Shrewsbury travelled to the Malvern St James netball tournament on Saturday 4th February. Previous years the tournament has always been competitive, but very enjoyable. With encouraging results from netball fixtures so far this term and the continuation of Tuesday evening league, we were looking forward to the challenge, and for the first time we had 2 teams in the tournament. The tournament was divided into 2 pools; Division A and Division B, each game lasting 8 minutes in length, with 2 minute change over. The winners of Division A played the runners up of Division B and then the winners of Division B played the Runners up of Division A which lead to the final.   

Photo -  Katy Mason-Jones, Elen Murphy, Eli Palje Rhys-Davies, Lucy Emms, Alice Paul, Hannah Pritchard, Rebecca Haynes.

In the A division, Shrewsbury 1st VII came up against a very high standard, quick moving Christ College netball team and had fought back to a 4-4 score until Christ College pulled away to win 7-4. However, we came back with strength against Edgbaston High School and played to our full potential demonstrating clean, clear passing and excellent movement around court to win 7-5. The confidence of the team grew when it came to playing Malvern St James 2 and the excellent playing continued with beautiful movement of the ball from centre third into the goal third, and very tight marking by defence provided Shrewsbury with an 11-0 win. Our final game in Division A was against a strong Kings School; there were slight mistakes on both sides, however an evenly matched game to finish 5-5. 

Shrewsbury 1st VII came Runners up in Division A and had to meet Malvern St James 1 (Winners of Division B). Shrewsbury started off unsteadily, making unnecessary mistakes and forcing the ball which resulted in Shrewsbury trailing by 0-3. However Shrewsbury regained their confidence and played outstandingly well, passing the ball elegantly around the court, with beautiful finishing from the attackers to win 6-3. 

Shrewsbury 1st VII then met Christ College School who are renowned as a netball school in the final. Shrewsbury played amazingly, they picked up their game and their movement around the court was effortless. There was sharp passing down the wings to our fast moving attacking players who scored time and time again, which was further aided by our defence that blocked and zoned extremely well. The game was very intense and ended in a 5-5 score which resulted in 5 minutes extra time being played. Christ College in extra time brought their game up and went on to score 3 consecutive goals, however Shrewsbury fought back breaking their centre twice to come back, with the game finishing 7-8 to Christ College.

An amazing game played by both teams, with Shrewsbury School walking away with Runners-Up.

In the B Division, Shrewsbury 2nd VII also came up against Christ College 2nd as their first match. Once again a high tempo game, with quick movement around court and sharp passing skills, Shrewsbury were drawing level 4-4; however Christ College came back with strength and ended the game 4-7. Shrewsbury 2nd VII came back full of confidence against Hanley Castle and demonstrated their ability and experience with some excellent defending but also good movement of the ball from the centre third into the goal third, Shrewsbury dominated the game to win 8-2. This continued into the final game within division B against Malvern St James 1, Shrewsbury played well kept tight when marking and finished off most shots on goal they had. Shrewsbury demonstrated their skilful play and it was a very evenly matched game but Shrewsbury ensured that the finish was theirs, winning 5-4.

Shrewsbury 2nd VII came runners up in division B, which meant playing Christ College 1st team. Shrewsbury were stretched against such a fast team, however played extremely well and fought for each and every pass and shot, unfortunately Christ College were too fast and played effortlessly to win 2-9.

Shrewsbury then came up against Malvern St James 2 to decide who would take 3rd and 4th place. Shrewsbury started very well and demonstrated their ability on court, however the result of playing two consecutive matches  took its toll and Shrewsbury became tired. Malvern St James 2nd took their lead and just kept the lead to win 9-5 and take 3rd place. Shrewsbury 2nd VII then took 4th position out of 9 very high standard teams.          

Overall it was a great morning of netball and to see Shrewsbury 1st VII came away with runners up and Shrewsbury 2nd VII to come 4th against very high standard netball teams was excellent.

Congratulations Girls.

Miss Hartshorne and Miss Woo

Following their best performance at the Coventry national relays since 1998 with a second place on Wednesday, the Hunt went into Saturday's County Championships brimming with confidence, and looking to defend their Senior and Intermediate Boys titles, and hopefully challenge for the Junior Boys and Senior Girls trophies as well.  Despite the cold weather, over 20 Hunt athletes took to the start-line of the various races at Oswestry, with a number of other Hunt athletes due to compete in a Midlands League fixture in Worksop.

In the first race of the day, our Intermediate boys packed in well in the opening stages, with Rory Fraser, Otto Clarke and Toby Lansdell all tucking in to the lead pack.  The pace was relatively conservative, with none of the runners prepared to push on the pace in the opening lap of the race.  Indeed, these were the tactics for our lead runners, who were instructed to take things easy in the first lap then push hard in the final lap.  An earlier than expected challenge was mounted, however, by the 2010 Junior Boys' Champion Ben Ashcroft from The Grange, though Rory Fraser sensed the danger and kept on Ashcroft's heels.  Going into the final lap, Rory pushed hard and secured a lead, eventually finishing the race in some style with a win by a comfortable margin, winning the championship individual title and following in the footsteps of last year's winner Ed Mallett (and becoming only the third ever Hunt runner to have won the county champs in this age-group since the competition was begun in 1978).  With Otto Clarke coming home in 3rd, Toby Lansdell just outside the medals in 4th, and final 'counter' Angus Hayward in 13th, the team total of 21 points was more than enough to win the trophy for the third year running, the 16th time in 34 years the Hunt have brought the title home.  Fraser, Clarke and Lansdell have all earned county selection for the Nationals on the back of their performance.

