The U16 hockey team have produced an outstanding Tier 1 campaign to reach the National Finals at Lee Valley Hockey Centre on 23–24 April, marking the first time in the school’s history that we have progressed this far in a Tier 1 England Hockey competition.
The group stage showcased the team’s quality and consistency, straight after their January mock exams, with commanding wins over SJWMS (7–0), Sutton Valence (4–2), Tonbridge (4–3) and The Perse (5–0). A 4–0 loss away at Whitgift was the only setback in an otherwise dominant start.
Momentum continued in the last 16 with a strong 3–1 victory over Trinity School, Croydon.
In the quarter final away at Taunton School, the team delivered one of their finest performances of the season. Leading 1–0 until the final 10 minutes, a late Taunton equaliser forced the game to penalties. Goalkeeper Hattie S produced three outstanding saves, allowing captain Raf D to secure a dramatic 3–2 shootout win with the decisive penalty. Across these matches, Raf D (9) and Frans-Louis VS (7) led the scoring with clinical finishing, supported by key contributions from Hunter C (3), Aaron J (2), Seb L-M, Matt CC, Benjamin M, Barney C and Aaryan R.
The team now awaits confirmation of their finals opponents, with the remaining Quarter Final ties as follows:
- Whitgift vs Reeds
- Repton vs Sutton Valence
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St George’s vs Warwick
A superb achievement and a proud moment for the school after years of hard work on the astro pitches by the whole team. We look forward to supporting them at Lee Valley as they compete for national honours and wish them all the very best.
With impressive victories in the group stages over Cranbrook (28-7), Bennett (49-0), Farringtons (24-0) and The Judd (24-7), the boys secured their place in the quarter-finals. Eltham finished with a points difference of 111, the greatest at the tournament, and also conceded the least amount of points on the day. The boys next progressed on to face Sevenoaks School in the final 8. A strong performance saw them claim a 24–7 win and progress to the semi-finals against Skinners, emerging victorious once again with a solid 26–17 result.
In the final, the boys took on Colfe’s, going on to secure an excellent 28–12 victory. Particular mention goes to Year 10 students Alex L and Tom F, playing up an age group, and to Alex J, Jayden M and Joe O, who were consistent throughout. The tournament was a fantastic way to prepare the team for Eltham VIIs next Tuesday, and Rosslyn Park in the final week of term. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in this outstanding achievement.
