By Sushma Pai (14S03R) and Divya Muthiah (14S06C)

Photographs by Zhang Ziyu from the Photographic Society

After a gruelling 3 hour fight, Steve Ng from RI threw out a long shot that secured RI’s 5-0 win against ACS(I) in the tennis group finals. Immediately after the winning shot, he collapsed on the ground in sheer exhaustion as his teammates rushed towards him with beaming faces.

Steve Ng launching the tennis ball

Steve’s match was the longest out of the ten matches that were played at Kallang Tennis and Squash centre on 9^th May. Both matches were played against perennial arch-rivals: ACJC for the girls and ACS(I) for the boys.

The boys’ team put up a stellar performance. In the singles rounds, Lee Kai Yi won with a score of 6-0, 6-2 and Tan Jun Sing dominated his sets 6-0, 6-4. Of our doubles teams, Tan Jia Wei and Benedict Chua finished their games 7-6, 6-1 in an excellent display of teamwork while Basir Koh and Chris Wu put up a solid front as well, winning 6-3, 6-0. Steve Ng also defeated his long-time rival with 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 to top off a series of remarkable victories.

Lee Kai Yi’s singles

The girls’ team were not to be outdone, coming out ahead in 4 out of 5 games. The three singles matches comprised of Rehmat Johal who made a clean victory, winning 6-0, 6-0, Jennifer Wu, who won 6-4, 6-1 and Hannah Chew who persevered, but unfortunately lost to her opponent, one of the top tennis players in Singapore. In the first doubles, Stephanie Wong and Ting Yang Gin together won 6-4, 6-2. The most exciting match for the girls team was the doubles played by Sabrina Tan and Jean Iau, who played for 2 hours, winning 7-6, 6-7. 6-2.

Stephanie Wong and Ting Yang Gin in their doubles

The players were ecstatic about their well-deserved victory, being quick to thank their coach for his guidance and support. Yang Gin, when asked if she had expected to perform as well as she did, remarked “Before our match our coach gave us a prep talk and that really boosted our confidence. He made sure that when we went in, we played our best. Even though we can’t control the results we can control how we play. All we had to do was to play our best. So we were confident of winning since we played our best.”

Jennifer and Jean, captain and vice-captain respectively of the girls’ team released a joint statement, “Today was truly amazing, everyone fought their hardest and gave all they had. We couldn’t be more proud of the team for this very difficult win. We also want to thank all our friends and supporters who helped us throughout this season especially when the going got tough.”

For the boys, Jia Wei and Mitchell, the captain and vice-captain had this to say, “From the score line it may seem like a comfortable victory but it was a really tough game for us. We were lucky that we got a favourable lineup too! Really pleased that the team fought back really hard as some of the matches we came back from behind and won! Big thank you to the supporters that came down and CCAD for being constantly behind and supporting the team!”

While the fervour displayed on the tennis court was remarkable, the camaraderie between players outside the court was unforgettable as well. Once players finished their matches, they went on to support their other teammates playing regardless of how tired they themselves were. Every point scored by Team Raffles would be invariably followed by a volley of cheers and encouragement from their ardent supporters. The team spirit and selflessness between the tennis players made the victory all the more impressive.

Supporters were divided into two camps- the RI side and ACS family. Both sides screamed their hearts out, continually waving banners and also breaking out into cheers every now and then. Raffles supporters were more dispersed as we had players in all ten courts whereas ACJC supporters were concentrated around 5 courts and likewise for ACS(I). Despite this, our Rafflesian supporters still did a great job of keeping the Team Raffles spirit raging by roaring till their throats were sore.

Our Rafflesian supporters

Controlled playing and mental stamina were the keys to success in the tennis matches today. The head coach, Mr Weber Oh said the 5-0 that the boys scored was “one of the epic, best results so far” and was unexpected. Both teams scored better than what they were aiming for. He added that he was really proud as they had worked extremely hard for this day. When enquired about the secret of their success, he remarked, “The line-up was very good. That was an added advantage for us,” and for Steve, the fact that the opponent cramped before he did, helped him. He said “Both of them were equally good, but Steve held his nerve better than his opponent, which can be very difficult under such pressure with so many people watching.”

Raffles Press would like to congratulate the Raffles tennis team for their impressive performance, wishing them the best of luck for next year’s season.

By Jonathan Tan (13A01C) and Regina Marie Lee (13A01B)
Additional Reporting by Mr Caleb Liu

Having narrowly lost to Victoria Junior College in the semi-finals the previous week, our soccer girls took to Jalan Besar stadium on Thursday, determined to win their 3rd/4th placing match against Meridian Junior College. “We came in knowing we needed to beat MJ and end the season on a high note,” said Choo Yunting.

The team was confident heading to the match: “Our plan was to play the usual game,” admitted captain Heng Suyun. “After having played the strongest team VJ before this game, we came into this knowing we could do it.”

Team huddle before the match

Still, the game started off cagily with both teams reluctant to commit players forward and keeping the majority of players behind the ball. Neither side could control possession for significant stretches with kick and chase tactics being used to try and open up the opposing side, resulting in a rather scrappy opening ten minutes.

When Raffles did manage to go forward, the majority of our attacks came down the left flank where winger Koo Hui Fen stood out with her good close control and ability to get past her marker. It thus came as no surprise that the best chance of the half came from that route. After some neat interplay down the left flank, Hui Fen managed to get to the bye-line and beat her marker, playing a teasing ball low across the face of the goal from the left edge of the penalty area. With the crowd rising in anticipation, the cross just barely eluded her two waiting teammates who were looking to apply the finishing touch. The Meridian defence gratefully cleared the ball, ending the danger.

Koo Hui Fen showing good close control

Still, Raffles continued to press on. Midfield dynamo, Liza Tay, in particular, was strong in the tackle, harassing the Meridian players into conceding possession. Her ability to win possession was often a springboard for the Raffles team to surge forward, and led to a few half chances. One of the best came when she won possession on the right, and spotted striker Emiline Elangovan darting into the box. She played a precise through ball, but a heavy first touch from Emiline allowed the Meridian defence time to recover.

Overall, Raffles had the better of the first half with arguably the two best chances, although they didn’t manage a shot on target. Meridian found themselves increasingly pegged back and were limited to two pot shots from well outside the box, which were comfortably dealt with by goalkeeper Chiew Wenqi. Much of the credit for that must fall to a solid Raffles defence, who with the support of their midfield, were able to close down space effectively. Suyun explained, “Our plan was not to panic, hold our ground, and wait for them to come to us. When they (Meridian) were still fit at the start, they could attack us. Hence, we ensured our defence was solid.”

Goalkeeper Chiew Wenqi collects the ball as her defenders look on gratefully

The second half saw a tactical change by the Raffles team as they brought on Jane Ong on the right. Jane had been kept out of the starting line-up due to a knee injury and her introduction clearly made a difference, with Raffles starting to show more attacking intent. A track and field athlete, she was able to use her pace to good effect, and was noticeably the fastest player on the pitch, despite her injury. The Meridian defence, and the left back in particular, found it increasingly impossible to cope with Jane’s surging runs and ability to drive to the bye-line. Within a few minutes of the restart, the left back was pressured into giving away possession to Jane in a dangerous area, and Meridian was lucky to escape when Jane just failed to find a teammate in the box.

Emiline sprinting towards the goal

As the match wore on Raffles increasingly came to dominate possession with Meridian largely pegged back in their own half. They were able to put balls forward for their wingers to chase, and Liza was able to make a few good probing runs at the Meridian defence from midfield. Where Meridian did manage to clear the ball, it inevitably fell back to a player from the Raffles team, in particular Suyun, who was effective in a midfield anchor role. On a few occasions, crosses from the flanks or Liza’s mazy runs down the middle yielded half-chances, but Raffles’ attack found themselves up against a stubborn Meridian defence which successfully prevented the Raffles players from getting their shots away. It was frustrating for the players, even as they continued to put the Meridian defence under increasing pressure.

Jane confronts the tough Meridian defence as she takes a free kick

Then came the moment that everyone thought would win the game for Raffles. After good movement down the right, Emiline was able to brilliantly turn her marker and cut the ball back towards the penalty spot. Liza was perfectly placed and struck the ball sweetly, only to see it cannon downward off the crossbar and into the grateful grasp of the Meridian goalkeeper.

