School Life

Commentary, Sports 5 June 201412 May 2019

RI Cricket: Fighting Hard Till The Last Ball

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Shikhar Gupta (15S06M) and Mustafa Siddiqui (15S06E)
Photos by Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

The cricket team — The Raffles cricket team before the match

Scorecard:*
ACS (I): 154/5 in 20 overs (Archit – 48, Prateek – 42, Utsav – 38) | (Chirath 3-22)
RI: 136/8 in 20 overs (Sidantha – 35 not out, Lakshan – 28, Vinay – 22 not out) | (Abhinav 2-22)

Coming into the final match at Ceylon Sports Club, the Rafflesian cricketers’ confidence was sky-high. Having steamrolled through their previous matches, including a previous meeting with ACS (I), the mood before the match was casual and relaxed.

The captain of the RI team, Chirath Gunasinghe, won the toss and elected to bowl first, anticipating a quick capitulation of the ACS (I) batsmen thanks to a superior bowling attack on paper, which mainly consisted of pacers.

Opening the bowling was Lakshan Srinivas, who was promptly hit for a powerful cover drive four on the first ball. Even with a rotation of many bowlers, ACS (I) kept the scoreboard ticking, hitting the ball past the rope multiple times before RI got the closest to destabilising the gathered momentum.

A mis-hit by ACS (I) opener Archit Goenka went straight to Harsh Kackar fielding at slip, however the ball slipped through his hands and raced away. It took the RI bowlers a while, but the wicket of the lethal Archit Goenka was finally claimed at 56 runs, but it seemed to hardly affect the ACS (I) gameplan. Utsav Rakshit simply took his place, and continued the scoring.

A series of further poor, short deliveries and misfields meant that ACS (I) had achieved a strong total of 78 runs at the halfway point of their innings.

Lakshan Srinivas applauds after the team claims an ACS (I) wicket

Towards the end of the ACS (I) innings, the Rafflesian bowlers managed to recover their form, restricting the opponents’ total to 155 as well as claiming wickets along the way – no mean feat, when it is known that the final 5 overs are when teams throw caution to the wind for maximum runs.

The RI coach, Mr Goh Swee Heng, simply cautioned the team against throwing away early wickets as the batsmen readied themselves, however, disaster struck on the very second ball of the Rafflesian innings.

Kaushik got run-out early due to a miscalculation, and this set the pace for the majority of the game. Chirath lost his wicket in the next over at a total of 8 runs, and the loss was made more bitter when it was revealed that the umpire had made an incorrect decision with the leg-before wicket (LBW) dismissal. With the first seven batsmen dismissed for sixty six runs, even a respectable loss seemed impossible.

Coming in at seven-down Sidantha, younger brother of Chirath, very nearly turned the tide of the game for RI. Sidantha batted sublimely, hitting five boundaries, and achieving a total of 35 runs off 24 balls. Vinay also stepped up when the team needed him the most, hitting 22 runs off an equal number of balls with a sweet slog-flick that went for 6 above the head of the fielder at square-leg. This sudden revival swept up the spectators in the euphoria, who commented that “even though [they] did not initially understand the game, the final overs were really exciting”.

This partnership added hugely to the tally, with the final three batsmen adding 70 runs to eventually end at 136 runs while giving away just one additional wicket; a respectable score by any standard.

Unsurprisingly, the whole RI team felt disappointed by their overall performance, with Mr Goh lamenting that they had “lost the game in the first few overs of [their] bowling”, having given away nearly 40 runs within 5 overs.

Captain of the team, Chirath was dissatisfied with the team’s performance. “Chasing down 155 was no big deal – we used to score 160 in group stages, but it seems like the pressure got to us today,” he said.

When asked about the partnership between the final three batsmen, he also added that achieving a total of 136 runs was really “impressive”.

Sidantha himself was humble about being the top scorer for the Rafflesian side. “When I came out to bat, I came out there to have fun, and I’m sure we gave them a good fight, but ACS was the better team today,” he said.

Second highest scorer Lakshan, a Year 6 player, was regretful that he could not cap off his final RI game with a win, commenting that the game was a “memorable” one. He will still be continuing on at the national level, however, as will many other RI players.

All eyes will be on the new captain, Sidantha Gunasinghe, for next years competition.

