Month: May 2013

Arts 24 May 201325 May 2013

Sangamam 2013 – A Celebration of The Arts

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Vanathi Rajarajan (14S05B) and Lakshmanan Lakshmi (14S06B)
Photographs by Chelsea Ng (Photographic Society) and Niranjana Krishna

4 months of meticulous planning. 2 months of dedicated practice. 1 week of intense rehearsals.

18th May 2013 marked the day that Raffles Indian Cultural Society (ICS) had been preparing for – Sangamam. Largely considered the most anticipated cultural night of the year, Sangamam brought together a close-knit community revelling in music, dance, colour and drama.

The event started off with the song Tamil Thai Vazhthu, a song sung in praise of the tamil language and culture, an age-old custom to mark the beginning of Indian events.

This was followed by own Raffles Indian Dance’s opening routine, Natya Shristi. It was a splendid classical piece that depicted Bhava (Expressions), Raga (Music), Tala (Rhythm) and Natya (Dramatic dance). The myriad of emotions and flavours in the piece made it a colourful and lively feast for the eyes.

This year, Sangamam was graced by Mr Janil Puthucheary, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, and of course, our very own principal Mrs Lim. Even Mrs Lim joined in the spirit of the occasion, arriving in an elegant traditional Indian saree.

GOH — Guest-Of-Honour Mr Janil Puthucheary, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC

As the lights dimmed and the crowd cheered, the Year Fives took the stage for the first time with their batch performance. Thirteen of them put up a comical drama based on the themes of love, family and friendships. The drama followed Muthu, Aruna, Karthik and Ambhu as they ventured into a little adventure to succeed in love. Although it was their first experience acting for most of them, this did not deter them from stepping into the characters’ shoes, bringing them to life. With a well-crafted script and storyline, the drama was a full entertainment package, bringing forth peals laughter from the audience.

After a captivating performance, the audience enjoyed a medley of songs sung by our very ICS members. The medley comprised of various soothing Tamil songs from famous movies, including Kumki and Kadal. The familiarity and exuberance of the songs got the audience singing along too! This segment definitely brought a smile to many faces.

The concert proceeded shortly after, with a classical performance. With the confluence of both Carnatic and Hindustani elements, this segment featured the various facets of Indian classical music at its finest. The performance was executed in perfection, as all three performers, Govind, Swedha and Priyadarshini, were trained and had prior experience in classical music.

The Indian dancers took the stage by storm, and this time, it was a trendy and fun Bollywood performance. In a truly heartwarming moment, the batch of 2012, despite having graduated from the school, returned to put up a joint performance with the Year Fives, a genuine testament to the bonded community – the Raffles family.

This was followed by yet another comedic drama production by the graduating batch of Year Sixes. Steering away from the tried and tested Sangamam Drama formula of romance, comedy and happily ever afters, this drama took an original turn, making for a fresh change for audience members. In the play, the main character, Sanjay, meticulously makes countless attempts to impress his wife Maya, with the help of his family and friends, albeit in funny laughable ways. However, contrary to our expectations, Maya remained immune to his charms right till the very end! With its unusual ending, the senior batch’s bold attempt of trying something new this year definitely paid off.

The much awaited couple dance did not fail to dazzle the crowd. The five pairs did an excellent job, and unlike previous years, there was clever use of props in the dance too. The performance followed five couples as they danced their way through a fun and emotional journey from a pattikaadu (village) to the pattinam (city). A special feature of the couple dance this year was the use of glow-in-the-dark masks! It provided a truly an innovative touch to the dance which did not disappoint.

The show ended with a bang, with the finale performed by the whole CCA. All the members rocked the stage as everyone rocked out to fast, upbeat songs, ending the show in a highly memorable manner.

When asked about the experience of organising Sangamam, overall IC Premikha (13S03A) said, “I felt that this year’s Sangamam was a great success considering the many challenges we had this year, especially as it was on the same day as two other major Indian events. To make sure that we attracted a crowd for was definitely not an easy task, but we still managed to pull it off really well – even the GOH mentioned he enjoyed the show!”

She also praised the commitment of the other members in the CCA for their effort despite various commitments, citing thanks to the teacher-in-charge Mdm Meera, Fahima the co-IC, the EXCO members and the CCA. “I learnt a lot about the talents of the other members in my CCA,” she said.

Although it was mainly a Tamil event, Sangamam did not fail to attract the non-Tamil speaking crowd. Year Five Cheryl Huang had come to support her friends. “It was a really colourful show. I could see the amount of effort put in by all the members and it was really heartening to see how their Indian community is so bonded. It was a really fun concert and it was great to see all their different talents.” Sangamam proved to be a great success, and Raffles Press wishes Raffles ICS to another great year ahead.

