The National Schools Competition was held at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, from the 11-14 March.
The Key Stage 4 Boys’ Team
The Key Stage 4 Boys’ Team was one of the standout groups of the day. The team, consisting of Luke, Luca, Finn, Kyle and Rufus, breezed through the early rounds with impressive scores, making it into the final to face St Aidan’s School.
The Epsom boys remained focused, playing with precision and confidence but unfortunately the opposition had the depth to secure the win. The team ultimately claimed second place.
The Key Stage 5 Girls’ Team
The Key Stage 5 Girls’ Team consisting of Maja, Natasha, Cara, Satomi and Freya faced some tough competition in the early rounds. In the first match, the girls played Downe House – beating them 3-2, and taking them through to play Wycliffe.
Epsom’s teamwork was commendable as the girls supported each other in each of the matches, showing great team spirit. The girls played exceptionally, beating Wycliffe 4-1, which took them through to the final against Gosforth Trust.
The girls narrowly lost out on the trophy, losing 3-2 to Gosforth Trust. Despite this, they demonstrated the right attitude that will stand them in good stead for future challenges.
The Key Stage 5 Boys’ Team
The Key Stage 5 Boys’ Team was one of the favourites going into the finals. They lived up to the hype with a series of excellent performances. Their gameplay was sharp, with strong individual performances. However, in a thrilling final, they were narrowly defeated by Wycliffe 3-2. It was a heart-wrenching finish for the boys, who gave it their all, but ultimately settled for a respectable second place. Their performance highlighted the potential for great success next year.
The Key Stage 5 Mixed Team
The Key Stage 5 Mixed Team entered the finals knowing they had a tough competition. The team consisting of Luca, Kyle, Francesca and Sophie. They played against four schools, winning the first match against South Hunsley 4-0 and just losing out to Rainford High to the wire.
Despite facing tough opponents, the team’s resilience shone through as they fought through every point. The match was closely contested, but in the end the mixed team just fell short of securing a podium finish (fourth place). Nonetheless, the players gained valuable experience heading into the other competitions towards the end of the week.
Epsom College’s overall performance at the National Schools Finals was nothing short of exceptional. While they didn’t take home the top prize in every category, they proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with across all levels of competition. With continued work and dedication, they will undoubtedly continue to excel in future events. Their spirit and teamwork displayed by all the teams were a true reflection of Epsom College’s sporting ethos.
Surrey Squash Update
In early March, Surrey Squash hosted the Gold event at four venues across the county. Some of Epsom’s top juniors competed for ranking points, fighting for the opportunity for selection at the European and World Championships.
Ronnie claimed the top spot in the Boys’ U19 category with an outstanding performance throughout the competition, placing him first on the podium. Displaying remarkable skill and composure, his strong court coverage and depth of shots led him to secure the title.
Luke dominated the Boys’ U17 age group, using his physicality, being a great asset to his game. His first place finish puts him in good stead for selection for the nationals.
Indie performed admirably in the U17 category, finishing fourth place after a series of strong matches and Zac finished eighth in the U17 group.