*Scorecard format: [School]: [Runs]/[Wickets], (Top batsmen – runs scored) | (Top opposing bowler, wickets claimed – Runs given away)

Commentary, Sports 4 June 201412 May 2019

Soccer Girls Give Their All in the Finals

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Marcus Tan (15A01A) and Nurhan Sufi (15S03C)
Additional photography by Isaac Siaw (15S03Q) and Hendrick Soh (15S03I)

Last year, the Raffles Soccer Girls clinched the bronze medal with a goal in extra time to seal a 1-0 victory. This year, extra time proved the curse for them as they fought to be champions for just the second time against VJC at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Beset by cramps and fatigue as the game headed into extra time, our soccer girls unfortunately fell to VJC 1-0 with the last kick of the game.

It was never going to be an easy game, with RI having to battle a team which was technically drilled and more experienced, with VJC having contested 8 finals in the last 9 years and winning 7 A Division titles so far. The game started at a sanguine pace as 200 odd Rafflesian supporters converged upon the stadium, cheering the team on. Within eight minutes, however, the first shot had already been taken, with VJC sending a shot off target and a free kick from RI’s #6 Jane Ong being saved comfortably by the VJC goalkeeper. The first real chance of the game was not long to come, however, with captain Liza Tay (#13) chipping the VJC goalkeeper which beat the keeper but also beat the post. Both teams then started creating chances, with the VJC team coming close on a few occasions with dangerous cross-shots and set-pieces, but most of them came to naught. Our team sat back for most of the first half, defending deeply to combat the skilful and technically gifted VJC team. With two minutes to go in the first half, the game suddenly sparked into life, with a brilliant ball from Jane sending Louise Lee (#3) clear of the VJC defence. Alas, the offside flag was raised as the RI fans rose to their feet, although Louise hit the post anyway.

The second half started at the same frenetic pace which the first ended in, with VJC taking a long range shot just a minute after the game restarted. This would prove to be a recurring tactic over the course of the rest of the game, with the VJC team alternating between struggling to break down our stubborn defence and shooting from long range. In the 50th minute, this tactic nearly succeeded, with a long-range shot from a VJC player nearly creeping into the goal before a timely intervention from Jane on the line. The game started to become increasingly exciting, with end-to-end football as both teams sought to score the winner before extra time. In the 55th minute, drama ensued as another long-range shot from VJC crashed against the crossbar. Within seconds, however, RI swept forward in a rapid counter-attack which featured Jane going on a stunning Gareth Bale-esque run from her own half to dribble past five or six defenders. Alas, her shot also thundered against the crossbar before being cleared for a corner. The match then headed for extra time as the score remained 0-0.

Even amidst the tension of the game, the VJC captain still had the heart to help #6 Elizabeth Jane Ong stretch her cramped leg. Plaudits to her!

Extra time proved increasingly difficult for the Raffles team as cramps and injuries started to set in, with our brave team even playing with only nine players at one point because of the cramps. Yet, despite the tense nature of the final, there was still room for sportsmanship as the VJC captain helped to stretch Jane’s leg after she succumbed to muscle cramps on the field. This sportsmanship continued, with both teams doing their best to keep playing good football. It seemed as if the game would end with a penalty shootout, with neither team edging the other in a close game and the clock ticking down to the end of extra time. Yet, there was still enough time for a final twist; with seconds remaining in injury time (the time added to compensate for time lost in dealing with injuries) VJC won a free kick just outside the box following a foul to stop a mounting VJ attack. From the resulting set piece, the ball was stabbed home by a VJC player, who wheeled away to celebrate as our players crumpled to the floor in defeat. In the final minute of extra time with virtually the last kick of the game, our stubborn resistance had been broken by the more technically accomplished VJC players. The never-say-die attitude of the team continued, with Liza (#13) attempting to charge forward from kickoff to grab a goal back. Alas, it was too late for our courageous players who fought to the very end despite having all odds stacked against them.

When asked about her thoughts on the game, soccer girls captain Liza said: “It was heartbreaking, we’ve worked so hard throughout the year and to come short in the last few seconds of the game was really hard to take. But we left the field with no regrets cause we really put everything we had on the line.” Coach Mr Sulaiman agreed, saying: “Both teams played very good football. Beautiful football. The team performed awesomely and this is a bunch of beautiful girls.” Spectator Ryan Lim from 15S03E was similarly enthralled: “I thought it was a very intense game, we fought our hearts out but unfortunately we lost at the last minute. I felt that I’m very proud of the team and what they have achieved throughout the season.” Our team truly put in their all, coming close to winning several times in the game despite their more experienced opponents.