Sports 24 May 201325 May 2013

Giving it their best shot: Basketball Girls clinch 2nd Place

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Tyronne Toh (14A01A) and Daniella Low (14A01B)

Photographs by Michael Leong and Georges Ip of the Photographic Society

“We may not have the numbers, but we’ve got the heart!”

This declaration by Bryan Chng from the boys’ basketball team, who was at the Jurong East Sports Complex to support the girls’ team, really demonstrated the spirit of that day.

On the 23rd of May, our girls’ ‘A’ Division basketball team played a tough match against long-time arch-rivals Hwa Chong JC in a remarkable display of grit and sportsmanship. Though they eventually conceded defeat by a score of 45-25, their indomitable spirit surely left an impression on all spectators.

The match got off to an intense start, with HCI’s well-drilled defense blunting our team’s attacks. The Raffles side fought to negotiate around the HCI defense, but HCI drew first blood. RI’s Cheryl Pay (#4), under pressure by two HCI players, executed a skilfull pass to Gladys Molino (#8), combining for a quick response from our team. Our girls kept the pressure up, and Wu You (#15) got the Rafflesian crowd going as she levelled the score at 6-6 with one minute left on the clock. It was soon HCI’s turn to cheer, however, when one of their players scored a 3-pointer and thus closed the first quarter with a 9-6 lead over RI.

Girls Basketball Finals_22 May_Georges Ip-40 — Gladys going on the offensive

The second quarter saw multiple efforts from Wu You (#15) to score, with Gladys (#8) finally scoring with a jumper in the third minute. Although the quarter eventually ended 19-11 in favour of Hwa Chong, it was not without a good defense showing from our team. The team’s swift attacks and intercepts were instrumental in taking the shots, however, Hwa Chong proved to be the quicker and more tenacious team, capitalizing on every opportunity to take possession of the ball.

After a three minute break, the girls were back on court for the second half of the match. Throughout the third quarter, the team seemed less sure of themselves, as HCI asserted their dominance on the court, taking advantage of our players’ hesitancy to force numerous turnovers. There were several missed opportunities to score, much to the supporters’ disappointment, but our girls did not let that bring down their morale. Instead, they continued to give their all, ending the quarter while still trailing 35-15.

In the last quarter, the girls did not lose heart despite lagging behind by a deficit of 20 points. They fought back even harder, with Soh Jia Xuan (#14) netting a basket. Gladys (#8) kept the pressure up, making up for the point deficit with a slick jumper. Jia Xuan (#14) eventually made a successful three-pointer, to the elation of the Rafflesian supporters.

Girls Basketball Finals_22 May_Georges Ip-41 — Both teams vying for the ball

The Rafflesian crowd paled in comparison to the flocks of HCI supporters who flooded the Jurong East stadium. But we made it count. Other members of the basketball team, such as Farah Tan and Bryan Chng did their very best to rouse the crowd, leading them in cheers and shouting encouragement to the players.

Similarly, though the girls’ team may not have had scored the same number of baskets as our opponents, they definitely played their hearts out on the court, challenging the opposing team for every loose ball and basket.

Girls Basketball Finals_22 May_Georges Ip-52 (1) — Raffles Press salutes the girls for their valiant efforts, and wishes Basketball all the best for next year’s sports season.

Sports 23 May 2013

Fighting Till The End: Netball Clinches 3rd Place

Reading Time: 3 minutes

by Alison Olivia Lewis (14S03S)
Photographs by Ng Chong Zheng (Photographic Society)

Playing for 3rd/4th placing against SAJC after narrowly losing the semi-finals, the Raffles Netball team was determined to make the most out of their last lap this season, and they definitely did us proud yesterday afternoon.

Raffles started off well, with 2 goals within the first minute, but the tables turned quickly thereafter. In the next three minutes, SA scored 3 consecutive goals, pulling ahead by 1 point. It was clear that our opponents were a strong team as well, and it was going to be a tough fight. The first quarter ended with a score of 13-9 against us, but Team Raffles had never given up hope.

The girls came back strong in the second quarter, scoring a 3-point streak in the first three minutes. Stepping up their game, Raffles marked the players on the opposing team with dogged tenacity. Their efforts began to pay off, as Raffles’ score inched closer to that of SA’s. At the fifth minute, a good shot by Goal Attack (GA) Dawne Lim levelled the score at 15-15. From there, things only got better for Raffles as the team fought even harder. Good passes and intercepts by Centre (C) Amelia, as well as great teamwork between two of our talented shooters, GA Dawne and Goal Shooter (GS) Richelle, propelled Raffles into the lead with a total score of 25-23.

