Orange High School’s focus changed dramatically after last week’s heart-breaking, 16-point Astley Cup tie loss to Bathurst High, it had to considering it sealed the latter school’s second straight title.
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For the Hornets it’s all about salvaging school pride now, and that means beating Dubbo College on its home turf.
Orange High Astley Cup coordinator Tegan Dray admits that won’t be easy, but said the hosts can rest assured the Hornets haven’t even considered the thought the third and final leg, which starts on Wednesday, is technically a dead rubber.
It’ll be tough on Dubbo’s turf, it always is when you travel, but we’re heading over there to win,” Dray said.
“We spoke at our assembly on Monday about how long it’s been since we lost both ties in the same year, and we don’t want that to happen this year, there’s plenty of school pride on the line.
“There’s no such thing as a dead rubber in Astley Cup, not with the amount of passion and sportsmanship around the competition, when you start thinking that way I think you lose a lot of that.”
Dray identified rugby league and the two football fixtures – boys’ and girls’ – as real danger games for her school, admitting the netball side she coaches and the Hornets’ hockey outfit are somewhat wary too.
“Dubbo is always strong in rugby league but I know both sides will without a few players, they’ll be at the [NSW Combined High Schools Boys’ Touch Championship], we’ve picked up a few injuries there too,” Dray said.
“They also have strong football teams, I think they’ve both done very well in the CHS Knockouts.
“I actually know Dubbo’s netball team has been improving a lot, a few of their players were in my Western CHS team and they’re strong. We have a lot we can improve on, that we know we can do, from the game against Bathurst, but that one will be a lot tighter. I think basketball will be too.
“I know the hockey girls are a little bit wary of Dubbo too, they’ve really been improving there too.”
Tennis kicks the tie off at 9.15am on Wednesday before the boys’ and girls’ football games from 11.30am and 2.15pm respectively, with hockey finishing the opening day’s athletic events from 2.15pm. The Mulvey Cup debate is on from 5.30pm.
Athletics starts at 9.30am on Thursday, before basketball at 11am, netball at 1pm and rugby league at 2.20pm.