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2018 Schools' Championships Up And Running

Under 13 competition

Mark Williams reports:

07/02/18: A healthy entry of 65 pairs from 13 schools arrived at Eton on a bitterly cold Monday morning, and we were especially grateful for the hot drinks and food all day provided by Phil and his team.

This competition is for players in the Under 13 year group who did not reach the semi-finals of last year’s Under 12 competition.

There was plenty of competitive play in the pools, and it was good to see Holyport 1, High Wycombe 4 and Ipswich 7 winning their pools.

The pool winners had a bye through the 2nd round, which consisted of Pool 2nd v different Pool 3rd in each match. There were 4 instances of 3rd beating 2nd, and Aldenham 1 just squeezed through against Berkhamsted 5 12-11. In the 16 3rd round matches, there were 4 which went to 3 games and 5 instances of Pool 1st pairs losing to Pool 2nds; Holyport 1, Berkhamsted 3 and Highgate 4 were notable winners.

In the last 16, Berkhamsted 3 beat Highgate 1, and Highgate 2 beat Ipswich 2 in close 3 game contests, and were joined by Berkhamsted 1, High Wycombe 1 & 2, Ipswich 1, St Olave’s 1, Highgate 2 and Summer Fields 1 in the quarter-finals. All four matches were won 2-0 fairly easily by Berkhamsted 1, St Olave’s 1, Summer Fields 1 and impressively, High Wycombe 1.

In both semi-finals, the first game was won relatively easily by Summer Fields 1 and St Olave’s 1, but their opponents, High Wycombe 1 and Berkhamsted 1 respectively, offered a much stiffer challenge in the second game, before going down fighting. The final, between Summer Fields 1 and St Olave’s will be played at a later date (hopefully Finals Day on Saturday 24th March at Eton).

I am indebted to George Thomason, the Eton fives coach, for his excellent management of half the pools and the main Plates, and also to all players, spectators and Masters, who kept their patience and good humour on a very cold day.

Last Sixteen:

Summer Fields 1 beat Highgate 4 12-2, 12-4

Highgate 2 beat Ipswich 2 3-12, 12-9, 12-8

Berkhamsted 3 beat Highgate 1 14-12, 6-12, 12-10

RGS High Wycombe 1 beat Rydal 1 12-4, 12-0

Berkhamsted 1 beat Cranleigh 2 12-9, 12-2

Ipswich 1 beat Holyport 1 12-9, 12-4

RGS High Wycombe 2 beat Berkhamsted 2 12-6, 12-9

St.Olave's 1 beat Emanuel 12-2, 12-6

Quarter-finals:

Summer Fields 1 beat Highgate 2 12-0, 12-1

RGS High Wycombe 1 beat Berkhamsted 3 12-1, 12-3

Berkhamsted 1 beat Ipswich 1 12-4, 12-7

St.Olave's 1 beat RGS High Wycombe 2 12-6, 12-4

Semi-Finals:

Summer Fields 1 beat RGS High Wycombe 1 12-4, 12-7

St.Olave's 1 beat Berkhamsted 1 12-3, 12-8