Tiredness was visibly getting the better of the players and the match began to peter out, with Meridian conceding possession far too cheaply in their own half. The Meridian striker cut a lonely figure as the rest of her team packed the defence, with up to seven players in their own box. Raffles resorted to trying their luck from distance, with Jane and Liza taking shots from 20 yards without really troubling the keeper. The final whistle saw both teams deadlocked at 0-0 despite Rafflesian dominance.

Meridian came out flying at the start of extra time, showing renewed attacking intent. After largely being on the defensive, they managed to break down the left flank before center-back Shayna Kam made a last-ditch tackle to snuff out the danger. With tiredness affecting both teams, the game become more open and Raffles responded with a break down the left of our own. Hui Fen made a purposeful run down the left, making a neat turn to leave her defender trailing. Ghosting past another defender, she dribbled into a dangerous area, but the Meridian defenders successfully managed to nullify the threat.

Then came the defining moment of the game. With the end of the first period of extra time in sight, Liza picked up a loose ball in midfield, jinked past three defenders on the right and drove in a low cross that fell to Emiline in the box. Unable to turn or get a shot away, she laid the ball off to Hui Fen who found Jane, in space, at the right edge of the penalty area. Jane took one touch to control the ball before sending it curling towards the goal, where it flew over the despairing dive of the Meridian goalkeeper and nestled in the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Jane fell to the ground, her arms raised in both ecstasy and relief, and was soon mobbed by her teammates.

the winning strike

Later, Jane told us, “I’m really surprised it went in. I was really glad, but I didn’t expect it, because I’ve just come back from an injury and am very unfit.” But nothing less was expected from the team: “I was very relieved when the goal came, but I knew it was coming, I believed that someone would score the goal,” said Suyun.

From then on, Meridian was playing catch-up and much of the exchanges were scrappy. Raffles, playing with ever greater confidence, had a chance to put the game away, when Liza played an excellent through ball to Jane, but her shot lacked enough power to trouble the keeper. They were almost made to pay when a rare defensive lapse led to a Meridian breakaway and a clearance from Shayna fell kindly to the Meridian striker. Thankfully, the Raffles keeper, Wenqi was alert to the attempt to chip her.

There was to be no other moments of high drama, with Raffles showing good discipline and teamwork until tension was finally relieved by the final whistle. The team fully deserved the victory, after a well-organized, astute and dominant performance. It was a solid team performance with everyone working hard for each other. They had a clear game plan to first soak up the pressure and then attack, and this was carried out very effectively. “They played well”, commented Mr Man, their coach, “the defence played well, but for us today, attack was the best form of defence”. I am sure the exhausted Meridian team would agree.

The soccer girls with teachers Mr Leong Chee Mun, Mr Man and Ms Jo Chan

Photos courtesy of the soccer girls.

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

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.

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.

Raffles Press, along with the rest of the RI community, wishes Hockey the best of luck in their competition next year

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.

Yao Zhong (RI) driving play forward

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Raffles Press salutes the girls for their valiant efforts, and wishes Basketball all the best for next year’s sports season.

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.

By Lim Ci Hui (14A03B)

It was a day of mixed fortunes for the Raffles badminton team. The A Division girls clinched 1st position after beating Victoria Junior College 4 – 1, extending their winning streak of 8 years, while the boys emerged as 1st runners up after going down to longtime rivals and eventual champions ACS(I) 3 – 2.

In the boy’s first singles, Muhamad Imran from RI won with a resounding score of 21 – 7, 21 – 4. There was never any doubt as to who was in charge of the game as his powerful and accurate smashes made it difficult for his opponent to retaliate.

The same could not be said of the girl’s game in the next court, however, with Chong Fui Jin up against who teammates described as VJC’s best player. Initially, the score was close at 10 – 9 with VJC leading, and in between bouts of brilliant front-court battles both sides were pressured into making mistakes. Eventually, VJC pulled ahead and wrapped up the first game with a score of 25 – 16. Tension heightened in the Raffles camp, with the badminton team’s cheers taking on a slightly desperate edge as VJC charged into an early 4 – 0 lead in the second game. However, Sui Jin performed remarkably under pressure and pulled off a couple of spectacular saves. The final score was 21 – 10 in VJC’s favour.

Hereafter, fortunes were reversed for the boys’ and girls’ teams. Perhaps the first game set the tone for the remaining matches, as the RI girls and ACS(I) boys were galvanized into action after their teammates’ losses, fighting hard to regain the advantage for their respective teams.

Next up on the boy’s side was the duo of Jonathan Kit and Seah Wei Hing. The teams were reasonably evenly matched, with an initial score of 12 – 12, before ACS(I) pulled ahead after a few fast-paced plays to win the first game 21 – 15. Smarting from the first game defeat, the shuttlers conceded a few points in the second game to give ACS(I) an early lead of 5 – 0, but fought back admirably by winning 4 points in a row and pressured their opponents into making mistakes. However, ACS(I) eventually set up a match point of 20 – 13. As the ACS(I) shuttlers tried aggressively to wrap up the game, the Raffles duo responded by falling back on their excellent teamwork to pull off a few spectacular saves. The atmosphere in the Raffles camp was terse – would the boys be able to equalize ACS(I)’s 7-point advantage? Sadly, it was not to be as ACS(I) won the second set 21 – 16.

Meanwhile, the girl’s first doubles pair consisting of Lee Shu Ying and Chiu Jingwen was having an easier time at the adjacent court. VJC pulled ahead with an early lead of 5 – 2, spurring increasingly spirited attacks from the Raffles girls as they scored 7 points consecutively to bring the score to 9 – 5. The combination of Shu Ying’s excellent backhand saves and Jingwen’s powerful strokes to the back of the court saw them win the first set 21 – 15. Victory in the second set soon followed as they exploited the loopholes in their opponents’ defenses to triumph 21 – 13.

Poon Jey-ren represented RI in the boy’s second singles, which was another close fight with scores of 3 – 3, then 7 – 7 as the shuttlers exchanged blows. A few aggressive and well-placed smashes just out of his opponent’s reach saw Jey-ren pull ahead authoritatively, winning the set with a score of 21 – 13. In the second set Jey-ren build up an unassailable 11 – 3 lead, dominating the fast-paced game and pushing his opponent into mistakes on his way to a 21 – 9 victory.

The girls’ team roared to a resounding victory over VJC after two matches which were dominated by our RI shuttlers. Siti Nurhayati Rahim’s judicious judgment in the second singles match saw her make the best out of her opponent’s miscalculations as she placed the shuttlecock just out of her opponent’s reach time and again, cruising to a 21 – 12, 21 – 7 win. The duo of Sheryl Lim and Lim Boon Xin pulled ahead definitively in the second doubles with some fantastic playing as they outran and outwitted their opponents, culminating in a first set victory of 21 – 12. Winning the second set was never in doubt as the shuttlers returned their opponents’ shots with apparent ease to triumph 21 – 6.

Unfortunately for the boys’ team, their matches were not nearly as simple. In the adjacent court, the duo of Chung Tze Herng and Donavan Mui played in what was probably the most closely contested match all afternoon. It was the only game which extended to the third set, which is testimony to how evenly matched the teams were. In the first set, the score went from 3 – 3 to 10 – 10 with neither team seeming to get the upper hand. After half-time, the onslaught was largely led by ACS(I), until the RI duo seemed to gain a newfound confidence, pulling ahead for the first time in a few minutes with a score of 18 – 17. To resounding cheers, RI eventually edged out ACS(I) 22 – 20 in a thrilling finish.

The second set promised to be another close match with spectacular playing from both sides leading to a score of 9 – 9. However, this time was it was the ACS(I) boys who had the upper hand, launching a spirited attack to beat the Raffles duo 21 – 16. With both teams visibly tired, tension in the Raffles camp was palpable – would Tze Herng and Donavan be able to triumph over their opponents in this high-stakes game, thus clinching the title for the boys? The highly anticipated finale began promisingly for the Raffles shuttlers as they charged ahead 4 – 1 with a series of consecutive smashes. However, the score was equalized by ACS(I) at 9 – 9 and the lead shuttled between the two teams until they reached another stalemate at 17 – 17, promising a nail-bitingly close finish. Desperate to keep their title hopes alive, the ACS(I) duo scored 3 points in a row, homing in on the win, foiled only by Tze Herng and Donavan’s heroic saves; however, the ACS(I) shuttlers ultimately prevailed 21 – 18 in this intense match of stamina and speed.

