Serve, Receive, Set, Spike.

The girls Inter Block Games ended off on a splendid note with the final sport of the season- Volleyball. Since the C-Towners’ victory at Monday’s basketball match (which was closely matched up to by a very spontaneous block E), the girls from each of the 5 blocks were presented a single, final chance to do their respective blocks proud. The preliminary rounds comprised 3 sets of 15 points each, where teams had to own at least 2 sets to be considered the winner of a game.

C vs E
1st Set: 3-15
2nd set: 7-15

The Eekers started their very first set on a terrific spin, with service aces made by the whole team. Their rotation formation sustained them throughout the match, with their perpetual readiness for any rebound balls awarding them the upper hand. With a 7-0 lead from the beginning clinched from steady and reliable services, they predictably made their way to winning both sets despite the increasing resistance displayed by the C-towners who nevertheless persevered till the end.

B vs D
1st Set: 12-15
2nd Set: 12-15

In this match, both sides were almost equally well-matched and at par with each other. The Beekers and D-blockers both put up a tough fight but more errors were made on the part of the former, which led to the victory of the latter. Interesting to note would be that Denise (captain of IHG volleyball) from block B and Keng keng from block C came to a mutual agreement not to play in this particular game because they were previously from the same school team. Otherwise, more action could’ve plausibly been in store for everyone. ^^

A vs D
1st set: 9-15
2nd set: 15-6
3rd set: 15-0

Before this game, the Acers were the most feared among the rest due to their renowned teamwork and impressive individual skills since half the team has at least 6 years of experience in the sport. Yet, despite this, the D-blockers emerged victorious with a 15-9 score in the 1st set due to their convincing cooperation within the team and relatively few service errors being made. This jaw-dropping situation left spectators and the Acers themselves, stunned at the spate of events. However, much as everyone waited in anticipation for more action from the D-blockers, the tables were turned by an incredibly determined block A which bounced back on the courts, redeeming themselves and taking back what they felt had rightfully belonged to them. The 2nd and 3rd sets were thus won consecutively by the Acers, sweeping the D-blockers off their feet.

B vs E
1st Set: 10-15
2nd Set: 5-15

This round sparked a new degree of excitement, where the Beekers and the Eekers found themselves incessantly taking turns to point-by-point gain an edge over each other. It was certainly thrilling to see the two teams engage in a yoyo-style competition, each in a bid to defeat the other. Both teams achieved consistency in service, leading to fewer mistakes and better moves executed on court. Notably, Xiao Dan from block E exhibited some brilliant spiking which wow-ed the crowd, and Cass from block B displayed really smooth and beautiful services. The Beekers started to tire towards the end of the match, according a bonus to the Eekers and providing them the golden ticket to the entrance of the finals. Nonetheless, the former had irrefutably generated a good fight, proving itself a worthy team as well.

A vs C
1st Set: 15-3
2nd Set: 15-7

The fifth game of the day, contested between the Acers and the C-towners, paved the path for the former to the finals. Despite the C-towners competing against an indubitably stronger opponent (as evident from earlier matches) they hung on till the very end, making the extra effort to tauten the score differences. On the other hand, the Acers, replete with confidence and experience, were careful in tightening their defense tactics, taking care not to make any mistakes.

FINALS
A vs E
1st Set: 25-22
2nd Set: 25-21

Alas! The game that everyone had been so fervently looking forward to - The IBG Volleyball Girls’ Finals. Incontrovertibly, this was an exceptionally hair-tearing, nerve-wrecking match. For the incipient half of the first set, the Eekers were leading with their consistent service, but so were the Acers. Both sides displayed their own distinct set of skills, and it was an eye-opener for all to sit through the multiple rallies which lasted for a good while. Onlookers felt the adrenaline rush, the anxiety; cheering in anticipation throughout. The players from both teams were nervous – who would ultimately take home the title and attain a full 5-pointer for the block?

