By JUD MULLINS Wareena House was victorious in Wangaratta High School's 111th athletics carnival on Tuesday 1 September, winning for the first time since 2022. However, considering the '22 carnival was a modified lockdown iteration, this was the first time Wareena was able to lift the Bruce Revell Shield since its win in 2001 - 25 years ago. The team amassed 1395 points to salute by 133 from King (1262), with Merriwa third (1179) and Ovens in fourth place (932). Two cohorts significantly contributed to the win - year 12 (483 points) and year nine (477), but the year sevens (249) also helped seal the championship. Sandy Newman presented the shield to senior house captains Emilio Miliankos-King, Jack Ford, Ava Byrne, Pieper Gottschling and Jada Ryan, who were flanked by their junior captains, before their fellow team members joined them to celebrate. For the third consecutive year, the school's leading cohort at the carnival was the Merriwa crew currently in year 10, who accumulated 583 points alone, despite missing several key figures and having several others injured with severely reduced schedules. However, Wareena capitalised on the final year of their powerful year 12s, and made their last carnival one to savour. Principal Dave Armstrong presented the 12 age group champion medals, which were spread fairly evenly - Wareena 4, King 4, Merriwa 3 and Ovens 1. Five of the 12 were first-time winners, while others became multiple winners - Inanay Gilson (4), Milly O'Kane (4), Noah Anderson (2), Bella Boulton (2), Isabelle Christison (2), Ava Penney (2) and Teo Valle (2). The closest battle was decided by just one point, with Bella Boulton taking the title over Paige-Lee Dummett in the 15 girls. Boulton clinched the win due to receiving a bonus 10 points for breaking the 100m record which had been standing for 28 years. She is the only girl to currently hold multiple 100m records at the WHS carnival (having done the same in year seven), and the only athlete ever to hold records in the sprint triple - 100m, 200m and 400m - at the event. The only other medal decided by less than 10 points was the 17 boys, where year 10 Thomas Fieldew (83) ended the three-year reign of James Chisholm (76). Next closest was a 13-point margin in the 17 girls, with Isabelle Christison (74) engineering a 19-point swing to turn the tables on Emily Swinburne (61), who had beaten her by six points last year. All others dominated their age groups with large leads - Noah Anderson (48), Hugh Spring (43), Teo Valle (43), Inanay Gilson (40), Ava Penney (37), Skelly Manning (32), Chase Glendenning (24), Milly O'Kane (20) and Ashton Ryan (15). Of the many age group winners who created history, year 11 student Milly O'Kane's win was particularly special. In winning her fourth athletics title (she also boasts four swimming titles), she is now equal best of all time alongside Tom Ford and Rowan Barrow. However, with two carnivals left for Milly next year, she has the chance to move past Barrow and Ford. She has already set one record - winning the 'carnival slam' (both carnivals in the same year) - for a record fourth time. PHOTOS: Kev McGennan