With all eyes riveted on the boys’ doubles, the girl’s third singles received disproportionately less attention as RI had already clinched the title. This was a pity as Marissa played exceptionally well despite the attention of the coaches (and audience members) diverted to the match in the adjacent court. Her composure on court was remarkable as she returned all of her opponent’s shots with apparent ease, claiming an emphatic 21 – 6, 21 – 5 victory to extend RI’s lead over VJC.

Full attention was on Ho Huin Kit (the girls’ matches having concluded) as he stepped onto court for the deciding final match. Both sides fought hard to gain an advantage in a thrilling game with front-court battles, smashes and impressive saves, posting a score of 9 – 9. Peck Ern Min from ACS(I) eventually pulled ahead 18 – 12 with some aggressive playing, but Huin Kit stood his ground against the onslaught, responding with a couple of cleverly-placed shots of his own. ACS(I) won the round 21 – 15, dealing a further blow to RI’s title hopes and prompting the badminton team to redouble their cheering efforts with renewed vigour. The ACS(I) shuttler seemed to be on a roll as he snatched an early lead of 4 – 0, but a brilliant comeback by Huin Kit saw him score 7 points in a row for a score of 7 – 4 in RI’s favour. The atmosphere was electric as the lead swung back and forth between the players in this keenly contested match as they fought for the ultimate prize – the title for their respective schools. Originally down 16 – 11, a resurgent Huin Kit fought hard to narrow the difference in points and almost succeeded but was eventually overcome by the relentless ACS(I) shuttler 21 – 17.

Team captain Sheryl Lim said, “I think we all tried our best, and we are very proud of ourselves, because we gave it our best, and this is the result we got, so we are very happy with it.” Indeed, though the boys may have narrowly missed out on clinching the title, just the result alone does not sufficiently reflect the tenacity that they exhibited on court all afternoon. As for the girls, the months of hard work and training put in prior to the match were reflected by their emphatic victory as they consistently outplayed their opponents.

It was unfortunate that an afternoon of brilliant playing was marred by a lack of concerted efforts to cheer from the Raffles match supporters as compared to those from the other schools. This was largely due to the fact that the student councilors were attending their council investiture, which was running concurrently with the match. Their arrival in the second half of the match did see the enthusiasm level take a turn for the better as they tried to rally the Raffles crowd.

The badminton team played an instrumental role in motivating the players, keeping up a continuous stream of encouragement to their teammates on and off court, remaining spirited and constant in their support even in the face of disappointments.

Raffles Press would like to thank the team for their strong camaraderie and obvious passion for their game. To this correspondent, at least, their unwavering resolve stood as an impressive and poignant display of the Rafflesian Spirit.

By Tan Jun Xiang (14S06C)
Additional reporting by Allison Choong (14S05B)
Photos by Nicholas Koh, Georges Ip (Photographic Society), PuHwai Chin

8 matches. 2 teams. 1 dream.

It was a day of bittersweet victory for Raffles Ultimate. On the 8th of June, Raffles Ultimate fielded two teams for the Inter-JC Ultimate Championships 2013 at Cheng Lim Fields. From as early as 8am till as late as 6pm, teams from 10 junior colleges all over Singapore duked it out in a bevy of matches for the championship title.

Having narrowly missed the championship title the previous year, the two teams fielded by RI were under immense pressure to reclaim the trophy for the school. This year, the games were played in a Swiss-Draw system, where each team had to play about 4 matches (each lasting 45 minutes) to decide their final placing. There would not be any final to decide the overall winner; rather, the winner would be the team that accrued the most points throughout its matches, based on the goal difference in the games that it played.

Both teams started the day with impressive performances. Team B was the first to go up, dispatching Dunman High 7-2 with little difficulty. Team A followed up with an equally strong performance, dominating NUS High 11-0. The long months of practice before the competition had clearly paid off, as both teams made consistent, solid passes with few mistakes, if any.

The two teams kept up their strong performance for the second round, with Team A dismantling River Valley High 8-1. Team B, on the other hand, went down narrowly to Temasek Junior College in overtime, with a scoreline of 2-3.

For the next match of the day, Raffles Team A faced off against perennial arch-rivals, ACS(I). With ACS(I) regarded as one of RI’s toughest competitors, the match was hailed by alumni and supporters alike as the most anticipated match of the day.

Both teams got off to a strong start, fighting tooth and nail for every inch of the field. ACS(I) struck first, sneaking in a goal within the first few minutes of the match. Initially, the Raffles side appeared demoralized, but returned visibly reinvigorated after a pep talk from their coach Benjamin Ho. Subsequently, the team went on a devastating offensive, with Joy Wong scoring 3 points for the team in quick succession. The disparity in skill between Joy and her marker was painfully obvious, as Joy outran and outplayed her marker to score multiple times.

Joy scoring a point for Team A

The ACS(I) side fought hard to regain their footing, but each attempt was swiftly thwarted by a strong defensive showing from the Raffles team, their players effectively zoning the ACS(I) team inside their own endzone. Backed into a corner, the ACS(I) team fumbled the disc several times, leading to turnovers which accorded the RI side even more chances to score.

As the ACS(I) side began to focus their defense more on Joy in an attempt to prevent her from scoring, the other Raffles players merrily exploited this gap in their defense, with Daryl throwing a quick flick out to Josh for RI’s 5th point of the match. As the match progressed, the ACS(I) side began to crumble under the withering offensive, conceding 4 more points. A well executed huck from the AC side allowed them to score a consolatory second point towards the middle of the match, but it was quickly becoming clear that RI already had the game in the bag.

Throughout the match, the RI side appeared confident and at ease, making use of short, efficient passes to advance the disc up-field. In contrast, the ACS(I) side appeared flustered and frustrated due to the early goal deficit, making several frantic huck attempts which rarely connected with their receivers. This allowed Team A to take the match 9-2 amidst the raucous cheers of the Rafflesian crowd of supporters.

Following their win against ACS(I), Raffles Team A went up against HCI in what would be their fourth and final match of the day. Staying calm and composed, our players made use of short, accurate passes to advance the disc in a slow, methodical offensive. Their patience was swiftly rewarded with a clean flick from Wern to Yi Jun for the first point of the match.

The HCI players were undaunted by the early goal, retaliating with an impressive huck followed by a short flick to equalize the scoreline. As the game wore on, the disadvantages of playing on an open field quickly became obvious. The muddy ground made it difficult to get any sort of grip, with players on both teams frequently slipping while trying to catch the disc. Some sloppy passes from HCI allowed RI to get some easy intercepts, pulling ahead by 3 more points

Although HCI managed to score another point towards the middle of the match, they were unable to significantly impede the Raffles offensive. As a Y5 Raffles Ultimate player watching the match commented, the RI team seemed relaxed and at ease, with players barely breaking a sweat throughout the match.

Ultimate frisbee is often lauded for its Spirit of the Game, where players are trusted to act as their own referees. This was on clear display throughout the match as RI players could be spotted calling out their own fouls, even when it meant putting the opponent team in a superior position. At one point when one of our players was about to contest a foul call, his teammate stopped him, explaining that it had indeed been a foul.

Into the second half of the match, a Category 1 lightning alert was called, sending all matches to a halt. There was uncertainty for a period of time, as players had no idea what would happen to the matches that had been interrupted. In a rather anti-climatic moment, Team A was eventually declared the match winners due to their scoreline of 5-2 over HCI. Due to the Swiss-draw style system of play, this meant that they had the most points among all the teams present, and they were hence declared overall winners.

Although Team A had already secured the championship title, Team B still had one more match to go. Over at the other end of the field, the day was not going as planned for Raffles Team B. Earlier that day, they had just lost 3-4 to River Valley High due to the universe point, and now they were up against Pioneer Junior College to determine their final placing. Unfortunately for the gryphons, the match did not begin well. The RI defence appeared shaky and uncoordinated, with key opponent players left unmarked. PJC was quick to exploit this, scoring 3 clean goals in the first half of the match.

As the match began to look increasingly grim for our young gryphons, the RI Team B coaches Ervin and Wei Zhong called for a timeout. Their words had an appreciable effect on the team’s play; the players returned to the match with renewed focus, powering the disc through the field in a very aggressive style of play. While not the cleanest of tactics, it still worked, as Jeremiah managed to fend off two defenders in the endzone to catch the disc.