Albeit the Eekers’ initial head start with awesome teamwork and motivation earned from previous matches, the Acers quickly regained composure and secured the first set, which gave them a 1-0 lead, accompanied with a good morale boost. Subsequently, spectators had their eyes feasted on a more exhilarating set as Daphne Woo and Michelle Ng from block A started spiking, with Krystal Chew continuously setting the ball to them. An interesting tactic they adopted towards the end, though, was one where the players on the front line directly hit the ball back upon receiving it from block E’s service. This was matched up by block E’s tight, swift defence demonstrated by Ke Er, Amelia and Yi Xian. Despite the substantial defence brought together by the Eekers, there were gaps in between their rotational formation, stemming from perhaps, a lack of communication.

Subsequently, the Acers went on to secure the 2nd set, earning themselves the title of champions for the sport. Although the Eekers came in second, they had on the bright side, learnt the tactics of playing a smart game, and more crucial- shown that they were sporting players as well.

All in all, an excellent fight hauled in by all the blocks, but most importantly, I hope everyone enjoyed themselves because IBG should be played in the spirit of fun, laughter, peace and joy.

C-towners claim top honor in Soccer ( Men )

Excessive rain days before the competition means that the IBG Soccer tournament has to be played on muddy pitches. At the end of the day, it was the guys from Block C who not only overcame their opponents but also the merciless sun to triumph here.

First up,

Blk C vs Blk D

In the first half of the opening game, Blk D played cautiously against their superlative opponents, playing counter attacking football with a tight defence at the back. However, Blk C still managed to break down the resolute defence through Zhang Ren. The score stood at 1-0 at half time.

Knowing they have to at least draw to have any relistic chance of qualifying, Blk D came out attacking in the 2nd half. The offensive strategy exposed the defence terribly, with the impressive Wen Jun making it 3-0 within a few minutes. The C-towners could have extended their lead even more, only to rue their poor finishing.

Blk D did manage to score a screamer to make it 3-1 before Ming Woo scored another for Blk C. A defensive error at the back from Blk C allowed Blk D to score another consolation goal at the end.

The match ended 4-2 in favor of the C-towners.

Blk E VS Blk B

The 2nd game of the day was between the (B-E)eekers. In a dull 1st half which witnessed some sloppy plays by both sides, the Beekers made full use of the slack defending of the eekers to take the lead through Reuben. 1-0 at the break.

The eekers came out of the break all fired up. A shot right after the restart ended up hitting crossbar for the Eekers. The eekers piled on the pressure only to see a combination of good goalkeeping and bad luck coming in their way. Just as everyone thought that the 2nd half onslaught by the Eekers would end up futile, Hui Jie scored a rebound with virutally the last kick of the game to make it 1 all.

Blk E 1-1 Blk B

Blk A VS Blk D

Blk A takes to the field for the 1st time of the day against Blk D who was already on the verge of elimination. The game started off brightly for the Acers as Perrier scored a well-taken goal. It was not long after when Blk D equalised through Rodney. Perrier, who was in the heart of all the Acers' attacks double his tally just before e break.

The start of the 2nd half saw a flash of brillance in which Blk D scored a solo goal. It was the Acers who once again edged forward towards the end of the game to make it 3-2. There was still some time left for Vimal to score a sweetly-struck shot from far to end the game at 4-2.

Final score, Blk A 4 - 2 Blk D

Blk C VS Blk E

The C-towners registered yet another comfortable victory, this time round against the eekers. The eekers took the initiative and attack upon the whistle. After an elongated spell without goals, Blk C began to show their superiority by scoring 2 goals in quick succession. The 1st goal originated from a freekick from the left whereby Wen Jun provided a clinical finish. A lethargic Blk E conceded a 2nd goal with Wen Jun providing the final tap in. The half ended 2-0 to C-towners.

The 2nd half showcased a far better Blk E. They push up and attacked with more intent, coming close to scoring on a few ocassions. However, they were made to pay for their offensive strategy when Blk C scored on a swift counter attack. The Eekers missed a penalty in the dying minutes which summed up their day.

