2025 SISS Mainland Volleyball Championships

By Simon Maole | Posted: Monday March 3, 2025

Our Senior Blues Volleyball team have returned to Dunedin as champions.

Travelling to Christchurch as the tournament's 8th seed, the Senior Blues Volleyball team was looking forward to experiencing a higher level of competition to challenge their skills and gain an indicator as to how they are progressing in their build up to Otago and National tournaments which are still to come this term.

Day one certainly proved the lads were up to the task as they played some good consistent volleyball to secure 3 wins from 3 games. 

A highlight was a comeback from being down 18 - 24 in the 3rd set versus South Island powerhouse Nelson College to take the set (and match), 26 - 24. The display of perseverance and courage under pressure would hold our young men of oak in good stead in the games to come.

On day two the lads would need to draw upon that comeback in their first match of the day as they found themselves locked in a tough battle against Riccarton High School. This match had our lads on the back foot down 1 - 2 sets and then tied at 24 - 24 in the 4th. A final push from our boys in hoops saw them take the 4th set 26 - 24 and send the match into a 5th set decider. Closing ranks for the 5th set our Senior Blues were united and focussed on the mission. With defences holding strong and the offence operating effectively they accomplished a 15 -11 victory to put them atop the pool with 1 game remaining. A comfortable 3 - 0 win versus St Andrews College had the lads the only unbeaten team in Pool A and into the semi-finals.

Day three brought a semi-final with old foes King’s High School. A loss to them 7 days ago was still fresh in our minds but a growing belief in our abilities as a collective unit provided plenty of motivation and an air of confidence. This time, a 3 - 0 win to the school on the hill sent us to the finals!

Cashmere High School, unbeaten and top of Pool B, were our opponents for the final. After nearly two hours of some great volleyball by both sides we were locked at 2 sets all; a 5th set once again. Leading 8 - 7 at the ‘swap sides’, the race to 15 was on as were the rising pressure levels. Our lads seemed to strengthen and with a sureness about them became your new 2025 SISS Mainland Champions, winning 15 - 11.

A great group of young men who competed with respect and honour brought a thoroughly deserved outcome for their efforts on and off the court.

1999 was the last time OBHS had won, and this win is only the third time a Dunedin school has won since the tournament's inception in 1996.