Our team’s first goal heralded a significant shift in momentum towards our side, as the players began to fight with renewed spirit and determination. The game was not without controversy, however, as a foul was called on Si Kai just as he threw a quick backhand to Jue Ying for a goal. Though the disc was eventually sent back, Jue Ying quickly caught the disc once again to score the second point for the team. Minutes later, Sabrina Chan made a short pass to Jeremiah Choo in the endzone, levelling the score to a 3-3 tie.

Team B celebrating with Jueying after a goal

As the clock ticked down to the end of the match, a stalemate ensued, with neither team able to score the crucial last point. As the match ran into overtime, the universe point was put into play – whichever team scored the next point would essentially win the match. Despite their consistent performance thus far, the Raffles side was visibly exhausted by this point. At times, the players fumbled what appeared to be easy catches, struggling to keep up with their opponents. This was only intensified by the state of the field; players were drenched in mud, frequently slipping in the waterlogged grass.

The next few minutes were nail-bitingly tense as the disc went back and forth. Neither team seemed to have a significant advantage, and supporters on both sides fell silent in a mixture of apprehension and worry. Both teams were desperate to score – at one point four players from both sides collided in a headlong rush for the disc.

But ultimately, their magical comeback was not to be. A clean huck from PJC, coupled with a layout catch from the receiver scored the final point for their team. A hush fell over the sidelines, as supporters ran onto the field to console the team.

Team A emerged overall champions, reclaiming the Inter-JC championship title for the school, while Team B came in at an admirable 9th place. Although it was a day of mixed fortunes for Raffles Ultimate, Team B coach Ervin Seow, a J4, commented that the matches were ‘very intense’. “Both teams put in a lot of effort – Team A did very well, B didn’t. Though they were 3-0 down, they fought their way back up. As seniors, we’re really very proud to have juniors who never give up”. Though the Y5 captain of Raffles Ultimate, Sabrina Chan was understandably disappointed at Team B’s placing, she remained optimistic, remarking that “though our team B suffered three losses due to universe points, we now only look forward with determination, to work even harder, to keep the championship legacy next year.”

When asked about Team A’s remarkable achievement, Team A’s coach Benjamin Ho had this to say, “Last year, the team was quite disappointed with the loss – both teams went out in the semi-finals with universal points. This year, we let the team train hard and they came back to where Raffles Ultimate is supposed to be.” Raffles Press would like to congratulate the team on their fine display of tenacity and teamwork. If today’s showing was anything to go by, we have full confidence that Raffles Ultimate will have no trouble re-taking the title next year.

By Lee Chin Wee (14A01B) 

Cover photo taken by Chung Kityin of the Photographic Society

Sometimes it seems rather pointless to take part in sport. Why cheer when a ball dotted with hexagonal patterns trickles over a white line painted hastily on grass? Why celebrate when the thin strip of fibreglass you threw happened to fly the furthest? Why indulge, anyway, in an entirely arbitrary activity where arbitrary actions garner absolutely arbitrary reward? To some, that encapsulates the entirety of what school sports are – events which may be nice to have, but really have no relevance to their student lives altogether. Sport, as it seems from the limp and half-hearted cheers from legions of students conscripted down for match support, is “someone else’s game”.

While it may be convenient to think so, this could hardly be further from the truth. At the risk of romanticizing or waxing lyrical about it, there is a certain transformative quality to school sports. The very same guy whom you just saw flying down the flanks of the rugby pitch, taking on three defenders at once, could be sitting next to you in class, using your math assignments for ‘reference’. The girl who scored the winning goal with a scorcher deep in extra time could be your OG mate, someone who witnessed you in your full awkward glory during Orientation. The stony-faced team captain bellowing out orders to his team could be the most humorous, soft-spoken guy you’ve ever known. Therein lies the beauty of school sports – that it takes everyday, otherwise ordinary Rafflesians and moulds them into giants on the sporting pitch. Cheer not just for the generic “Hockey Boys’ Team”, but rather for your friends and batchmates who are playing with the kind of dogged intensity you’ve never seen before.

In the same way a musician thrives on performing to a packed concert hall or an actor flourishes in front of a full house, a sportsman relies on the throaty exhortations from the crowd in order to push on. There is nothing more energy-sapping than playing out a drab 0-0 draw on a football pitch tucked away somewhere in Punggol, or sprinting to the foreign beat of another school’s cheers. For those of us who believe that RI is much more than a transitional period of our lives where we flit through countless lectures and tutorials before entering university, there is every reason to cheer our hearts out for the teams which represent us. This is what holds the fabric of the Rafflesian identity together; because we share in the collective achievement of not only our peers but generations of seniors past whenever we tell someone what school we are from. When we sing the Institutional Anthem alongside a hundred other Rafflesians after a sports final, or simply offer our bitterly disappointed friend a comforting hug, we are forging a community which transcends the mundane academic details of regular school life. (Of course, whether or not one chooses to buy into the fictitious construct of “being a Rafflesian situated in the wider school community” is an editorial for another day.)

Little wonder then, that it is usually a fellow sportsman who shouts him or herself hoarse when supporting another team. It takes an athlete who has endured the rigorous exertions demanded in training to fully understand the hard work on display. A deft flick of the wrist to return a shuttlecock belies months of training; an elegant tennis drop shot disguises the daily toil exerted on the treadmill. Our athletes put themselves through gruelling training sessions and countless hours in the gym even in the off-season, just so they can gain that precious half-stride over their opponents. This year’s inter-school sports season was no different, with sports teams training from the moment school ended till dusk had fallen. Walk past the amphitheatre and you would see the floorball team practising shooting drills ad nauseum. Head over to the stadium steps, and you would see the soccer team perfecting their latest routines. Tucked away next to the Humanities Block, the basketball team shoots hoops with metronomic efficiency. Such is the long road to becoming a sporting hero.

Sometimes, however, it could almost be said that RI has too many heroes. One victory in a sports final may rally the school; ten of these very same victories only serves a numbing effect. We have been witness to Strapping Captain X of the Y Boys’/Girls’ Team presenting the Championship Trophy to Principal Mrs. Lim so many times that our applause has merely become routine, one more step towards the end of morning assembly. Yet sometimes it would pay to pause and reflect, just for a moment. Because behind every shining gold trophy hides a story of a year-long slog toward the proverbial finishing line of victory, of hopes, of injuries and of worries. Behind every silver or bronze medal hides that very same story of hard work and determination, of battling for every single square inch of turf, of falling short when it mattered. Every single medal which our teams earn is not only a representation of their accomplishments, but also a representation of the superhuman effort required to get that victory in the first place. Some of us think that running 2.4 kilometres is hard enough – try telling that to the cross-country team.

Here at Raffles Press, we have had the privilege of being privy to all the latest sporting results, in our attempt to cover as many sports finals and 3rd/4th playoffs as possible. Amidst the flood of 1st and 2nd place finishes, it suddenly occurred to me that finishing outside one of the coveted Top 3 spots meant dropping off the news radar entirely. Why do we fetishize quantifiable achievement over the acknowledgement of intangible effort? It’s simply because that’s the expedient thing to do, since the team which took the championship title has to be better and trained harder than the team which battled to a loss in the quarter-finals, right? On the contrary, results are but an inaccurate approximation of the arduous journey every sports team goes through in a season. A bad refereeing decision, tough on-pitch conditions or season-ending injuries to a team’s best players could easily derail a team’s charge to the top. We salute the efforts of all our sportsmen and sportswomen, because we firmly believe that you don’t have to stand atop a podium in order to stand out.

Officially, this year’s sports season has been no different from the numerous seasons preceding it. A decent haul of medals, mostly of the shiny golden variety, adding yet another feather to our Rafflesian caps. Statistics, however, are but a numerical condensation of the real stories and real experiences of our fellow schoolmates. It’s irrelevant if green, black and white are the colours of gold, because the blood, sweat and tears behind a medal are what matter the most.

By Austin Zheng (14A01B)

Which international diplomat was recently awarded an honorary 10^th Dan black belt? What is the percentage of women in Singaporean corporate boards?

These were some of the questions asked in the finals of the Straits Times-Ministry of Education National Current Affairs Quiz, more popularly known as the Big Quiz, which saw Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Junior College, River Valley High School and Nanyang Junior College engage in a gruelling contest of speed, knowledge and argumentative ability. The intense competition was reflected by the supporters from the four schools, who had turned out in force. A contingent of Nanyang supporters even arrived with a flotilla of multi-coloured helium balloons, awing everyone in the conference room. While the RI supporters were less well prepared, they nevertheless made two personalised banners in a display of solidarity.

