CCA Events

Commentary, Sports 24 May 201324 May 2013

Champions at Heart: Soccer Boys Edged out in 5-goal Thriller

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Lee Wei Hern (14S03T) and Nguyen Hoang Nhan (14S03K)
Photos by: Andrew Chua and Geoffrey Lim

Having progressed to the finals after winning 4-1 on penalties in the semi-finals against Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) last week, our soccer boys were determined to carry on their winning streak by beating Victoria Junior College (VJC) to clinch the National A Division Boys’ Football Championship title, which they last won in 2007.

A great number of supporters turned up to root for our soccer boys, as they prepared to fight for glory. Technical problems before the match prompted supporters to sing the Institutional Anthem without background music, which seemed to herald a tough match ahead, against a strong rival who has already obtained three championships in the last 10 years.

And it was, indeed. Our soccer boys started off shakily and did not seem very focused on their attack, often giving up possession in the first five minutes due to careless tackles and fouls. On the other hand, the opposition was more composed, pressuring our soccer boys with practiced one-two passing. Raffles made few attempts to steal the ball and move forward, clearly overwhelmed by the opposing team as they launched attack after attack.

Slightly before six minutes into the game, Deferdauz (VJC #7) put his team ahead by maneuvering the ball past two of our defenders on the left wing of the VJC side before calmly slotting the ball past RI goalkeeper Samuel Soo (#1), nestling it in the bottom left corner. VJC continued attacking, thoroughly testing Raffles’ defence that crumbled far-too-easily as our soccer boys applied little pressure, giving VJC much room to send the ball forward.

Deferdauz (#7) continued to edge out our defenders with his agility and superb control of the ball. After cleanly receiving a through pass from midfield, he skillfully turned and launched a powerful shot from outside the penalty box without any challenge from the RI defenders. The ball flew past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Samuel Soo (#1) and landed into the top left corner of the net, leading Raffles to concede their second goal merely six minutes after the first.

The early goals mounted greater pressure on our soccer boys, who were playing with visibly low morale, if not with fear. They were hardly able to establish a proper attacking setup, with subpar control of the ball. VJC used numerous short and concise passes towards the goal to maintain possession, compared to the unpredictable long passing adopted by our soccer boys.

Two minutes before the end of the first half, Dominic Ho (VJC #19) extended the lead for his team by one more goal as he swiftly sneaked behind defenders Damian (RI #13) and Abdul Hannan (RI #6), and aimed a shot towards the goal, which saw the ball glide into the bottom right corner of the net, denying any effort from Samuel Soo (#1) to save the ball. This marked the end of a nightmarish first half, one that our soccer boys will find hard to forget. “The boys were playing with fear,” said RI Coach Philippe Aw.

Nonetheless, a resounding 3-0 lead by VJC in the first half did not extinguish the fire in our soccer boys nor affect the RI supporters in the second half. The RI contingent continued to cheer fiercely, their undying optimism giving our soccer boys a tremendous morale boost in the uphill battle of making a comeback. The 15-minute halftime break enabled our soccer boys to recover their composure as Coach Philippe requested the boys to simply “forget the scoreline, go out there, enjoy yourself, play the football that you know how to play and reward the huge turnout of fans”.

The start of the second half saw our soccer boys play with even more determination and fighting zeal. Despite the seemingly impossible feat of coming back, Raffles showed their indomitable will to break even by playing more fiercely, and finally challenging the VJC defence, who appeared to be intimidated, even surprised by a sudden surge of energy in our soccer boys. The most compelling evidence was the drastic increase in ball possession that Raffles earned by switching from the inefficient long balls in the first half to more precise short passes. This time, Raffles adopted a more offensive stance while VJC chose to go defensive, so as to defend their strong lead.

It became increasingly obvious that the VJC team was losing hold on the game as Raffles progressed quickly down the flanks, preventing the opposition from seizing the ball. The mounting pressure from our soccer boys finally took its toll on the VJC team as they started to make mistakes in their defending, causing them to let in two goals within two minutes of madness, destroying their 3-0 lead to make the scoreline 3-2.

Flustered, VJC players began to lose focus, fouling our soccer boys with weakly conceived tackles, in which Muhammad Firdaus bin Asri (VJC #3) obtained a yellow card after a hard foul. The resultant free kick by Captain Jesse Chang (RI #8) indirectly led to the first goal, when defender Koh Jin Kai (VJC #12) attempted to head the ball away, but landed the ball into his own goal just as the clock ticked past the 67th minute.

Merely a minute later, VJC conceded their second goal from another free kick by Jesse (RI #8) some ten meters outside the penalty box on the left flank. This time, goalkeeper Horatio Ho (VJC #13) fumbled and was unable to get his hands on the ball, allowing it to fall nicely inside the goal without any intervention, prompting an eruption of cheers from the RI contingent.

As the match approached its final moments, Raffles continued to pound VJC shot after shot, and they were finding it more difficult to keep their previously solid defence strong. Raffles played on furiously, with renewed hopes of a tie in the scoreline, as the RI supporters roared in unity “One more goal! One more goal!” Despite being pressed, VJC had rare opportunities to threaten our side. In one instance, keeper Samuel Soo (RI #1) made a brilliant double save, denying a strike by Dominic Ho (VJC #19) and a follow-up shot by Deferdauz (VJC #7) just seconds later.

In the end, however, that was not enough to stop VJC from achieving their fourth championship, as the referee blew the final whistle minutes later. Our soccer boys could hardly contain their emotions, slumping onto the pitch and breaking into tears, hugging each other for consolation. Later, striker Zhi Rong (RI #15) shared his thoughts on the game, stating he felt that the team played ‘like champions’. He added, “They are all great players, and we are all champions in our hearts. It was an honour to have played alongside them.”

Our soccer boys might have lost in their final against VJC, but their sheer grit and resilience through the entire season is undeniable. Raffles Press wishes our soccer boys all the best in doing the school proud in their future endeavors.

“To all the supporters who came down yesterday to support us: you gave us something we will never forget. We truly felt you guys behind us, spurring us on, cheering for every block, every good pass, and every challenge won. We felt what it was like to play both for and yet at the same time with the school, to fight for the badge on our shirts, urged on by our fellow Rafflesians and friends. It’s truly been an amazing journey for us and despite the result, to end our season like how we did yesterday was gold, pure gold.” – Raffles Soccer Boys

Although our soccer boys lost the game, they are not beaten.

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.

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