There wasn’t just heartbreak in the tournament though, with our soccer girls having set the tournament alight with fantastic soccer, netting 28 goals en route to the final. Elizabeth Jane Ong was also named top scorer of the tournament, scoring an astounding fourteen goals in total. Yet, despite scoring half of her team’s goals, Jane credited her teammates, saying: “I’m very honoured and very lucky also. Top scorer is just a title but actually the whole thing is as a team, because no goal was a solo thing. It was all an effort as a team and just shows how much effort we put in as a team to put in the goals. I just happened to be the lucky one who managed to finish it.”

CCAD leads Rafflesian supporters in the Unite cheer

The soccer girls this year may not have won the title, but they definitely showed us how Rafflesians can unite together to fight through the sun, and through the rain. Even though they might not have lifted the trophy at the end of the day, the soccer girls truly won the hearts of their spectators that day.

Commentary, Sports 1 June 201412 May 2019

Raffles Badminton: A Rousing Performance

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Tan Su (15S07A) and Chu Phuong Anh (15S06C)

Photos from RedSports

The arrival of May, for many other sports CCAs, meant that their competition seasons were over. For the badminton team, however, it meant that the most intense period of their competition was yet to begin. With the girls and guys teams having given their all in their trainings and preliminary rounds, it came as no surprise that both teams qualified for the Grand Finals, held on the 21st of May at Bedok Sports Hall.

The boys team faced-off against ACS(I), while the girls’ team was up against River Valley High School, both of which have been long-time opponents of the teams.

For the teams to clinch the gold medal, they required to win a minimum of 3 out of 5 matches to claim the gold.

GIRLS ‘A’ DIVISION

For 8 consecutive years before this the girls team had brought back the Gold for Raffles, and this year was no exception. After months of intense training, the girls emerged victorious.

The singles winner and Team Captain, Chong Fui Jin, went against a strong competitor from River Valley High School. The intensity of the match was evidenced by the fact that the points were never too far from one another – supporters of both sides were kept at the edge of their seats. The first game was taken by Fui Jin, edging the opponent out by a score of 21-19. Unfortunately, a fault was found in the flooring of the court and the match had to be disrupted, with the girls having to wait for another court to be freed up. Fui Jin refused to let this faze her, however, and did not let the second game go down without a fight. She won the second game 21-17 and thus the match as a whole, getting the ball rolling for the girls team on a high.

Both doubles teams, comprising Lee Shuzhen & Kelly Tan, Joy Teo & Chiu Jingwen did us proud as well. They showed dominance in their respective games and maintained great control of the shuttlecock most of the time, beating their opponents with flair. For the first doubles game with Shuzhen and Kelly, it was clear from the beginning that our girls were a force to be reckoned with. The first game was a thrashing with the Raffles players taking the game 21-4. However, RV did not back down and bounced back in the second game, putting their all into their defenses. Ultimately, Shuzhen and Kelly could not be beat and took the second game 21-17.

Joy and Jingwen were nothing short of brilliant as well, with powerful offences and smart defense allowing the pair to take the lead in both games. The first game kept on-lookers nervous as the scores stayed an inch away from one other. Eventually, our supporters heaved a sigh of relief a our girls took the game with a score of 22-20. The second game was close as well but Joy and Jingwen pulled ahead strongly to take the match 21-16.

One of the most intense matches for the day was by Marissa Ng and her opponent. Marissa started strong with the score of 8-3, but her tough opponent caught on, pressurizing with tricky passes and proceeded to win the first game. However, not being bogged down by the initial disadvantage, Marissa entered the second game with a strong fighting spirit and returned powerful strokes, overtaking her rival towards the end of the game and emerged the winner by 5 points. She went on to the third set and put up a strong defence; however, her opponent won the game marginally at 21-19 and thus won the last match, taking home the last win for the day. Despite that, Marissa’s remarkable determination was felt and her match was nothing short of memorable.

Third singles player Rene was fired up for her match and played the first game amazingly, beating her opponent 21-10. Unfortunately due to the lack of time, she was unable to complete her match. Well done to Rene regardless for giving her all!

At the end of the day, the team can be nothing but proud of themselves for everything they’d achieved both on and off court. Vice-Captain Joy Teo sums everything up nicely; that despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles including injuries, “this season has been the most memorable yet…our team really had the heart and the perseverance to pull through together and we did! All that we went through made our victory so much sweeter. We are glad to have contributed to the 18 years of champions for girls badminton.”

