The achievements of the Somerset College matric Class of 2016 were celebrated at the annual awards ceremony recently.
These are some of the top achievers who were recognised for their special contributions to the College. The Protean Award is awarded to students who in their matric year receive colours or honours in three or more disciplines.
This year the award went to Daniel Adams who was awarded colours for art, honours for service to the public relations portfolio and honours for academics.
The Pietas Award for the matric student who, in the opinion of the teachers, best epitomises the living out of “do what is right,” went to Hlomla Xauka who remains polite and considerate to people of all ages. He has a good sense of humour a positive outlook on life. Hlomla also received the Liesl Moller Cultural Award.
The Facta Award is awarded to a young man and woman who has made exceptional contributions to the College through their passion, commitment and achievement across a range of activities. This award went to Dominique Walls and Michael Burke for their extraordinary range of talents and contributions to the College.
Sportsman of the Year – Franco Carstens
This talented sportsman represented the 1st team of Somerset College for 3 years in two sports, namely, cricket and * ockey. Franco was awarded Colours for cricket and received a certificate of outstanding achievement for his bowling figures of an incredible 9 for 38 vs Pinelands, 5 for 50 in the Ashes vs Parel Vallei and 5 for 30 on the Sri Lanka tour. In the third term he received Honours for hockey. He made the Boland U18A boys team. He played extremely well during the IPT and helped Boland to a bronze medal. Franco went on to make the South African U18A hockey side, which won their series against the Australian U17 team, 3-0. This young sportsman was nominated Man of the Match in the first game of the series., He also played Club hockey for the Somerset West Hockey Club this year, which won their league and were promoted to the Grand Challenge league. Apart from this, he was a fantastic Captain of hockey this year and led the team to an impressive set of results this season.
Sportswoman of the Year – Frances Carstens
This exceptional sportswoman has set the sport scene alight this year, at College, at Club level, Provincial level and at International level. Frances was awarded Colours for water polo for her inclusion and performance for the U18 Boland water polo team. She was re-awarded honours for hockey. She was captain of the 1st * ockey team at the College and Captained the Boland U18A girls team who won gold at the U18 IPT in Bloemfontein where she was also awarded Player of the Tournament. These successes, together with being among the top goal scorers at the IPT, saw her being selected for the SA U18A side who played a tri-series against Australia. Frances also played a pivotal role in the Somerset West Ladies 1st hockey team who finished 2nd in the Grand Challenge league. She then went on to be drafted into the inaugural Premier Hockey League taking place in Johannesburg, playing for the Madikwe Rangers. To cap all of this off, she has been nominated by Boland as the Boland Sportswoman of the year, the winner of which will be announced in November. Running in her third Werf final at school, she won the Werf Challenge this year.
Dux Scholars: Dario Trinchero (Cambridge Dux Scholar) and Jordan Haantjes (Matric Dux Scholar)
Photographed with Meg Fargher, Executive Head and Gareth Tucker, Director of the College Cambridge Programme
Photographs: Victoria Brakhoff