One of the rather cheeky banners made by the RI supporters

At the far end of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront ballroom, quiz participants Gabriel Wong (14S03O), Jeremy Khoo (14A01B), Kuek Jia Yao (14S03R) and reserve member Ng Qi Siang (14A01C) paced about in brooding silence. One member adjusted his tie nervously. The team had good reason to be anxious. They were up against formidable opponents, with the River Valley delegation coming in first in a preliminary round, taking only about 9 minutes out of a given time of half an hour to answer 50 multiple-choice questions. Furthermore, Hwa Chong had emerged victorious in the semi-final round. The competitors were also burdened by the legacy of their predecessors, who had won the inaugural edition of the Big Quiz last year. The team in fact rejected a pre-match interview and chased this writer away in an attempt to collect their thoughts before the quiz.

They didn’t have much more time to do so. Music suddenly blared from the speakers as the stage lights swivelled wildly. The audience quietened in growing anticipation as the quiz master and the guest of honour stepped onto the stage and gave a short introduction to the Big Quiz. The teams strode to their positions on the platform, some smiling, some solemn, all met with roaring cheers from their supporters. The Big Quiz was on.

The first of the quiz’s four rounds was ‘Think Fast’, which allocated 1 random question to each team for 5 sets. The teams had to answer each question within 10 seconds, and garnered 10 points for each correct answer. NYJC surged ahead in the early stages of the round, being the only school to answer their second set question correctly. However, they allowed RI to catch up in the last set, with our team breezing through its final question ‘Which 16 year-old Pakistani girl recently gave a speech in front of the United Nations?’ (Malala Yousafzai). The score for that round settled at 40 points for NYJC, 20 points for RVHS, 40 points for RI, and 20 points for HCI, giving the RI team some breathing space.

The second round, dubbed ‘Make your Point’, required the teams to randomly choose one question, with all three members of the team required to make a presentation of 90 seconds on the topic. NYJC, which got the question ‘Do Singaporeans complain too much about the transport system?’, was evidently flustered by the strict time limit, giving a vague speech that failed to address the main concerns of the question. This was to be characteristic of all four teams to varying degrees, though the RI team’s presentation was relatively more cohesive and articulate, thanks to Gabriel’s 45-second long conclusion. After thorough deliberation, the judges awarded 20 points to NYJC, 10 points to RVHS, 40 points to RI and 30 points to HCI, warning the RI team that it had barely edged on HCI for the top spot in the round. Nevertheless, the scores stood at 60-30-80-50 at the end of the second round, giving RI a welcome 20-point lead.

The RI team argued that the values education in Singapore was largely effective

The competition entered its most intense phase in the third round. In ‘Team’s Choice’, the teams gained or lost 10, 20 or 30 points depending on the question category they had chosen, and whether they had answered the question correctly within the allotted 10 seconds. Each team also had two one-use special cards for the round. The X2 points card could only be used before the teams saw the question in the category they had chosen, and doubled the amount of points each team would win – or lose. The Sabo King card allowed the user to force another team of their choice to answer their question, and could be used after the question was unveiled. If the other team answered the question correctly, both teams would gain the relevant amount of points. If it did not, only the sabotaged team would lose points. The high amount of points at stake and the special cards meant that even a single mistake could destroy any chance of victory, heightening the tension.

The Sabo King card was quickly used in the first question set of the round, when RVHS shot the 30-point question ‘What is the percentage of children under 3 who use electronic devices?’ (65 percent) to HCI. Hwa Chong answered the question adroitly, bringing the score to a razor-thin 70-60-80-80. RI’s own 30-point sabotage against HCI, which it failed to answer correctly, prompted the Hwa Chong team to adopt a high-risk, high-return gambit, with the team consistently choosing the 30-point category in a desperate bid to overtake RI. Raffles supporters were kept at the edge of their seats, the suspense culminating when NYJC sabotaged our team with the 30-point question ‘Which woman won the Man Booker Prize twice?’, which would make or break RI’s chances at the championship. Yet they need not have worried; the team could barely contain their glee, with Jeremy decisively answering ‘Hilary Mantel’, sending the audience wild. The round closed at 70-90-180-130, essentially making the quiz a two-horse race between archrivals RI and HCI. Victory, though, seemed firmly seated in our hands.

Thankfully, the final rapid-fire buzzer round that allowed teams to gain or lose 10 points per question held no surprises for us, with RI maintaining a comfortable lead over its nearest competitor. The tension had largely dissipated after the climax of ‘Team’s Choice’, and the last round was mainly characterised by the struggle between RVHS and HCI for the second place and a lucrative $3000 prize. RI, dominant in the previous rounds, was more muted due to a combination of a cautious strategy and unreliable buzzer-hitting reflexes. The final scores stood at 40-150-210-180, with NYJC regressing back to the same score it had at the end of the first round when it was in the lead. RVHS and HCI had valiantly narrowed the gap with RI, with RVHS in particular scoring an impressive 60 points in the buzzer round. Nevertheless, their efforts fell short, and RI emerged as the defending champion of the Big Quiz. The team hoisted their trophies and their $5000 cheque in triumph at the prize presentation ceremony, smiling amidst the ecstatic applause.

Year 6 Ryan Quek, a member of the winning team at last year’s Big Quiz and a mentor for the current Year 5s, grinned with relief after the quiz. ‘I was very nervous.’ he shared. ‘Even more than the team, perhaps. When they put in so much work, you really hope that they would win. I’m very proud of them.’ Mr Caleb Liu, the team’s teacher-mentor, concurred. ‘The competition wasn’t as close as last year’s, which went down to the last question, but it is always stressful watching them.’

Indeed, RI’s victory was much narrower than the fourth round suggested. A considerable bit of luck was naturally present in RI’s victory. The team admitted that they could have been locked in an even fiercer title fight had the special cards been played differently by the other teams. The HCI team’s frustrated expressions at missing the buzzer multiple times also suggested that they could have given RI a greater run for their money. Ryan acknowledged that luck was an inherent part of the competition, commenting, ‘The team came in knowing that they needed luck. No matter how much you prepare, if you get a question that you don’t know with 30 points on the line, and you answer it wrongly, you could be out.’ Nevertheless, it was a fair competition, and a great deal of hard work lay behind the RI team’s victory. Gabriel noted that the RI team had stayed back till 7 p.m. every day for the past month to scrutinise the Straits Times for this quiz. The combination of dutiful diligence and prodigious knowledge was what gave the team a deserved win.

The enthusiastic supporters from NYJC, who came prepared with a whole flotilla of balloons

As a final note, this writer would like to commend NYJC for their outstanding display of school spirit and camaraderie. It wasn’t just the overwhelming number of supporters that turned up, or the helium balloons that they bought. The loudest cheers at the closing ceremony came from the NYJC supporters, despite their team coming last in the competition. The touching picture of friendship and unity earned NYJC the ‘Best Supporting School’ award, though the cash might have meant little to them. With RI having won the Big Quiz twice in a row, next year’s team would be under even greater pressure. They could however take solace in Nanyang’s example, and remember that there is more to winning than victory.

By William Hoo 15A01E

A few weeks back, RI’s Judo A Division team headed down to Hougang Seconday school for the National Schools Judo Championship. After defeating Nanyang Junior College in the semi-finals, our Judo boys and girls were set to face off against one of our fiercest rivals, Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) in the team finals. Despite having faced HCI in previous years of the competition, the team was well-prepared and confident for this encounter in the finals, having trained extensively in the months leading up to the National Schools Championship. This year’s team finals indeed showed that the Gentle Way did not necessarily mean a gentle fight.

The atmosphere as both schools got ready for the team final was tense and fierce, with both judo teams performing their club cheers with pride. The format of the team event consists of five bouts played between opponents, with one member from each weight category. Each bouts lasts for three minutes, during which players aim to score an ippon. The victor of the event is determined by winning three out of five bouts. This did indeed set the stage for a suspenseful and exciting match for both the A Div boys and girls teams.

GIRLS

The first match was between the A Division girls of RI and HCI.