Congratulations, badminton girls!

BOYS ‘A’ DIVISION:

Muhammad Imran Khan, captain of the Boys’ Team, was unfortunately not able to play due to an elbow injury. However, we salute him for all the hard work and spirit he has put into supporting his team every step of the way.

Nigel Siew, first singles representative of RI kicked off the finals on a high, staying consistent throughout. While the opponent from ACS put up a tough fight, Nigel’s deftness and skill throughout both sets meant that he was clearly the dominant player in this match, eventually winning by a fair margin for both games: 21-14 and 21-12.

The first doubles match, played by Li Zheng Xi and Qi Xue Qian, was unfortunately not as successful as Nigel’s. The match was an extremely tough one, with ACS(I) proving to be a difficult opponent throughout. Strong offences on the side of ACS(I) and lightning-quick responses to our attacks meant that defending was an uphill battle for Zheng Xi and Xue Qian. Trailing behind 21-18 in the first game, the pair fought back under the encouragement from the supports above and kept the scoreline nail-bitingly close. Unfortunately, ACS(I) edged us out with a second win of 21-16. Nevertheless, a resounding Kudos to Zheng Xi and Xue Qian for fighting their hearts out and doing us proud.

It was a nerve-wracking, challenging time for the second singles played by Daryl Ng as he went up against his opponent from AC. It was clear that Daryl was nervous and under immense pressure and the opponent was especially strong on the offence, with powerful smashes often catching Daryl off-guard.This consequently led to Daryl falling behind in the first game with a scoreline or 21-9. However, Daryl never once gave up. He kept going and took on the second game with a vengeance, this time more deliberate with his plays. Despite ultimately losing to ACS(I), he bounced back in the second game with a score 21-17, his perseverance and grit an inspiration to all who were there to witness the match.

The second doubles match played by Jackie Tan and Donovan Mui was equally tough and it was nail-biting for all supporters to watch – the results of this match could either lead ACS to victory or move the players into a tie-breaking third singles. The first game was taken by ACS(I) by a mere 2 points, ending at 21-19. Tension and excitement could hardly be contained in the second game, with the score being incredibly close throughout. So close, in fact, that the game concluded only at 24 points. Both sides put up an awe-inspiring display of teamwork and finesse, exchanging skilled passes and working strong defenses. However, ACSI pulled ahead to claim the match 24-22.

It was a heartbreaking moment for Raffles as it came to light that it meant the game was over for the boys’ team – ACS(I), having won 3 out of 5 games, took home the championship title and Eng Chin An was not required to play his third singles match. Regardless, the battle fought by the boys, with matches described by supporters as “intense”, showed us that you don’t need the gold to be an inspiration to others. To quote Jim Courier, “Sportsmanship for me is when a guy walks off the court and you really can’t tell whether he won or lost, when he carries himself with pride either way.” The boys fought hard to get to the finals – an achievement that should not be undermined at all – and strived on till the very end. Neither should this lessen the greatness of what the girls achieved either – they were amazing indeed. But at the end of the day, we are simply proud of both teams; of their tenacity and teamwork, of the heart and soul they pour into the sport. We know that they will come back next year more prepared for the challenges than ever before.

Arts, Commentary 24 May 201411 May 2019

Take Our Word For It: Raffles Jazz Blows Audiences Away

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Tan Yi Chern (15S03N), Katrina Jacinto (15A13A), Wahid Al Mamun (15A01A)
Photos by Rachel Tan (15S03N), Yany Chan (15S06E), Jessia Khalis Tanujaya (15S06N) of Raffles Photographic Society

Over two consecutive evenings, Raffles Jazz captivated at their annual concert, this year entitled Take My Word For It. If any concert goers had any misconceptions that jazz was simply “boring elevator music”, they were quickly proven wrong. Instead, audiences were offered an exciting array of soulful jazz music – from swing to funk and everything in between – that amazed and entertained, regardless of whether they had the musical chops to fully “appreciate” it. And if it didn’t, the hilarious skit interwoven with the second half of the concert, a feature unique to Raffles Jazz, surely did.

Impressing from the get-go, Raffles Jazz opened their set with a lively, energetic performance of “Always There”, catching the attention of the audience and drawing them in. The piece had a distinctly funky vibe, with interesting two and three-part harmonies and highly technical runs by the soloists, which got the audience pumped up and eagerly anticipating the rest of the concert. This upbeat mood was carried over into in their second piece, “Cantaloupe Island”, which showed off the technical ability of the two soloists, Andrew Chia on the soprano saxophone and Quek Qian Yi on the trumpet, who pulled off elaborate runs throughout their solos. Of note, too, was the strong rhythm set by the piano, bass and drums, which set the pace of the song and held the piece together remarkably.

