ITT): 24th; Hill Climb: 23rd

• Emerson Wright

Individual time Trial (ITT): 21st; Hill Climb: 24th

Swimming

The following Dio swimmers represented their clubs and Waikato at the 2022 NZ Apollo Projects National Short Course Champs (NZ Nationals): Estella Wainui -Mackle, Sophie Hay, Iris Wainui -Mackle, Ariella Riley and Paige Stringer. Many personal bests were achieved over the week with notable swims below, including a national title and Waikato record.

Sophie Hay - 15-year girls - 1500m Freestyle: Silver - Waikato age group short course record | 4th Open Female;  800m Freestyle: Bronze 400 Free: 4th 400 IM: 5th

Ariella Riley - 14-year girls - 400IM: 5th

Paige Stringer - 13-year girls - 200 Backstroke: Gold - NZ age group national title; 100 Backstroke: Silver; 400 IM: Bronze

Hockey

Congratulations to Waikato Diocesan School for Girls 2nd XI Hockey for winning the Secondary School B Grade Girls' division for 2022!

Our 1st XI finished their season in 3rd place in the Midland Hockey Competition.

Congratulations to Waikato Diocesan 3rd XI Hockey for winning the C Grade Girls' division for 2022. Dio came away with the highest points at the end of the round-robin competition.  Three teams were contesting the title right up to the last round. Dio didn't know their placing until after the game had finished, as it rested on other results. 

Junior A Hockey finished 2nd in the U15 competition after facing Cambridge High School in the finals. 

Congratulations to the Dio Junior B Hockey team, who finished 3rd in the Under 15 competition. 

We are super proud of all our Hockey teams.

Regional Selections

Hockey

Congratulations to Maddy Shale, Harriet Cooper and Isobel McNally,  who have been selected to play for Waikato-Maniapoto Wahine Hockey A Team for the 2022 National Maaori Tournament. Ka pai te mahi!

Lacrosse

Congratulations to the following students selected in the U15 and U18 Waikato rep teams.

U15 Waikato Lacrosse Development team

• Kiera Lloyd
• Zoe terBeek
• Iona Martynoga
• Claire Johnstone
• Nicole Hollands
• Kate Marshall 

U15 Waikato Lacrosse Development B team

• Sienna Meinung

U18 Waikato Lacrosse Development team

• Katie Holland
• Sarah Cane

Dio School Cross-Country Results

Junior Championship Results

• 1st Catriona Fairweather 13.10
• 2nd Ruby Wilson 13.15
• 3rd Fleur Street 13.22

Intermediate Championship Results

• 1st Chloe Housey 12.27
• 2nd Isabelle Melville 12.48
• 3rd Iona Natynoge 13.36

Senior Championship Results

• 1st Hannah Hull 12.50
• 2nd Katie Holland 13.21
• 3rd Charlotte Bryant 14.07

Good luck to the following teams competing at secondary school events/tournaments in the next few weeks

• 17 & 18 September - NZSS Cheerleading Championships 
• 19 September - NISS Skiing Championships