Blk E 0-3 Blk C

Blk A VS Blk B

An evenly-matched contest between Blk B and Blk A was the last qualifying game of the day. Blk B ace Reuben came to scoring on a couple of occasions before the Acers took the lead. As the match progressed, it was the Acers who capitalised on their chances and scored another 2 goals. Blk B however, was left to rue their poor finishing and their foul luck.

A scoreline which undermined the Beekers' efforts, 3-0 to Blk A.

FINALS

Blk A VS Blk C

The final showdown was between Blk A and Blk C. Both teams were equally capable of ending up with the coveted championship. With a mouth-watering clash set upon the Stadio De S.R.C, it's SHowtime!

Wen Jun who has been imperious in the previous matches proved his worth once again by giving Blk C the advantage. The scoreline remained for the remaining of the half.

The beginning of the 2nd half saw Blk A threatening to get back into the game. The acers missed a few golden opportunities to equalise before Joshua popped out of no where to dribble the ball past the 3 defenders and ended with a cool finish. Min Woo from Blk C also showcased his talents by charging through the defence from his own half before shooting to the left of the Blk A custodian. With Blk A pushing up in search of a vital equaliser, the C-towners ran riot at the other end of the pitch. Wan Jun scored another goal with a turn-shot before his team mates combined to piece together another Arsenal-like attack. The game ended 4-1.

Blk C too strong for other Blocks. Worthy winner indeed.

The Whissh and The BoomS

When it comes to Handball, No one beats Sheares Hall. There is only one reason, because we are the best! LoLx... This year IHG handball had no lack of talents on show, minus the seniors who are well versed in the game, many freshie or new players in the sport had show the hall what is Handball, the Sheares way.

First Match : A vs B
Result : Walkover
The unhelpful weather, coupled with some unfortunate reasons led to the Acers walking over their first game, well it alright thought because they manage to play some handball still later on :)

Second match: C v E
Result : 6 - 11
Traditional powerhouse Eekers lock horns with the C-towners. Deprived of alumni superstar pivot Law Lee, the C-towners still manage to put up a good fight against the Eekers, led by the many senior players such as Darren, Andee, Dhinesh, not forgetting the the ever youthful Big Nick and Junlong. Aided by some super saves by up and rising Goalie Si Yao, the game quickly turn to the favor of the Eekers, with 2nd year eeker volleyball superstar yonghui scoring his maiden IBG goal.

Third match: D v B
Result : 6 - 11
It is technically the first match for both blocks, but the beekers needed the game to proceed onto the finals, similar scenario for the Daredevils who wanted to get their campaign to a good start. However at half time, the experience of the beeker showed, leading at 5-8 to the beekers at halftime. The daredevils try to get back into the game after the break, with yeow lin and Jason chong on the end of several good moves, but the beekers defense held strong, with Jason Lee, You Rong, Teck wee leading the final charge towards a score of 6-11.

Fourth match : A v E
Result : 0 - 12
The Acers marked their return to IBG handball male in the 4th game, fielding a full team after some delays. But the eekers was too much for them, without any experienced players in the Acers line-up, The eekers quickly soared to a unsurmountable lead, with many freshies from the Eekers side tasting IBG handball first hand for a prolonged period. Yong Hui continued his good form with 4 goals, leadings all other scorers, and Hui Jie and Santa both getting their first IBG goals.. On to the finals they go...

Fifth match : C v D
Results : 11 - 5
When this two blocks meet, there is no such thing as a meaningless match. Despite both of the teams standing no chance to make the finals due to the previous matches, it was down to pride and honour for both the teams. Min woo got off to a quick fire double, with aloysious scoring as well to put the C-towners 3 up, and alumni superstar Law crashing another shot in 4 without reply. Daredevils didn't like that at all, Yeow Lin and Jason came on, combined and score 2 goals a piece to tie the game up at 4-4. Law riding on some good fortune, manage to make it 5-4 before Yeow Lin smash a salivating 9 metre shot into the goal. 5-5. But that was all she wrote, running out of gas, the Daredevils came short with the C-Towners pulling awy to a 11-5 victory aided by some Min Woo and Law Lee supershow...

