U12 IAPS Hockey National Final

The whole of the Year 7 boys cohort and three U11 boys travelled to Oundle to compete in the U12 IAPS National Finals.  This was not a regional qualifier; it consisted of lots of larger schools travelling across the country to compete such as Repton, Millfield, Merchant Taylors’. 

Joshua N was in goal with a defence of Sam H, Edward B and Miles S.  All the other players were the forward line and would rotate regularly as they tired.  The games were a quick 6 minutes each way so it needed to be high energy.

Our first game was against Clifton College and we defended well as the boys got used to the speed and skill of the opposition.  We conceded just one goal from a short corner.  

The next game against St Faith’s was a much more one sided affair as they ran out 3-0 victors. It was during this game that Sam took a ball to the chest and needed to be replaced.
The final game of the morning was against Hazelgrove and although we lost 2-0 it was a more even affair.

In the afternoon we were in the plate competition.  As we were 4th in our group, we were to play a 3rd placed team, who were Spratton Hall.  Previous experience against this school suggested it would be a tight contest; which it proved to be.  Spratton Hall scored first, but then St Hugh’s scored an equaliser through Edward B.  At the end of the game it was a 1-1 draw and it went to a period of golden goal, which was frantic, end to end hockey but Spratton came through on top.  

A super experience of a National Final in sunny weather, the boys returned in good spirits.