ALTHOUGH Orange High School sealed the 2016 Astley Cup last week, the jubilant black and gold contingent was officially pronounced champions at Friday morning’s presentation ceremony.
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OHS captains Chloe Barrett and Tom Milson gleefully accepted the Astley Cup from their Bathurst counterparts at the assembly, while principal David Lloyd proudly showed off the Mulvey Cup as well.
It’s thought to be the first year in over a decade that one school has claimed both Cups, the latter of which is won via the debating fixture.
Barrett and Milson addressed the group before the black and golds iced their cake, and rubbed salt in Bathurst’s wounds, with a rousing rendition of OHS’ Barmy Army.
“I’m just so proud of everyone involved, competitors or not,” Barrett said.
“Everyone brought something to the competition this year. I’m over the moon, I think we really deserve this one.
“Win or loss the competitors did an amazing job. Thank you to everyone, I’m so proud to be a leader here.
“We really need to thank (OHS Astley Cup co-ordinator) [Tegan] Dray too.”
“I’m really proud of our school,” Milson said.
“The hard work everyone has put in has paid off, everyone played really well and did a great job.
“The atmosphere was incredible, even more so once we knew we were bringing back the Cup.”
Bathurst High’s captains Emma Warburton and Kieran Lindsay were gracious in defeat and the latter threw out a challenge at the end of his speech.
“We need to congratulate Orange High for winning the 2016 Astley Cup, they played really well,” Warburton said.
“It was a really great competition despite the not so great weather.”
“I’d like to thank Orange High and Dubbo College (Senior Campus) as well for keeping this tradition going, the Cup’s 93 years old now,” Lindsay added.
“I hope [Orange High] enjoys this, I think next year they’ll be in Bathurst handing the Cup back.”
Orange High regained the Cup – after relinquishing it last year following 2014’s title – by claiming both of the competition’s opening ties, rendering Bathurst’s fixture with Dubbo on Wednesday and Thursday redundant.
The black and golds scored an upset win over Bathurst at home, winning 451-349 in the opening tie a fortnight ago before trumping Dubbo on the road.
OHS won that tie 428-372 to seal the Cup title.
“We’d made a point of trying to win the Cup back this year, we’re so pleased with it,” Barrett said.
Bathurst defeated Dubbo in the competition’s final tie on Wednesday and Thursday to claim second spot, while the latter school went empty handed in 2016 but was strong in defeat in both tie