Finals : B v E
Result : 11 - 19
The handball powerhouses met in the finals for an epic showdown. Both sides were very evenly matched with their fair share of imposing alumni and indomitable seniors. The finals were longer at 15 minutes a half. Notably, Siyao came up with several sprawling saves to keep the Eekers in the game. It was a close fight between both teams for the first 10 goals, after which the Eekers pulled away for a runaway victory. Goals were scored by Big Nic, Jason, Yong Hui, Andee, Sukee, Teck Wee, Jun Leong, Leo, Dhinesh. Cher Chuan, Jackie, You Rong and Vernon managed to get a goal a piece too! This was truly a mesmerizing match with all the skills that were seen on the court and the exquisite techniques seen. Congrats to the Eekers!

Eeker Santa!

Who Says Girls Can't Play Football?

What threatened earlier to be a day of no-shows and walkovers in for the girls’ IBG soccer turned out to be one of adrenaline pumping excitement, with four blocks going head to head to see who would emerge champion.

It began with an unfortunate walkover as the blue of Sheares Hall was conspicuously missing on the girls side of the tournament. But the Beekers were not the only ones in danger of missing players. The Eekers arrived with just five girls, two short of forming a team, before several more joined in later, and the C-Towners made a very late entrance just minutes before the kick off of the first match.

As with Touch Rugby the day before, the same venue was baking under the late morning sun as the teams warmed up, getting their studs (and for some, ordinary track shoes that would never be the same again) used to the muddy playing field.

Acers Versus Dee-Blockers

Blocks A and D got us under way, and with their male block mates playing on the pitch beside them, the girls more than matched their enthusiasm from the first kick of the ball. The Dee-Blockers started brightly, with most of the play coming in the Acers half as they pushed relentlessly for an early advantage.

That's mine: Acers and Dee-blockers rush for the ball

They got just that, drawing first blood before half-time, and celebrated the first goal of the tournament, much to the delight of their support on the sidelines. It did not take long for them to double that lead. With the action still very much in front of the Acers’ goal, and some very very near misses on either post, Si Lei of Block D fired a second to give her team a two goal lead.

The Dee-blockers were starting to look comfortable, when the Acers turned up the heat as everyone expected them too, and snuck one in for themselves, pulling the score back to 2-1 and setting up an exciting finish to the match.

Booting one high: Block D clears a dangerous ball

The team in white, however, held its nerve and on to the lead and finished the match as deserved winners.

C-Towners Versus Eekers

The second match saw the ladies in black take on the Eekers, with a majority of freshies on both teams. Under the increasingly scorching sun, it was Block E who struck first, with a shot that chipped the keeper and fell just beneath the crossbar. 1-0 Eekers.

The C-Towners defended resolutely till half-time, putting in a chance or two of their own but there was, unfortunately, no way past Eeker keeper Amelia Sheares Chua.

After the break, the Eekers started the match as they had left it, with Block C unable to handle Yi Xian’s speculative shot on goal, which trickled just over the goal line, doubling the lead for Block E.

It was one-way traffic from then on, despite the C-Towners very gallant defensive efforts. The Eekers put another three past the keeper, including two goals from Weivien. Not bad at all from someone who had only an hour ago been dragged out of bed as a very late inclusion into the squad after a no-show from several original team members. :D

The match ended 5-0, with the Eekers avenging their netball thrashing at the hands of the same opponents earlier in the week.

Final: Dee-Blockers Versus Eekers

The walkover of the Beekers meant that Block E had reached the final, however, there were suggestions by other blocks that there should now be a carnival style line-up to the tournament.

Unfortunately, the C-Towners, who were to face the Dee-Blockers, lost a couple more players due to exhaustion and heat, and as a result, it only made sense for the immediate progression of Blocks D and E into the final, having won their two qualifying rounds. Block A, to their credit, very sportingly agreed to such an arrangement, even if that meant they were denied a chance to redeem themselves after the earlier loss.