Vocalist Melody Kang with her impressive rendition of “A Felicidade”

If the first two pieces were full of energy, the third song, “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky”, was a more laidback, dreamy song which allowed the audience to relax in their seats and lose themselves in the music. The flute, played by Shao Yinuo, was a welcome addition to the already heartfelt song, lending an ethereal quality to the performance. In contrast, the next piece, “A Felicidade”, was more sensual, with vocalist Melody Kang pulling off the challenging Portuguese lyrics beautifully. However, technical issues plagued the performance, muffling the guitar solo such that the audience could not fully appreciate the guitarist, Lin Qi’s, skillful work.

Next up, Raffles Jazz performed “Recorda Me”, which mainly revolved around a question-and-answer between Andrew on the saxophone and Louisa Huang on the guitar. The song allowed both soloists to show their considerable expertise on stage – including a trill by Andrew which wowed the audience. The next song, “Sir Duke”, immediately got the attention of the audience with an enigmatic entrance by the performers, who all donned sunglasses. This piece was incredibly catchy, and the two vocalists, Sarah Tham and Sonia, had no problems getting the audience to clap along. Musically speaking, it was yet another hit, as the the two showed off their vocal prowess by reaching the extreme ends of their registers with relative ease. They also proved to be extremely seasoned performers, commanding the stage with a presence and confidence that some of the other, less experienced performers lacked.

Finally, to round off the first half of the concert, Raffles Jazz performed “Take Five”, widely considered to be a mainstay in jazz canon. The song, performed in an unconventional 5/4 meter instead of the traditional 4/4 meter, was among the most challenging pieces of the entire night. However, to the delight of the audience, all the members clicked well on stage and were able to do justice to this classic. Not only that, but the vocalist, Sonia, delivered her parts exquisitely, despite the high range and rapid rhythm of the song. On that delightful note, the concert broke for intermission.

Mitchell Kwong and Xu Chengyin as Victor and Jenna

Upon returning, the audience members were surprised to find five chairs set in a semi-circle in front of the PAC stage. Baffled, the crowd reassumed their seats, expecting more musical mastery for the next hour or so. Instead, they were treated to an entertaining skit by the Y5 Jazz members, centred around the failing relationship between Victor and Jenna, played by Mitchell Kwong and Xu Chengyin respectively, after Victor fails to meet Jenna’s expectation on a date. In an attempt to salvage their companionship, Victor attends a Lonely Hearts Club meeting, where he joins four other men in bemoaning their love lives (or lack thereof) and seeking counsel from the club’s enigmatic founder, played by Erica Ngiam, to solve their problems. In something of a self-help group parody, each club member briefly shared his troubles with the audience, punctuated, at the end of each “sharing”, by a different song.

The songs were clearly chosen to reflect the nature and character that the skit was taking on. For instance, right after the breakup scene between Victor and Jenna, the group performs an outstanding rendition of “Cry Me A River”. In particular, Saaradhaa’s powerful vocals and extensive range evoked a heartbreaking melancholy, which was complemented by Yinuo’s equally emotional flute solo. Other notable pieces from this section were “Pedestal” and “Four”. Pedestal, composed by local musician Charlie Lim, was a sensuous crowdpleaser, though its borderline-pop tone made it an almost incongruous piece in the whole jazz lineup. However, it was still an excellent song, with Stefanus Phan, the sole male vocalist in Jazz, blowing the audience away with the blend of technicality and soul in his voice as well as his impressive vocal riffing. It was also aided by the electrifying chemistry clearly present between all the members of this set-up, which made the piece stand out amidst the other performances of the night. “The Third Song” also piqued the attention of the crowd with its happy-go-lucky vibe, due to the chemistry between the instrumental parts.

However, despite the clever humor and endearing characters, the skit’s repetitive structure eventually took a toll on the audience, as the weariness of having to cycle through all five stories caught up with them. Furthermore, the sheer amount of props and sets utilized made transitions unnecessarily long and, at times, rather awkward.

