Queensland squash champion Kayce Hoani-Vincent and emerging rugby league forward Reuben Saron are the Mercy College Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year recipients for 2022.
The talented duo were officially recognised for their superb achievements this season on the squash court, athletics track and football fields and accepted their awards at the College’s annual Sports Assembly last week.
15-year-old Kayce represented Queensland and Australia at the annual Trans-Tasman Schools Squash Tri Series Challenge in Brisbane back in August where she remained undefeated in singles matches.
A product of Mackay’s Squash 52 club, Kayce lined up for her beloved Maroons against the best junior squash players from NSW and New Zealand at the Daisy Hill Squash & Racquet Club complex and lived up to her mantle as the number one ranked female squash junior in Queensland with stylish victories in both singles and doubles formats.
At the end of the Tri Series, the gifted Hoani-Vincent made her international debut in Australian colours as part of a combined Queensland-NSW team and won all her singles matches against the formidable Kiwis.
Kayce has held her number one Queensland ranking since 2019 and puts it down to her arduous training schedule and desire to constantly improve.
She balances her Year 10 studies at Mercy College with three days of intense fitness training that includes speed, endurance and strength work plus honing her racquet skills on court.
When Kayce is not hitting a squash ball or devising on-court tactics, she can be found demonstrating her athletics skills as a pole vaulter or high jumper with Mackay Athletics Club.
The talented youngster has turned in encouraging performances in field events over the past 12 months.
Ranked number three in Queensland for her age group, she finished 8th overall in the Pole Vault at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships at Sydney Olympic Park back in April and later won the Pole Vault gold medal at the Queensland Secondary Schools Athletics Championships in Brisbane.
The powerhouse 15-year-old prop has attracted interest from both the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys after superb performances for Mercy College in the Cowboys Challenge schoolboy competition and with Souths Sharks in the Mackay& District Junior League.
He is a leading colt in both the Broncos and Cowboys Development Academies and is headed for a bright future in the National Rugby League.
Saron, a tough tackling forward and fearless warrior, made an impact in both rugby league and rugby union circles during 2022.
He was one of the best players on field when Mercy College suffered a heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Townsville’s Kirwan State High in this year’s Cowboys Challenge Shield decider and during the season represented Capricornia Under 15s with distinction in both codes.
Strong running Reuben showed his versatility when he spearheaded the Mercy College rugby union team to a Mackay Secondary Schools Rugby Sevens Under 15s title this season with his mobility, endurance and ball skills a feature.
Saron was best player on ground when he teamed up with Mercy College utility ace Saxon Crofts to help Brothers capture the Mackay & District Junior League Under 15s premiership after downing Wests Tigers in the Grand Final.
Both Saron and Crofts linked with Souths this season and along with Mercy’s Queensland Under 15s rep forward Cohen Jackson steered the club to the Under 15s finals series with consistent performances.
Reuben lists his father Phil Saron, a former Australian Schoolboys rugby league representative, as a major influence on his career to date.
Just like his dad – a speed machine on the field in his youth – Reuben has proved a sensation at centre for Mackay Rugby Club this season.
Under the coaching of Lincoln Grady – father of Mercy’s 13-year-old rugby starlet Callyn Grady – the promising Saron earned selection in the Regional Queensland team for matches against Brisbane and Gold Coast in the Emerging Reds competition.
Reuben’s immediate goals for 2023 are to force his way into the St Patrick’s College top grade squad and to tour with the Reds Under 16 representative rugby team.
By Chris Karas