The line-up for RI’s A Division girls by weight category consisted of Cheong Hui Shyuan (-48kg), Amanda Chia (-52kg), Tania Forichon (-57kg), Joey low (-63kg) and Joyce lee (+63kg).

The opening match was easily won by Huishyuan, catching her opponent off guard while they were fighting for control over each other and ending the bout with several nicely-timed foot sweeps.

The second bout witnessed Amanda fighting valiantly, with her best effort. Both players were locked down gripping each other, but her opponent attempted a throw and managed to bring Amanda down to the floor. Her opponent pinned her down, and in spite of her best efforts at trying to bridge her opponent over, Amanda lost the second bout through groundwork.

With the current score even at 1-1, the third bout started with both Tania and her opponent playing aggressively, vying for a hold on each other. While there were a few close calls where Tania was almost thrown by her opponent, or pinned down after being brought to the floor, she remained composed and was able to parry each attempt. After a stalemate in groundwork, the referee resumed the bout anew at the centre of the arena. Tania seized the opportunity as her opponent went into defensive play, and threw her swiftly with a back throw, winning the bout for the team.

The fourth bout saw Joey putting up a strong fight against her opponent, with plenty of attempts by both parties to throw each other. Scores were awarded to both of them as the bout progressed. However, as the bout dragged on, Joey and her opponent engaged in a lot of intensive groundwork, each trying to pin down the other. Despite some considerable effort and spirit on her part, Joey narrowly lost to her opponent by points at the end of the bout.

The last bout of the A Div girls team event was a nail-biting one as it was the last deciding bout for both schools in order to clinch the championship. Supporters from both Judo clubs rallied in support of their judokas.

The match started in a flurry of aggression, with both Joyce and her opponent engaged in heavy groundwork – resisting each other while simultaneously seeking to pin the other down. However, Joyce was unfortunately caught off guard at a key moment, resulting in her getting pinned down by her opponent. Although Joyce tried her best to break free of the hold and bridge her opponent over, she was unable to do so and lost the bout.

RI’s A-Division Judo Girls Team

Hence, with a score line of 2-3, RI’s A Div judo girls conceded victory to HCI for the team finals, coming in second and winning the Silver title for the school. Regardless, their effort was no less laudable and their team spirit really showed through with the immense support their batchmates provided throughout all their trainings together.

BOYS

The next match for the day was the A Division boys’ team finals, which showcased a spectacular display of skill from both schools.

The line-up for RI’s A DIv boys by weight category consisted of Davis Yep Swee Kiat (-60kg), Ong Jia Xiang (-66kg), Julius Sander Nugroho (-73kg), Henry Neo Jin Hong (-81kg) and Wei Yong Ji (+81kg).

The first bout for the A Div boys saw Davis being pitted against his counterpart in the Feather weight category. Catching his opponent off guard, Davis managed to counter his opponent and was awarded a score. His opponent eventually went on to concede two fouls through defensive play. Davis won his bout by points at the end of three minutes.

Jia Xiang played the second bout, with both players fighting each other for dominion over the other and grappling to throw each other. Unfortunately, while Jia Xiang played really well, he was brought down to the ground and subsequently pinned down, losing the bout.

With the score at an equal 1-1, Julius entered the third bout, facing up against HCI’s captain. The first point was awarded to Julius as his opponent conceded a foul for overly-defensive play. However, Julius was penalised shortly after for the same reason. The next point of the bout was awarded to Julius for a small throw, but the score was quickly equalised when his opponent threw him for the same score later on in the bout. With time running out, Julius caught his opponent off guard with a massive throw, scoring a major point. The bout was thought to have been won by Julius when in the final five seconds of the bout, HCI’s captain threw Julius for a major point that sealed a win for HCI.

The fourth bout featured RI’s Judo team captain, Henry who took an early lead with a foot sweep early on in the bout. He then went on to secure a win for the team by throwing his opponent, getting a full ippon.

Once again, the A DIv boys’ team finals proved to be exciting and nerve-wracking as well, with the score being equalised at 2-2 for both RI and HCI. The last bout would again be the deciding factor for the championship.

The last bout of the A Div boys’ team finals was nail biting from start to finish, as supporters from both RI and HCI yelled words of encouragement to both players. The early start of the bout saw Yongji conceding a small point. This was slightly demoralizing, but Yongji rose to the occasion, turning the bout around by throwing his opponent and following up with a pin. The hall of Hougang Secondary School was filled by cheers all around as Yongji secured the win and the championship title.

RI’s A-Division Judo Boys Team

Hence, with a score line of 3-2, and after an intense showing by both RI and HCI, our A Divison judo boys brought home the championship title for RI.

The Raffles Judo family

The good showing of RI’s Judo A Div team was the result of months of training and encouragement from their coaches, Mr Tan and Mr Low, as well as the teachers, Mr Kok, Mr Eng and others.

Raffles Press would like to congratulate the A Div boys and girls judo team for their stellar performance in the National Schools Judo Championships. Here’s wishing all sports CCAs the best of luck in the upcoming 2014 season.

Written by Joyce Er 15A01A

Photos by Teo Si-Yan 14S03Q

Raffles Gymnastics’ competitors and supporters. Front row, left to right: Jolene Tan, Tan Min Ting, Megan Chong, Daphne Chia, Yan Zhixin, Lim Wannee, Cheryl Lee (reserve)

If you struggled with your NAPFA assessments earlier this week – and even if you didn’t – rhythmic gymnasts surely cut an impressive figure, with their effortless execution of feats of athletic and aesthetic mastery. Last Thursday, our rhythmic gymnastics team of six competitors, decked out in sequinned leotards, were dressed to impress at the Bishan Sports Hall. They did the school proud, bringing back a total of five silvers and three bronzes.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport with a performance element, making it a test of both gymnasts’ strength and agility as well as their elegance and aesthetics. Thursday’s optional routine category involved gymnasts performing an original routine, often choreographed by their coaches and set to upbeat tunes ranging from Oriental to Bollywood to pop. Their routines were scored based on the technical accuracy of execution as well as the difficulty of their skills; indeed, the D-score is often what makes or breaks a gymnast, though heavy penalties are dealt for mistakes like dropping one’s apparatus.

Lim Wannee in her starting pose for the hoop event

Gymnasts perform with the use of any of four apparatus, ball, hoop, clubs, or ribbons, at a time. In addition, gymnasts who put up a routine for all four apparatuses stand a chance at earning a medal in the Individual All Around event. Juggling coordination, balance, rhythm, flexibility, speed, strength, control, style, audience appeal, and – of course – their apparatus, it isn’t hard to see where the challenge lies.

Daphne Chia executing a back scale while rolling the ball along her arm

As anticipated, Thursday’s performances were technically and visually astounding, from the coruscating leotards – which can cost upwards of $400 apiece – to the dizzying succession of pirouettes to the mind-bending over-splits that gymnasts flawlessly executed.

Though there was certainly a spectacular range of ability on display, nobody was exempt from error regardless of experience. A fair number of clubs were dropped and balls were seen rolling out of the red boundary line. What was heartening, though, was the willingness of all spectators to cheer on competitors who had momentarily faltered, even if they were from rival schools. More than anything else, the competition was a celebration of the gymnasts’ passion and dedication for their sport.

Megan Chong’s split leap in the middle of her ball routine

Having pulled a muscle in her thigh less than a week before the competitions, Megan was on painkillers that day, which limited her movement. Nevertheless, the ex-national rhythmic gymnast remained undeterred and pulled off her ribbon and ball routines to place third for both events, displaying some remarkable flexibility along the way.

For competitors Jolene Tan, Lim Wannee and Yan Zhixin, the competition was their first and last, having only taken up the sport a year ago. Despite their relative inexperience, they put up commendable performances, dexterously manipulating their respective apparatuses throughout their routines while maintaining a cheerful disposition and finishing strong.

Jolene Tan rising from a kneeling position on her toes while spinning the hoop behind her

In particular, Jolene’s hoop routine impressed the judges, earning her the bronze with a score of 5.0, although her playful clubs routine set to ‘The Bare Necessities’ was thoroughly entertaining to watch and scored 4.42. Wannee scored 3.78 and 3.95 on her clubs and hoop routines respectively, while Zhixin’s ball routine earned a 4.38.

Yan Zhixin balancing in a Y-hold while holding the ball aloft

Said Zhixin of her brief gymnastics journey, “It’s been fun. I’m blessed to have a good coach and great batchmates to train with. [My performance] could have been better, but I’m still satisfied that I got the chance [to compete].”