In the Senior Girls' race, we brought a quartet whom we believed could really challenge this year in a championship race that we have never won since entering it in 2010.  However, following a strong performance at the national relays mid-week, the squad spirit amongst the girls was running high, and there was real confidence in them all.  The race proved an exciting affair, with our girls starting the race modestly, but over the course of the distance, their training kicked in and their superior stamina told.  Imola Atkins pushed through the field, and despite being off the pace in the first lap, she eventually ran through the positions to take home the individual bronze medal, adding to the silver she won last year.  However, this year, Imola was backed up by a talented group of L6th formers, and with Anna Thompson coming home in 4th, Becky Home in 5th, and Libby Naylor in 6th, our team total was convincing and meant that for the very first time, the girls lifted the Senior Girls' County Championship trophy, a proud day for all concerned, and a significant and historic one, for this was the very first trophy won by the Girls' Hunt - the first of many we hope!  All four girls will travel to the Nationals in March at Taunton as part of the Shropshire team.

With two trophies already won, our talented Seniors took to the field knowing that the squad was a strong one, despite being without Huntsman George Mallett (the 2011 individual County Champion), who was left at home struggling with an injury.   Tactically, we were hoping for a similar race to the Intermediate boys, but Ed Mallett found himself breaking free in the opening stages and pushed clear of the lead pack, isolating himself as a front-runner.  It was a move that would later cause problems, for in the second lap, Ed was chased down by last year's silver medalist Ryan Heath from Telford AC, who strode past him and took a lead of around 15m.  Yet Ed did not give up, and in a spirited fight back, by the time the runners moved into the final lap, Ed was within 5m of Heath, eventually pulling past him and restoring his early lead.  By the close of the race, the distance between the two was significant, possibly as much as 200m, and Ed was able to come home as Senior County Champion, a title he will be able to defend next year.   He follows in the footsteps of not only his elder brother George, but five other Hunt individual champions at this level, including Tim Bedell in the very first championships in 1978.  In the team event, Ed's performance was matched by a very impressive bronze-medal from the rapidly-improving Seb Blake, 5th place for Tom Cousins, and 6th place for Ed Lloyd.  A score of 15 (10 points is the 'perfect score') meant that the Hunt easily retained the team trophy for the third year running, and all four 'counters' have earned county-selection for the Nationals.

In the final race of the day, the Junior Boys took as strong a squad as we have had in a number of years, and it was our hope that they would return the trophy that we last won in 2009, and come home with the fourth trophy of the day.  We weren't to be disappointed, with New Boys' Race winner Oscar Dickins in fine form, coming over the finish line in 4th place in what was a very talented field (including winner of Shrewsbury Schools' recent Prep Schools' XC Champs, Packwood's Freddie Fielding- very much a star of the future!).  Our four counters came home with an impressive score of 29, with Oscar's performance added to by Tom Sykes in 6th, 9th place for Gene Ratanadaros, and Barnaby Seager in 10th place.  The fourth trophy of the day was won by our Junior Boys, making this an historic clean-sweep of trophies!  Both Oscar and Tom will join the twelve other Hunt runners who have been selected for the Nationals, and we look forward to seeing some strong performances from them all.

PJM, February, 2012

The Grove House Play 'Ten o'clock Angel' - rehearsal shots. Please also see slidewshow below

The Grove House Play was a tale of the eternal battle of good against evil, with some light touches and a good dose of comedy - most of it intentional! 'The Ten o' clock Angel' told the story of a not so good angel and a goody-goody demon coming back to earth for retraining at a remote abbey, and their antics with the members of that holy order. Set against this, the back-drop of a game show filming there with a special prize of an angel's blessing, and you have something of the plot.

All the actors and actresses delivered on the two night run; Jak Hannaby made a suitably impish angel, complemented well by an ethereally calm Jack Hodges playing the demon.

Good support came from girls from MSH and EDH - Amy Stockdale, Grace Pillsbury and Emma Pring proving great foils to the boys. Ben Smith was worryingly convincing as a sadistic abbot, and Sam Ansloos camped it up as the saccharine-sweet gameshow host Nause Gleamworld.

One of the great strengths of this play was that is was really an all - pupil effort, with Ben Gould proving a talented and energetic director. With more than 30 pupils involved, this was what a house play should be!

PGF

We wanted to give you a snapshot of how the RSSBC operates, how proud we are of our rowing heritage, but also what we are doing to train the next generation. The RSSBC is growing physically  (a new state-of-the-art boathouse and clubhouse, funded through the efforts of Foundation and Sabrina Club) and by number - more boys and girls are rowing than ever before.

 We hope you enjoy our video, made in partnership with our friends at Kukri Sports.

PG

Note to members of School staff: Clicking on the Play arrow below may not work if you are accessing the website from the School site (due to our proxy server settings).  You should be able to view it without any problems by following this link to the YouTube website.