RGS Hockey Players Continue to Flourish
During the Trinity term, Year Seven pupil Harrison Pritchard and Year Eight pupils Ollie White and Ethan Jennings were selected to represent the Midlands region for the Mercian Marauders Under 13 teams. They stood out among over 150 boys who tried out. Harrison and Ollie played for the Trophy team, while Ethan joined the Championship team. The training was rigorous, involving six full-day sessions over seven weeks, leading up to the UK Lions competition at Nottingham Hockey Centre.
The Championship team finished 5th overall, showcasing resilience and skill. Despite a slow start and challenging matches, the Championship team found its stride. After drawing 1-1 with Tensworth and 2-2 with eventual winners South Saxon and a narrow 2-1 loss to W Panthers, they bounced back with a remarkable 16-0 win over BAHA. Although they didn’t make it to the finals, they dominated the 5-10 position league, finishing 5th with strong victories over East Anglia, South Wales, and North Saxons.
The Trophy team emerged victorious, remaining undefeated throughout the competition, scoring 27 goals and conceding only 2. The Trophy team had a nervy start against Northern Ireland Giants, trailing 1-0 at half time but rallied to win 4-1. They maintained their winning momentum, defeating Solent 8-0, North East 4-0, and Tensworth 1-0, with Harrison scoring the decisive goal. On finals day, the team was unstoppable, winning 5-0 in the semi-final and 5-0 in the final, with Harrison scoring twice. This marks the first time a Marauders Boys team has won a competition undefeated: an impressive achievement.
In other Hockey news, during the recent Half term break, Year Eight pupil Lara Grace took part in Under 14 and Under 16 Derby Indoor UK Hockey tournaments. Playing with and against her own peer group, but also against those in the age group above her. On day one was the Under 14 tournament which consisted of 11 teams all fighting to make the knockout stages. Having been an instrumental part of the progress to the final game and the side being 2-0 down, the team knew a draw would see them crowned as overall winners. Lara scored the 2 goals that secured the draw and saw her team lift the trophy. Lara ended up as the top goal scorer giving her another award from the day.
On the second day, the Under 16 tournament began with 8 teams going head-to-head for the chance to take home the trophy. Lara scored an impressive 11 goals and was a focal part of the attacking penalty corner arsenal.
We look forward to seeing more of Lara’s successes over the coming months as she continues her Hockey journey over the summer at various high level competitions. Many congratulations to her and to Harrison, Ollie, and Ethan for their outstanding performances and dedication to Hockey.
Miss Sally Walton, Head of Hockey