The fight was even more intense in the third quarter. The players on both teams were noticeably fatigued with more frequent stumbles and missed catches, but neither team let it dampen their spirits. This quarter saw considerable interception by Goal Defender (GD) Tasneem and Wing Defender (WD) Natalie, as well as strong defence by Goal Keeper (GK) Shiying, helping Raffles gain possession of the ball. GS Richelle delivered an amazing scoring streak, ending the quarter with a total score of 37-35, maintaining Raffles’ lead of 2 points.

Raffles started off commendably in the last quarter, widening the score gap to 5 points with a total score of 44-39 by the tenth minute. After a short break, SA returned to the court with a vengeance, making long, ambitious passes across the court. As tensions drew high, both teams began to show signs of strain. A slight miscalculation in distance by SA allowed Raffles to gain possession of the ball, with GA Dawne scoring at the twelfth minute. At this point, the pace of the game was visibly slower, but both teams were determined to persevere till the end. Good passes from Wing Attack (WA) Elizabeth to Richelle coupled with more interceptions by GD Tasneem scored 5 more points for Raffles, ending the game on a high note with a final score of 49-41.

Both teams displayed exceptional skill and spirit, but our girls did us proud by putting in their best effort and fighting till the very end. Despite facing a tough first quarter, they held their faith and pressed on, eventually catching up with their opponents and finally, gaining the lead. With great teamwork and perseverance, the girls were able to maintain their lead throughout the match. Raffles Press would like to congratulate Raffles Netball on their win, and would also like to wish them all the best for their season next year.

Sports 21 May 2013

Boys’ Basketball Team Beaten 44-37 by AJC in a Spirited Display

Reading Time: 3 minutes

by Arintha Adelina (14S05B) and Seraphine Chanentia (14S06N)

Photographs by Ng Chong Zheng (14S03L) and Nicholas Koh (14S06E) from Photographic Society

On 20 May 2013, the Raffles Institution basketball team lost a hard fought game to Anderson Junior College (AJC) by a final score of 44-37, eventually finishing overall 4th. While they may not have emerged champions, they certainly did not come out as losers. Our team kept fighting till the end, showcasing admirable perseverance and great sportsmanship.

The match started with AJC drawing first blood with a well-taken shot, eliciting an almost instantaneous response from the RI team when Daniel Lee swiftly countered with a skilful shot of his own. It was to be a breathless first quarter, as both teams appeared to be evenly matched. With both RI and AJC intent on preventing their opponents from scoring, the match soon stagnated at 5-5 as uncontested shots were few and far between. However, the deadlock was dramatically broken as AJC scored in the last few seconds of the quarter, giving them a 7-5 lead going into the break.

Our opponents started the second quarter strongly by putting together an unanswered 8-point streak, widening the gap to 15-5 within the first three minutes. Yao Zhong finally managed to halt the momentum of AJC’s attacks, adding two points for RI with his layup. However, this was merely a blip in an otherwise dominant AJC display, as they strengthened their lead by blowing open a 17 point gap with a score of 24-7 heading into the last minute of the quarter. Nonetheless, our boys persevered and managed to claw back points during the last few moments of the quarter, ending the first half of the game with a score of 24-11 in AJC’s favour.

Lim Mingjun (RI) tries to dribble past two defenders

But the team was not disheartened in the slightest. We started the second half with a bang as our basketballers sought to close the 13 point gap. Through a combination of tireless running and intelligent pressing, they forced a number of successive turnovers, showing that our team not going to throw in the towel any time soon. This fiery motivation brought out the best in our players. In a spectacular display of individual prowess, Antony Raharja made two free throws and even sank a shot from outside the 3-point arc. The boys attempted to leverage on this late surge, scoring a total of 10 points but were unfortunately unable to catch up to the AJC team, which stuck to its offensive gameplan. The third quarter closed with 36-21 as the final score.

Antony Raharja (RI) trying to start yet another attack

The deficit might have seemed nearly insurmountable, but neither our team nor the supporters gave anything less than our all. In the 3rd minute of the last quarter, Yao Zhong was the victim of a heavy tackle from an AJ player after contesting for a loose ball. He crumpled to the court and struggled to get up, clearly winded by the sliding challenge. In true Rafflesian spirit, he managed to get back up and fight on, spurring our team onward. In a display of grit, tenacity and ability, the boys succeeded in battling back and quickly narrowed the gap to 7 points. However, the AJC side managed to hold firm, maintaining their slim lead over RI. Undaunted, the team pressed on and again tapered the gap to a razor-thin margin of 5 points. In the end, though, our comeback was not to be. The whistle blew with a final scoreline of 44 – 37.