So the final kicked off with Block D getting off to a dream start, breaching the Eekers’ defence for the first time that day, taking a 1-0 lead in no time at all. The Eekers tried to recover and find a response to the early shock, but their surges up front often left the field wide open for counter attacks by Block D, who could have added to their lead if not from solid defending from Eeker captain and centre-back Elyssa, as well as some decisive goalkeeping from Amelia.

The score remained 1-0 to Block D at half time, and both teams left for separate team talks from the guys from their respective blocks. It was nearly noon by then and both teams took the chance to keep themselves hydrated before another ten minutes of play.

WHEEE!!: Dee-Blocker takes a throw-in

The second half began with the Dee-blockers attempting to give themselves a more comfortable lead, and it was left to the defence of Block E to thwart them again and again.

Their inability to double their lead appeared to be costly to them, when their defender committed a foul an Eeker striker as she was through on goal, resulting in a penalty for Block E. It was heart-in-mouth time for both sides, as Elyssa stepped up for the kick, only to be denied by the Block D keeper, who guessed the right way.

There seemed no way back for Block E as it came down to the final minutes of the game, when Elyssa, fueled by the frustration of the prospect of a loss, made what was arguably the run of the tournament, in an epitome of unwavering spirit of the Eekers.

Abandoning her defensive duties, she intercepted a corner by the Dee-Blockers and charged down the sideline, weaving her way past every defender in her way and emerging to successfully cross the ball into the path of her onrushing teammate, whose first shot was parried by the keeper. The rebound, however, fell back to the Eeker, whose shot found the back of the net within seconds of the final whistle, giving Block E the lifeline they were looking for.

The match, thus, went into extra time, with 3 minutes of play per half. If the Dee-Blockers were disappointed at having conceded late in the match, they did not show it. Instead, they pushed even harder, and found themselves ahead in minutes, with Adeline beating the defence for pace and putting an unstoppable shot into the Eekers’ goal.

It was heartbreak for the Eekers but ecstasy for Block D and their supporters, who ran onto the pitch to celebrate what would be eventually the winning goal of the match. There was no comeback this time from Block E, and not even Mayves’s last gasp volley could pull them back level.

It finished 2-1 to the Dee-blockers after extra time, in a well-earned victory they deserved to enjoy, but it was a spirited performance the Eekers could take heart from and be proud of.

Still saying Eeeeee: A performance to be proud of

C-Pak Takraw Warriors take home Gold

If you all can still remember, Thursday, 19th August was a night of fast paced, high skilled action by Sheares Hall's Sepak Takraw warriors. The display of skill and technique was un-matched by any other sport. Sepak Takraw is one of the few sports which require the concentrated power of a Muay Thai boxer combined with the light and delicate touch of a Table Tennis player. The complexity of this sport is the reason why many fail to understand the awesomeness of Sepak Takraw.

Nevertheless, that night all eyes were on the synthetic rattan ball in our very own Sheares MPSH.

Here are the various results.

Match 1: C vs E

1st Regu 21 - 12
2nd Regu 21 - 12
3rd Regu 15 - 21

The freshies from blk E displayed great potential in the sport, however, their lack of experienced takraw seniors caused them a loss against Blk C.

Match 2: B vs D
1st Regu 10 - 21
2nd Regu 11 - 21
3rd Regu 16 - 21

Lengendary Takraw powerhouse blk D swept all 3 sets away from blk B under the guidance of a total of 10 seniors and alumnus of the Shearepak brotherhood.

Match 3: A vs E
1st Regu 17 - 21
2nd Regu 21 - 19
3rd Regu 21 - 15

Blk E put up a brilliant fight against blk A. During the second set however, Blk A fought back from a 10 point deficit to win by a narrow margin of 21 - 19. This was after a tactical time-out called by the Legendary Takraw Killer Dalun who gave the team a fate-altering pep talk during the break. Dalun finished off the game by taking home the last set.