Nonetheless, when the curtains eventually closed on the finale of the play, in which Victor and Jenna get back together, the audience yearned for the night of enchanting music to continue. In response to numerous calls of “Encore!”, the whole of Raffles Jazz came on stage, bedecked in snapbacks and shades, as they led the entire PAC in a hip-hop singalong to the song “American Boy” by Estelle.

“Take our Word for it” was undoubtedly a memorable night of music and entertainment that will be remembered fondly by both audience and performers alike. This year’s jazz concert departed somewhat from the usual repertoire, with performers dabbling with songs that are not typically classified as jazz but were nevertheless crowd pleasers, described by J3 senior Yue Ling as being “very refreshing”. Marcus Peh, another alumnus of Raffles Jazz, also gave testament to the effort involved in putting the performance together, sharing with us how they “exceeded expectations and improved really fast.” Even Jazz instructor and alumni Seow Yi Zhe expressed how inspired he was by the expertise of the jazz members, especially for their ages. Evidently, Raffles Jazz did not disappoint with this year’s unique display of musical talent and artistry; on that note, we wish the club all the best in continuing to spread their love for jazz in the years to come.

Commentary, Sports 23 May 201411 May 2019

Raffles Softball: Batting to Win It All

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Christopher Liew (15S06E), Celine Liu (15A01E) and Mustafa Siddiqui (15S06E)
Photographs by Michelle Ang (15S06Q)

With five wins and no losses under their belt, the Gryphons looked poised to win it all at the final stage in Bedok. The boys softball team has come off with yet another stellar season, with a blitzing 10-0 win in the opener against TPJC, and an 11-5 victory against ACS(I) to send them straight to the finals. The landslide victories in both matchups against ACS(I) during the regular season and in the playoffs built up the team’s confidence for the final showdown. And they did not disappoint, with a 3-0 victory against their rivals to claim their position as champions for the fourth year running.

The relatively calm atmosphere of the finals was punctuated by loud strings of cheers from both sides, as supporters attempted to rally and rile their teams up for the game. The game, which consisted of five innings, proved to be a nail biter. ACS(I) initiated a late comeback in the fourth inning in an attempt to pull an upset, but eventually came up short.

The line-up for Raffles Institution’s A Division Softball Boys consisted of Captain Daniel (#3), Shamus (#22), Schuyler (#71), Malcolm (#46), Joshua (#61), Howe (#52), Brian (#4), Yun Fon (#42), Andrew (#15), Edward (#54), Ki Hyan (#65), Hugo (#17), Thiviya (#56), Vignes (#80)

With one game left in the 2014 season, it all came down to the last five innings. The Gryphons played with vigour and passion, propelling them to a solid start. This manifested in their strong play in the 1st inning, where Shamus and Andrew had back to back ground rule doubles, where the offensive players are awarded two bases, scoring three runs against ACS (I), to put them up 3-0. Behind all of this were the unyielding cheers of our councillors, the softball girls and even Schuyler’s family, who boosted the team’s morale and provided an impetus for the scoring run they embarked on. This 3-0 scoring run in the first inning would serve to be pivotal for their eventual success at the finals.

The ACS(I) team held up a strong defence, with several hits but no scores for the RI side for the rest of the game. RI pitcher Schuyler was remarkably strong, carrying the entire team forward with no-hitters up till the 3rd inning. Yet tensions were high as the opponents stepped up their game, breaking their no-hit streak in the 4th inning and putting two men on the field. The anxieties proved to be unwarranted, however, as two strikeouts quickly ended the inning without a chance for them to score. The final inning, and the last chance for the rival team to catch up, was fraught with apprehension, but after many nerve-wrecking foul balls and near-misses, Schuyler emerged the star of the game pitching three consecutive strikeouts, leaving ACS(I)’s last batter Niels to crumble in the dust.

All in all, the hard work, sweat and passion of our softballers bore fruition as they went on to win by three points, holding their opponent ACS(I) to a scoreless game. Despite another great performance put up by the Gryphons, team captain Edward still felt that they were not on point this game, stating, “We weren’t performing at our best but we still managed to get the victory.” In the world of sports, winning seems to mean everything, but that was not all that mattered in the minds of our Gryphons that afternoon in spite of clinching the gold. Putting it in the words of Edward, “Although I didn’t play much, I’m still very happy for my team… especially for the J2s since it’s their last year playing softball.” He also seemed fairly confident when questioned on next season’s prospects, assuring us that the team would not disappoint.

On that note, we look forward to an even more outstanding season next year from our softball boys as they look to defend their title as the ‘A’ division champions and scale greater heights as a team.

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