Though we lost the match, both players and supporters left the venue with their heads held high, knowing full well that they had tried their best and given their all for RI.

Antony attempting to deceive AJ’s defenders

Raffles Press would like to congratulate the guys’ Basketball team for an intense and well-fought match, and would also like to wish them all the best for next year’s season.

Sports 20 May 201320 May 2013

Fighting for Every Inch: Hockey Boys Edged Out on Penalties

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Beverly Goh (14S03F) , Carol Yuen (14A01A) and Yu Xin (14S06L)

The Hockey Boys' Team posing for a team photo with their first runners' up medals — The Hockey Boys’ Team posing for a team photo with their first runners’ up medals

Having won 2-1 in last year’s finals against Victoria Junior College, the RI Hockey boys’ team set out to defend its title last Thursday. RI’s endeavour looked promising since the team had triumphed over VJ in a friendly match earlier this year.

VJ asserted their dominance as soon as the match began, bearing down on the RI team with relentless focus. Fortunately, our boys replied in turn, not succumbing to the intimidating challenge. As Jesse Hoo, captain of the team, commented, “We fought them like champions, united as one, fighting for the same vision we had been dreaming of for the past 5 years.”

RI had its opponents under control for most of the game. The players attacked and defended as though they had a full team even when they were three men down in the second half, a result of harsh decisions made by the referees. Three of their key players were sent off within a span of two minutes for minor infractions, whereas the opponent seemed to get away lightly with their fouls.

Venu scored a goal in the first half, to the delight of his teammates and us supporters. However, the referee disallowed a second goal because of obstruction of the first runner by RI players, bewildering spectators who thought RI was 2-0 up. Jesse lamented after the match that this decision came without sufficient explanation and a chance to demand for one.

Cheers from the Victorian crowd were overwhelmingly thunderous compared to the relatively passive Rafflesians due to a significant difference in numbers, but the hockey boys remained intensely focused on the match. While VJ had a reputation for strong short corners, converting almost all of them into goals in previous matches, the RI side valiantly fought back all their attempts and kept the scoreline clear. Even as frustration was building up on the VJ side, a lucky break for them led to RI conceding a goal in the last two minutes of the match.

With the score tied at 1-1, the game went into extra time. The exhaustion experienced by the players was evident as they made use of every rest opportunity to stretch. Several players had to rely on team members to relieve the cramps in their calves even while the game was ongoing. Tired as they were, they pressed on and performed to the best of their abilities.

Disappointed but not discouraged, they fought back and the score remained even for the entirety of the extra time. The game ended and it was down to the shootout, something they were unprepared for and did not expect. In the shootout, Venu and Benjamin managed to flick the ball into the goalpost and Hakeem, the goalkeeper, successfully denied one of the flicks from the VJ side. However, this was not enough to claim back the golden trophy as players from the VJ side strategically aimed the flicks right above the keeper, while two RI players made mistakes and failed to convert the flicks into goals.

With two misses by RI, the VJ team knew they had won, immediately rushing to hug and celebrate with each other. VJ supporters from the stands sprinted onto the pitch to join in the celebrations. It was a solemn moment for Raffles, as we, students, teachers, councillors, cheerleaders, all stood sharing the pain of the disappointed players on the field. For a long time, we did not budge. Eventually, we slowly made their way onto the pitch to console the team and show our support. Even as we sung our Institution anthem, we knew that nothing would make up for the deep anguish they felt.

The pain on missing out on the championship title is written all over Benjamin Ang's face. Mr Azmy helps him up. — A bitter loss for Raffles Hockey.

The hockey girls, who did not pass the second stage and reach the semi-finals this year, were ardently supporting the guys in the match and sharing the pain of their loss. Despite the result, they were extremely proud of the boys because they knew that the game was theirs and they tried their best. “Even when the odds were against them, they continued to play as a team and we feel that that is all that matters. Well done boys, you guys were inspiring.”

Ask any sportsman, and he’ll tell you that losing is something all athletes have to deal with at some point in their career. Though we may have lost the match, Raffles Press would like to congratulate Raffles Hockey for their fine display of teamwork and tenacity, as well as wishing them all the best in reclaiming the title next year.

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