Match 4: B vs C
1st Regu 12 - 21
2nd Regu 21 - 13
3rd Regu 12 - 21

Blk C took a quick and early lead in the first match. Blk B, desperate to win over the 1st set, made a substitution that brought in 2 experienced seniors. However, blk C's Huge Hieu stood his ground firmly to win the first set with a comfortable margin. Blk B won the second set against Blk C but it was clear it was too little too late as blk C finished off the last set with a win.

Match 5: A vs D
1st Regu 6 - 21
2nd Regu 7 - 21
3rd Reg 21 - 13

This last preliminary match would determine which of these 2 blks would have a place in the finals. Blk D, expectedly, finished off A early to secure their route to the finals.

Final: C vs E
1st Regu 21 - 16
2nd Regu 21 - 19

In this mind blasting finale, it was not only a game of skill and technique on the court, but also a tactical battle. Blk D decided to save their best regu for last as they fielded one senior, JingWen for the first regu. Blk C too, fielded only one senior, Hieu for their regu. Fortunately, the young players from Blk C complimented Hieu perfectly to defeat Blk D. Unfazed, blk D sent out Weisong for the second match. It was a similar story again when potential Sepak Superstars Yuquan and Keang from blk C covered Siu Sing's mistakes when playing against Blk D. Halfway into the game, with blk C still in the lead, the Dees tried to save the game by replacing one of the strikers with our Sheares IHG striker Joshua. They successfully closed the gap against C, but C held on to win only by 2 points, securing their first Gold for the blk C guys.

paiseh for the late report, the blk C guys were too busy winning gold over the weekend for another sport involving our legs.

[C-Towner] siu sing

Can't Touch This!

Residents of Sheares Hall trooped down to the SRC ,early in the morning, anticipating an eventful day of entertaining Touch Rugby! However, due to some complications in the booking of the field, the event got off to a late start. This event was held in carnival style thus every block had to play one another and our boys were ready to dazzle us with some slinky moves.

Acers vs. C-Towners

In the opening match, the Acers sent out a stern warning to the C-Towners by putting 5 tries past them. The Acers had bolstered their team with speedy Alumni Dexter and Joshua. They have had been the backbone of our IHG Touch Rugby team in the past and were here to teach the juniors a thing or two with their mazy runs and exquisite jinking. First, Choon Kiat opened the scoring by bursting through the left flank and short after him Dominic added a second by bursting through the right flank in almost the exact same manner. They had taken advantage of the opponents' inability to back off 5m in time in defence. Wayne then consecutively scored a third and fourth try due to poor defending by the opponents. Joshua opened up the defence with precise splitting passes and it was no surprise that the tries were scored. Finally Zip added a final fifth try by bursting down the flank single-handedly and his pace was just too much for the C-Towners to handle and they were left in his wake. Indeed the first match was a sign of more things to come.

Final Score: Acers 5 C-Towners 0.

Beekers vs. Dee-Blockers

Beekers got off to a great start by sppedy gonzales Altaff. He calmly burst across the entire defence and scored a try in the far corner. Not to be outdone, the incoming IHG Touch Rugby Captain Jason, sprinted through the right flank to equalise. Our Birthday Boy Sukee put the Beekers in the lead by finding the gap through the center and side-stepped 2 players on-route to scoring a try. It demonstrated sheer class and beauty as his footwork was just breathtaking. Speed Demon Yeow Lin then evaded the entire defence to equalise with a try. Altaff then put the Beekers in the lead once more by spotting the gap in the defence and charging through it at full speed. It was exhilarating to see an exhibition in speed!

Final Score: Beekers 3 Dee-Blockers 2

Eekers vs. C-Towners

Darren opened the scoring for the Eekers by intercepting a lose ball and showed composure by racing to the try line for his first try of the event. Nimble handling from his years of experience in basketball was clearly evident. Brent scored the second try for the Eeekers by throwing a feint to the opposing defender. The red flag of the Eekers was flown high!

