17 June 2024
(Feature photo courtesy of Martin Ashworth)
In more than 200 meetings between Hilton College and Michaelhouse, there has likely not been a winning try scored like Hilton’s winner in a 26-25 victory on Saturday on Meadows.
It brought them back from 21-25 down, with less than three minutes to play, and it resulted in the season’s series being split. It was also the fourth time in succession that the away team had won. Furthermore, the cumulative scores last season were even at 35-35. This season, they’re once again even, at 49-49.
In 2023, both schools won by three points away. This time, in both matches, only one point separated them.
Michaelhouse, after going 0-7 down early in the contest, fought back to take the lead in the 14th minute, and led through until the 68th minute. But then came that try! Check it out below.
Connor McAlpine crossed for two tries for ‘House, with his second taking the home side 22-7 clear, but Hilton kept at it and, eventually, claimed a memorable win. Rourke O’Sullivan also dotted down for Michaelhouse, while Luke Davidson slotted two penalties and two conversions.
Hilton replied with tries from Daniel Sweeney, Meyer Malherbe, Josh Grant, and Seb Gaboreau, while Xola Bakana knocked over three conversions.
With that win, Hilton has now won 96 times against Michaelhouse. The Balgowan boys own 101 wins, and there have been 10 draws since the schools first met in 1904.
The Hilton 2nd XV pulled off a remarkable escape act by scoring on the final whistle and converting to record a draw. They had lost by 20 to Michaelhouse earlier in the season.
Michaelhouse’s u16A team, narrowly beaten by two points at Hilton, scraped an entertaining win by a single point at home. Hilton, meanwhile, won the u14A match, but they were pushed hard. They won by nine points on Saturday. At Hilton, they had won by 45.
Michaelhouse won 13 games, Hilton five, and there was the aforementioned draw.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 25-26 Hilton
2nd: Michaelhouse 24-24 Hilton
3rd: Michaelhouse 28-22 Hilton
4th: Michaelhouse 50-12 Hilton
5th: Michaelhouse 26-7 Hilton
6th: Michaelhouse 57-0 Hilton
7th: Michaelhouse 12-17 Hilton
8th: Michaelhouse 42-12 Hilton
16A: Michaelhouse 20-19 Hilton
16B: Michaelhouse 70-7 Hilton
16C: Michaelhouse 50-0 Hilton
15A: Michaelhouse 8-33 Hilton
15B: Michaelhouse 56-5 Hilton
15C: Michaelhouse 20-0 Hilton
15D: Michaelhouse 45-5 Hilton
14A: Michaelhouse 15-24 Hilton
14B: Michaelhouse 7-12 Hilton
14C: Michaelhouse 24-19 Hilton
14D: Michaelhouse 50-7 Hilton
HOCKEY
On the Punchbowl Astro, in front of a fantastic crowd that encircled the entire field on Friday night, Hilton College pulled off a 2-0 win in an evenly contested 1st XI game.
Michaelhouse had won 3-2 at Hilton, but the visitors made their opportunities count in Balgowan – ‘House had chances, too, and struck the crossbar twice – with Tino Hove scoring with a fine reverse stick shot in the first chukka, and Grant Bridgeford adding security with a penalty corner goal right at the end of the third chukka.
In a very tight open age group, Michaelhouse claimed the 2nd XI win, but Hilton picked up two wins to one, with the other game being drawn.
‘House claimed a 3-2 thriller in the u16A showdown. Again, though, competition was super-tight, but this time it was Michaelhouse with three wins to Hilton’s one, and another draw.
While the u14A game finished goalless, Hilton ran out comfortable winners of the B and C matches.
Overall, Michaelhouse won four matches, Hilton claimed five victories, and there were three draws.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 0-2 Hilton
2nd: Michaelhouse 2-1 Hilton
3rd: Michaelhouse 0-0 Hilton
4th: Michaelhouse 1-2 Hilton
16A: Michaelhouse 3-2 Hilton
16B: Michaelhouse 1-1 Hilton
16C: Michaelhouse 1-2 Hilton
16D: Michaelhouse 3-1 Hilton
16E: Michaelhouse 2-0 Hilton
14A: Michaelhouse 0-0 Hilton
14B: Michaelhouse 0-5 Hilton
14C: Michaelhouse 0-5 Hilton
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