2011 Marsh National Schools' Championships: 96 pairs play in the Under 12s

Mark Williams reports:

A record entry of 96 pairs from 14 schools (including Rydal Penrhos and St Mary Abbott (Westway) for the first time) assembled at Eton.
This presented a challenge to the organisers, but the pools stages were nonetheless completed by lunchtime. Thereafter 64 pairs were entertained in what seemed an infinity of Plate Competitions, whilst the top 32 (23 from Highgate) proceeded to the second round. Highgate 17 defeated Summer Fields 1 12-11, Ludgrove 1 defeated Highgate 19 12-10 and Sunningdale 2 defeated Highgate 18 12-10, but no other matches were close.

In the last 16 (11 from Highgate), Highgate 21 just beat St Olave's 1 10-12, 14-13, 12-6, and Highgate 4 just beat Highgate 5 12-11, 6-12, 12-11, but otherwise all matches were in straight games.

In the quarter-finals (6 Highgate), Highgate 1, 2 and 17 won convincingly, but there was a fine contest when Sunningdale 2 beat Sunningdale 1 12-8, 12-9.

Highgate 1 and 2 both won their semi-finals dropping just 4 points in total each.
The final will be played on Monday 28th March at Eton.

Congratulations to Tony and Alison Brunner and Mark Collins at Highgate for producing such an extraordinary depth of talent, which included several girls.
Their first pair comprising an Under 11 year old boy and Under 12 girl are quite outstanding.

Despite the record entry play finished at 5.00 with every court in use continuously from 10,30, and my thanks to Seb Cooley, Gareth Hoskins and Paul Bowden, without whom this could not have happened.

Semi-finals:
Highgate 1 beat Highgate 17 12-2, 12-2
Highgate 2 beat Sunningdale 2 12-3, 12-1

Plate A1 (32 pools 3rd/4th): Belmont 1
Plate A2 (16 plate A1 1st losers): Ipswich 1
Plate A3 (8 plate A2 2nd losers): Highgate 20
Plate A4 (8 plate A1 1st losers): Sunningdale 3
Plate A5 (2 Plate A3 1st losers): Orley Farm 2
Plate A6 (2 Plate A3 2nd losers): Cranleigh 2

Plate B1 (16 pools 5th): Orley Farm 1
Plate B2 (8 plate B1 1st losers): Cranleigh 4
Plate B3 (4 plate B1 2nd losers): St Mary Abbott 1
Plate B4 (4 plate B2 1st losers): Cranleigh 6
Plate B5 (2 plate B1 3rd losers): St Olave's 4
Plate B6 (2 plate B2 2nd losers): Belmont 3
Plate B7 (2 plate B3 1st losers); Ipswich 4

Plate C1 (16 pools 6th): Orley Farm 3
Plate C2 (8 plate C1 1st losers): Orley Farm 7
Plate C3 (4 plate C1 2nd losers): Berkhamsted 3
Plate C4 (4 plate C2 1st losers): Berkhamsted 4
Plate C5 (2 plate C1 3rd losers): Summer Fields 8
Plate C6 (2 plate C3 1st losers): Rydal 2
Plate C7 (2 plate C4 1st losers): Rydal 4

Plate D1 (16 2nd round losers): Summer Fields 1
Plate D2 (8 plate D1 1st losers): Highgate 9
Plate D3 (4 plate D1 2nd losers): Highgate 7
Plate D4 (4 plate D2 1st losers): Highgate 13
Plate D5 (2 plate D2 2nd losers): Highgate 14
Plate D6 (2 plate D4 1st losers): Emanuel 1

Plate E1 (8 3rd round losers): Highgate 5
Plate E2 (4 plate E1 1st losers): Highgate 8