Final Score: Eekers 2 C-Towners 0

Acers vs. Dee-Blockers

Joshua and Dexter were wrecking havoc all over the pitch and their ability to read the game was spell-binding, Precise passes from them ensured that Daniel and Zip were able to score easy tries to rip the Dee-Blockers defence into shreds.

Final Score: Acers 2 Dee-Blockers 0

Eekers vs. Beekers

Beekers scored first through Altaff as he again utilised his pace to overwhelm the defence. Eekers are renowned for their fighting spirit and the showed just that as they equalized to IVP player Dhinesh. He easily burst through the gap and his long strides were just mesmerizing! In the closing minutes, Beekers were lucky to capitalise on a fast break and punished their opponents with a try by the magnificent Altaff.

Final Score: Eekers 1 Beekers 2

C-Towners vs. Dee-Blockers

Dee-Blockers showed their superior speed and class with four tries. Jason grabbed 2 tries while Hong Yi and Yeow Lin scored 1 try a piece. This was attributed to their fleet footwork and the C-Towners had no reply to their lunging runs.

Final Score: C-Towners 0 Dee-Blockers 4

Acers vs. Eekers

Eeekers took a surprise lead through newcomer Vincent as he took advantage of some slack defending. Zip then scored for the Acers by bursting through the flank. Shortly after that Marcus followed u to put the Acers in the lead by spotting the gap and used his excellent ball-handling to his advantage.

Final Score: Eekers 1 Acers 2

Beekers vs. C-Towners

Altaff and Rueben both scored a try a piece as their overcome a lacklustre C_Towners' defence and took the game to the edge easily. C-Towners fought tooth and nail but the Beeker defence was just too impenetrable and their fortress was never under siege at any point in the game.

Final Score: Beekers 2 C-Towners 0

Eeekers Vs. Dee-Blockers

The Eeekrs played their last match of this event with their head held high. However the Dee-Blocker persistent offense was too much to handle and they put to tires past them from Hongyi. Eekers managed to grab a consolation try through Vincent as they bowed out from IBG Touch Rugby 10/11 with their pride intact!

Final Score: Eeekers 1 Dee-Blockers 2

Beekers vs. Acers

It was the clash of the titans and the battle of the Goliaths. The most highly anticipated match of the event ended in a disappointing stalemate as both sides were very evenly matched, with their star-studded quality of course, and they were unable to break down the defence of one another.

Final Score: Beekers 0 Acers 0

IBG Touch Rugby 10/11 was conducted smoothly with the assistance of IHG Touch Rubgy Captains Cassandra and Jason Chong. Good job to all the players for taking to the pitch despite the very muddy ground! This event clearly demonstrated the Sheares spirit of resilience and determination. Till next year then where our silky smooth skills and dazzling footwork continue to thrill the crowds! The final standings are as follows.

First: Blk A

Second: Blk B

Third: Blk D

Fourth: Blk E

Fifth: Blk C

Eekers Kumar! :)

Softball Saturday

Disclaimer: The contributor acknowledges his lack of familiarity when it comes to softball (other than the stuff he read on wikipedia) and hence would like to apologize sincerely for any errors in terminologies and observations. Also, he only slept 2 hours the night before, so cut him some slack, pweeeaseeee!!!

NUS Field Thing (The one next to the Science Car Park), Saturday, 14^th August 2010 – After playing the Acers and C-Towners during the qualifying rounds, the Eekers faced the C-Towners again at the Inter-Block Games Softball Finals. After a long-fought battle that kept the spectators at the edge of their seats, the Eekers eventually triumphed over the C-Towners, earning themselves the glory of being the winner of the IBG Softball.

The qualifying matches started at around 8am. Despite being an early Saturday morning, the competitors were not showing any signs of school-induced fatigue. Even before the start of the first match between the Eekers and the C-Towners, all the blocks were busy warming up and, for those new to the sport, taking a crash course in playing softball.