Tan Min Ting competed in the clubs and ribbon events, and confidently performed a cheeky clubs routine, innovatively accentuating her music by tapping her clubs together for a percussion effect. With a score of 5.32, she narrowly missed the bronze, which instead went to CJC’s Narelle Lee. The captain of RI rhythmic gymnastics was all smiles, sharing Zhixin’s sentiments: “Considering almost everyone joined in J1, I think everyone did well, especially Jolene. I didn’t perform the best I could, but considering that I have a lot of commitments, I think I managed to balance them quite well.”

Daphne executing a side scale while twirling the hoop

As for Daphne Chia, the competition was not without accident, but her briskly-executed routines, unfalteringly daring throws, inhuman feats of flexibility and elaborate, spangled leotards left us quite literally starstruck, earning her all five silvers in the competition. After the day’s gruelling competition and the succession of four routines, she was beat by fellow national gymnast Tong Kah Mun, who swept all golds. She graciously acknowledged, “This year, it was quite an intense competition between myself and my teammates from the national team. I’m really glad that my teammates from Raffles did well, though we don’t train together.” Daphne will be representing Singapore in the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2014.

Raffles Girls’ Secondary School representative Dawne Chua Yun Xi also did Raffles proud by clinching golds in the ball and hoop events.

RESULTS

Hoop

1st – Tong Kah Mun, Nanyang Junior College, 11.5 points

2nd – Chia Theresa Daphne Yun Shan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 10.17 points

3rd – Jolene Tan Li Xuan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 5.0 points

Ball

1st – Tong Kah Mun, Nanyang Junior College, 12.05 points

2nd – Chia Theresa Daphne Yun Shan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 11.55 points

3rd – Megan Chong, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 4.67 points

Clubs

1st – Tong Kah Mun, Nanyang Junior College, 11.3 points

2nd – Chia Theresa Daphne Yun Shan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 11.17 points

3rd – Narelle Lee Salikin, Catholic Junior College, 5.5 points

Ribbon

1st – Tong Kah Mun, Nanyang Junior College, 12.92 points

2nd – Chia Theresa Daphne Yun Shan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 11.17 points

3rd – Megan Chong, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 6.33 points

Individual All Around

1st – Tong Kah Mun, Nanyang Junior College, 47.77 points

2nd – Chia Theresa Daphne Yun Shan, Raffles Institution (Junior College), 44.06 points

3rd – Narelle Lee Salikin, Catholic Junior College, 20.05 points

Written by Lu Jinyao 14A01D, Wilson Chan 15A01C, Sharvani Kim 15A01D and Kang Yi Xi 15S03N

Having racked up a laudable medal tally of two golds last year, the A Division table tennis team faced much pressure to match their track record. Despite formidable competition from traditional opponents Hwa Chong Institution and Nanyang Junior College, our Raffles paddlers succeeded in living up to expectations and walked away once again with a hard-earned haul of two gold medals.

A Division Girls

The contest between our girls’ team and its counterpart from Hwa Chong Institution was a veritable clash of two titans, with tensions running high between supporters from both schools seated right next to each other in the stands. The first game was arguably the most nerve-racking game for the girls as it was far from an one-sided affair, featuring impressive manoeuvres from both paddlers that neutralized each other’s temporary leads straight till the fifth set. Raffles player Lam Teng Si started strong, taking down the first set by a clear margin with a score of 11-3. However, a series of inadvertent errors by Teng Si gave her Hwa Chong opponent the opportunity to triumph the second set with a score of 11-4. The third and fourth sets continued to be tight races that plunged the match’s outcome into uncertain waters. Having been bested in the third set, Teng Si came back from the time-out invigorated and denied Hwa Chong a premature win in the fourth set. Eventually, Teng Si’s adroit control of the ball played a major role in the opponent’s fatal misfire that sent the ball flying past the table in the fifth set, securing the first crucial victory for Raffles.

Teng Si putting up a strong fight against her opponent from Hwa Chong

The triumphant first game was a compelling morale boost for Raffles, as our paddlers continued to edge out their rivals. The second game was filled with close calls, with neither the Raffles duo of Cheryl Tang and Charlene Koh nor their counterparts being able to take the lead.

In contrast, the third game was characterised by Lim Yi Xuan’s aggressive play, which dominated the table and left her opponent little space for retaliation. Yi Xuan won the first set with a decisive victory of 11-5. The second round was a close call, with the two neck and neck with a score of 11-11 when her opponent’s ball missed the table to bring the score to 12-11. With one more point necessary to win the set, Yi Xuan sent the ball expertly over the net, where it deflected off the opponent’s bat and flew into the fence next to the table. The third set was an overwhelming victory for her, concluding with a score of 11-1. This spectacularly-executed third game eventually completed the third straight victory of the Raffles team, bringing back the much-coveted gold medal amidst thunderous applause from the Rafflesian crowd.

A Division Boys

Compared to the girls, the boys’ contest was much of a safe course. Rafflesian Xiao Peng declared Raffles domination from the first set onwards, leading 8-0 within five minutes into the first set. His quick reflexes were the determining factor that enabled him to gain significant leads over his opponent, who made multiple slip-ups as the increasingly widening score divide caused his confidence to gradually falter.

Perhaps having been galvanised by Xiao Peng’s excellent performance, Tsai Ren Jie and Alphonse Ang dealt rapid and successive attacks during the doubles game, enabling them to swiftly trounce their opponents in the first two sets. Despite making several inaccurate shots in the third set, our paddlers rose from those mistakes to take the second game.

The third match played by Oscar Chau was evidently the highlight of the boys’ contest. Unlike the previous smooth-sailing games, Oscar faced stiff competition from his NYJC opponent. The game was fraught with intense, fast-paced ball play, and the many high shots pulled off by both sides made for a breathtaking experience for spectators. Regrettably, Raffles ceded the game to NYJC by a slim margin as the Nanyang player took the last set. This defeat was a clear disruption to the plans of the boys’ team, who had expected a clean straight-three victory. When asked about his opinions on the game, Oscar expressed that the intensity of the game made it a dynamic and rewarding experience for both sides, and team captain Benjamin Ban acknowledged that “(the NYJC) team does have their strengths as well. Ultimately it was a good learning point for both.”

Fortunately, Raffles made a comeback during the final game as our Year 5 paddlers Chua Shao Shxuan and Liu Tian prevailed over their two opponents to obtain the crucial victory required for Raffles to win yet another gold medal. In the third and fourth sets, the NYJC players seemed to lose their resolve – having been disoriented by the repeated volleys of rapid shots and smashes sent by the Rafflesians, they were unable to put up a strong defence and consequently failed to obtain more than 3 points for both rounds.

The Table-Tennis team with their haul of medals

Throughout the game, our Rafflesian supporters constantly tried to outdo our rival schools in the volume and enthusiasm of cheers, creating the an ear-ringing cacophony of hollers as our paddlers took the challenge head-on. The authors felt especially heartened upon hearing the spirited rendition of the Unite cheer after the championship. As player Cheryl Tang expressed her sincere thanks to all the supporters, the authors’ greatest takeaway was that no great sportsman can exist solely on his or her own. Mr Chan Joo Kiat, the teacher-in-charge of Table Tennis, evidently agreed with these sentiments, for he stated, “I think this has been a collective effort; the teachers, the coaches and the school have provided all the support.”

For the paddlers, the National Finals were a bittersweet experience indeed, for the competition’s end also marked the end of their journey in fighting for Raffles. ‘I’d trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday,’ shared Lam Teng Si. However, the authors are certain that the memories she carved with the team will never fade into the background of her life. On this note, the authors would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to the two victorious teams — for the drive, determination and passion with which they played for Raffles.

Written by Ching Ann Hui 15S03A, Michelle Choy 15S05A, and Tan Su 15S07A

Months of intense training – including coming to school before assembly to train – boiled down to 2 days of finals for Raffles Swim. As Madeline Quek put it, the trainings were “tiring physically, but worth it”. Looking at the results now, it is clear that it was indeed worth it – with the A division girls clinching 1st overall and A division boys being awarded first runners up.

It was a close fight and tensions were rising with RI’s rival schools ACS(I) and ACJC proving to be strong competitors. The coach of RI swim Mr Lim Yao Xiang commented early on that there was no clear indication on which school would emerge victorious, and that it might even “boil down to the last relay.” Despite having “no national swimmers on the team”, the stellar achievements stood as testament to the sheer grit and hard work of our swimmers.

GIRLS

The girl’s segment of the competition began with our girls team placing in the top 3 for almost all races – a result consistent with what we have seen in previous years.

For the 50m Freestyle race, tensions rose as Song Ai Vee went neck and neck with Annis Loy from Temasek Junior College. The two eventually tied for second place after an intense fight, with Nicole Ong Ting Zhi racing in a close third just milliseconds after. Nicole Ong also bagged a bronze medal for the 50m backstroke.

Similar victories were seen in the 200m freestyle where Dayna Ang and Christiane Tan placed 1st and 2nd respectively. Richelle Ang also made a podium finish – clinching third place in the 200m individual medley. Rachel Lee put up a strong showing with two wins: 3rd in the 50m breaststroke as well as in the 100m breaststroke.

Madeline Quek was another serial medallist with her placing of 2nd in the 50m backstroke and butterfly. Over at the 200m breaststroke, Grace Tan placed 3rd and Gayle Tan placed a commendable 2nd despite facing strong competitors from ACJC.
The 400m freestyle elicited cheers from the Rafflesian crowd as Teo Jing Wen, Kimberly Yeo and Chloe Tan all placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, sweeping the awards for that category.

A breathtaking dash to the finish in the 200m breaststroke event led to Samantha Yeo setting a new competition record, clocking in at 2.34.17 – almost 3 whole seconds faster than the previous record.

Samantha again clinched first position for the Girls 100m Breaststroke, with a record breaking timing of 1:11.65, 1.06 seconds faster than the previous record. Unfortunately, the result was subsequently disqualified due to her doing a double fly kick.
Despite that, spirits soared as the much-anticipated 4x50m Freestyle Relay saw our girls relay team (Samantha Yeo, Teo, Jing Wen Shan, Madeline Quek and Song Ai Vee) bring a roaring victory to RI by coming in first with a timing of 1:50.44 9 in the 4×50 Meter Freestyle relay. The 4x50m Medley relay had a similar showing, with the girls securing the overall gold medal for our team.

BOYS

Victory was never a certain prospect with our boys team facing up against strong rivals such as ACJC, ACSI and Singapore Sports School (who had home advantage). Swim team coach Mr Lim Yao Xiang had realistic expectations of the boys team, remarking that “with no national swimmers in the team i feel that second is already a very good result.”

In the 200m freestyle race – a race primarily between RI, ACSI and ACJC, Andy Lo was able to clinch the gold medal, beating ACSI by 1.23 seconds. The other 2 RI swimmers,, Aloysius Tan and Bryan Tan came in 4th and 5th respectively. Other notable races include the 100m breaststroke where Alexander Tseng Wei Chen, Teo Cheng Quan Edmund and Lee Teck Fang Kenneth came in 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. Despite the stiff competition for the 100m backstroke, where a new record was set by one of our arch competitors, Andy Lo and Joshua Koh fought to clinch the 2nd and 5th respectively. Joshua Koh also took home a bronze for the 200m Backstroke.

Quan Ren Barry Koh fought hard to finish 5th in the 200m butterfly race. In the first and second laps, he was placed 6th with timings of 1:07.18, 1:44.4 respectively. However, at the last lap, after putting up a valiant fight, he finally emerged 5th, with the timing of 2 2:23.54.

The 4x50m freestyle and medley relays were both highly anticipated races. For the freestyle race, our team fought hard but ACSI took the lead and clinched gold by a narrow 3-second difference. Ultimately the Raffles Swim team came in second for both races, making the school extremely proud. The team consisted of Bradley Samual, Windley, Teo Chang Quan Edmund, Lee Teck Fang Kenneth and Tan Xuan Fu.

The fight to the finish is never easy, just as the race to the finals was tough for the Raffles Swim team. However, as A-division girls captain Kathleen Leong said: We really hope that the raffles legacy will be able to continue for many years to come and that everybody will be able to swim for pride, glory, honour – Raffles!

Written by Shikhar Gupta 15S06M and Lorraine Fong 15A01C

Photos by Isaac Siaw 15S03Q

Lift, breathe, swing, release. Strike.

The electric atmosphere at Orchid Bowl in Orchid Country Club was unmistakable for anything but the pride of the various supporters for their schools, and there was never a moment when the cheering stopped. With the 34th Council pouring on the support, the A-Division bowlers of Raffles Institution bowled their way to strong finishes.

Boys

Surprisingly, the boys were not always in command, as one would surmise looking at their performance on 29th April at Orchid Bowl. They had been trailing Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) for the first two days of the tournament, but pushed hard to claim the lead on the third day. Following that they gave no quarter on the final day, and cruised to victory, claiming the overall school champions spot.

The Boys’ team takes home the overall schools’ championship title

Speaking to Press, team captain Jevarn Li said “I’m really happy and proud. We lost to ACJC last year by one point, and I am proud that we managed to win it back by a larger margin.”

Both he and his teammates were clearly elated at their success. The team comprising Marcus Seah, Ian Siow, Ng Kai Xiang and Jevarn came in first for the Team event, Jevarn and Marcus came in 2nd runner’s up for the Doubles event, and Jevarn clinched the overall all events gold with a 29 pin lead.

Girls

The girls also performed strongly, however they missed out on top spot for overall schools, losing narrowly to the ACJC girls. They had taken the lead on the first day, but after ACJC had wrested it back on the next, they were left playing catch-up.

Cheritta Low, captain of the RI female bowling squad reflected, “We trained very very hard this year, it seemed very promising, but luck wasn’t on our side. However, I am very proud of my team for persevering through trainings, and throughout the four days of the tournament and never giving up.”

Team members Jamie, Rebecca, Clarie and Limin huddle together to encourage and spur each other on during the tournament

The team of Joey Yeo, Kristin Quah, Cheritta Low and Darolyn Tan came in first for the team event, but their performance was not enough to take the overall girls’ champions position. Also a national bowler, Joey Yeo performed spectacularly. She and Jamie Lim came in first and first runner’s up for the Singles event, respectively.

In the Doubles event, the pairs of Joey and Kristin, placed first, while Darolyn and Cheritta came in second. Not only did Joey win the high game award for two separate events, scoring pinfalls of 248 and 247 during the Singles and Team event, she also clinched the overall girls gold with a 326 pin lead in what was a seemingly effortless performance.

From left to right: Darolyn, Cheritta, Joey and Kristin proudly accept their gold trophies for the team event

Clearly the star of the show, Joey Yeo felt satisfied with her performance, and thanked the team for their never ending support, camaraderie, and perseverance. The bowling teacher-in-charge, Mr Lee Chee Keong was also happy with both the boys’ and girls’ performances. When asked to sum up his feelings about the tournament, his reply was simply “Good job.”

When asked about the future of RI Bowling, Cheritta was pensive. “Seeing a lot of our juniors train for the past half a year or so, I’ve seen them improve a lot and I am very proud of them. And though we placed 2nd, there is still a chance to fight. There is no definite ‘winner’ or ‘loser’, it can only go up from here,” she said.

All five teams were also buoyed by the constant support by the Rafflesian councilors,who themselves were enjoying the action. One of the supporters even wanted in on it, saying that “everyone [wanted] to bowl, because it [was] so fun.” The bowlers never forgot the supporters even throughout the whole four hours of the final day, acknowledging their cheers constantly.

Amidst all the feelings about the game, Rebecca Wong felt wistful that her competitive days were probably over. “I’ll probably and hopefully continue [bowling] as a leisure sport, and it’s so sad as this is our last major competition,” she told Press.

Framing it up: RI Bowling poses for the camera with their awards lined up before them

The fight is not yet over for Joey, Cheritta, Jevarn and Kai Xiang, though. The four of them ride high on confidence into the Masters Finals, to be held on the 3rd of May at Orchid Bowl. The event will be starting at 8 AM, so do hop by to offer your support if you can! All of us here at Raffles Press would like to congratulate everyone, and the best of luck to those competing this Saturday.

By Christopher Liew (15S06E), Celine Liu (15A01E), 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.

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

Photos from RedSports

Source: 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.

Joy and Jingwen Celebrating a Point

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.

Nigel Siew Returning a Shot

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.

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.

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

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.

Vaikunth Seshadri bowls a ball

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)