Eekers vs C-Towners

The opening match of the IBG Softball did not disappoint. The Eekers scored an early homerun when it was their turn to bat. Coupled by a weak defence mounted by the C-Towners, the Eekers ended the top half of the first inning way below the time limit, as they had scored the maximum 7 points.

The bottom half saw a significant improvement in the C-Towners’ performance. Most notably, Block C’s star player, Abhi, batted spectacularly and a catch by a Block C catcher sent one of the Eekers’ Star player out.

During the 2^nd inning, the Eekers maintained a solid balance of offensive and defensive strategies, whereas the C-Towners defended aggressively. Eventually, the Eekers triumphed with the score 7-4.

Batting like a pro

Acers vs Beekers

The 2^nd qualifying match was a rather intense match, as both the Beekers and the Acers were equally skilful. Hence, at the end of the top half of the 1^st inning, the score remained at 0-0.

During the bottom half, the Acers displayed an aggressive approach to batting. Though marred by near misses like forgetting to touch the home base, the Acers brought an early end to the 1^st inning by reaching the maximum 7 points short of the 5-minute time limit.

During the 2^nd inning, the Beekers stepped up their batting performance to the point of breaking the Acers’ tight defense. Their efforts proved fruitful; the Beekers scored 2 consecutive hits.

Eventually, the Acers won the game through their consistent performance in batting and defending.

Final Score: 9-2

Pep Talk

C-Towners vs Deeblockers

The 3^rd Qualifying match started off as a rather close match. Both the Deeblockers and C-Towners were on par with one another in batting and catching. At the end of the top half, the C-Towners gained an edge over the Deeblockers, with the score 2-0.

However, during the bottom half, signs of miscommunication and confusion started to show amongst the Deeblockers’ catchers. The C-Towners took the opportunity to bat at their best. C-Towners Abhi and Joseph Lee batted spectacularly and helped their team collect 6 points during the top half of the 2^nd inning.

During the 2^nd inning, the Deeblockers’ mayhem continued. Possibly intimidated by the C-Towners’ batting performance, the Deeblockers’ batting line up was, to a certain extent, dismal. Mistakes like the batter on the 1^st base not moving to the 2^nd base cost the Deeblockers dearly.

It was only at the bottom half that the Deeblockers managed to step up their defence. However, the C-Towners batted spectacularly yet again and eventually won the game with an amazing score of 13-1.

Dee-Cup (very) Pro

Eekers vs. Acers

This match between the Eekers and Acers was highly anticipated, as both the blocks had displayed their prowess in the sport in earlier games. Hence, it came as no surprise that the game was an extremely close match filled with many nail-biting moments.

The level of excitement reached a whole new level during the 2^nd inning, where the Eekers squeezed in 2 points just before the end of the 5 minutes. Also, Eeker Taylor batted far out and scored a home run.

The Acers retaliated during the bottom half, where Acer Sharon attempted a home run under extremely risky circumstances. The Acers’ efforts pulled off and the 2^nd inning ended with the score 5-7.

The drama continued during the 3^rd inning, as both the Acers and Eekers were both very determined to outdo one another. In the end, the Acers won the game marginally with the Eekers only one point behind. Final score: 9-10.

Eyeing the ball

Beekers vs. Deeblockers

Having learnt much from their match against the C-Towners, the Deeblockers put on a great performance against the Beekers. Still, the their performance was not as outstanding as that of the Beekers. The Beekers batted and defended consistently and won the game eventually with the score 8-4.

FINALS: Eekers vs. C-Towners

Both blocks, having had a spectacular run during the qualifying rounds, performed excellently. Batting was great for both the blocks, even though block C’s performance did dip slightly due to the absence of one of their star-players. Defence-wise, both teams defended strongly and there was good communication between the players. The Eekers fought particularly hard and was eventually rewarded with the glory as being the winning team for the IBG Softball 2010 with the score 7-4.

For more photos, please visit the IBG Softball Photo Album