With block rugby fixtures cancelled over the weekend, today's Sports Report may appear leaner in size, but it is no less meaner in content! Our basketball teams had mixed results during the week, as did our junior rugby teams; however in football, our senior girls' 1st XI recorded an emphatic win. And lastly in netball, the season may not have started for our teams but for one of our pupils, there has been incredible news in the form of a call-up to the U21 London Pulse NPL squad.
Netball
A huge congratulations to Abi Botterill who has been selected to play for the U21 London Pulse NPL squad!
Abi has been involved in an intensive round of trials over the last few weeks having been offered a late trial for the U21 Pulse squad. Abi attended the trial training session with Pulse and despite being super nervous (she has been playing in the U19 league and U21s is a big step up due to the physicality of players and skillset due to them being much older) put in a fantastic showing. The first trial was three hours long and at the end, she was then invited back for a second trial which was also three hours; involving fitness, drills, and match play. Abi was then offered a place in the U21s squad, training in London with London Pulse Adult Super League.
This is an amazing achievement for any adult, let alone a 17-year-old!
Basketball
1st Team vs Langley Grammar School
After their first loss of the season last week, our Shiplake 1st team basketball squad were eager to get back on to the court and play better than ever. The prologue to this game was just as ominous as the last; the team were, yet again, travelling away to face new opponents without key players. Nevertheless, the remaining squad travelled away and won a hard-fought victory against LGS in front of a sizeable Langley home crowd.
Shiplake played uncharacteristically sheepishly in the first quarter, permitting LGS a 13-4 lead. With key offensive threats identified on the LGS team, and a renewed focus on off-ball movement and communication on both ends of the court, Shiplake stormed back into the game, ending the half up 22-21.
Shiplake exhibited excellent team play at both ends in the remaining two quarters. Excellent passing and off-ball movement kept the offensive engine running for the away side, but Shiplake really shined as a team defensively in this phase, keeping their hands up and racking up an impressive 8 blocks against the LGS offence. LGS kept the game close, but Shiplake's intense defence gave the away side too many scoring opportunities for LGS to overcome. Final score: 46-42 to Shiplake.
Notable individual performances: J Greig-Bartram with 18 points, and K O'Connor and C Zhou with 10 points each.
Coach: Mr Cartwright
U14s vs Bohunt School Wokingham
In the final game of the group stage, Shiplake and Bohunt both arrived unbeaten in the league with it all to play for. Bohunt started the stronger side and stormed into a controlling 18-4 lead after the first quarter. Shiplake rallied together, led by Player of the Match O Woodward, and pulled the score back to 20-18 to Bohunt at the half-time interval.
The Shiplake defence was impeccable and managed to control the powerful attackers of Bohunt. However, we were let down at the other end with a few missed chances. The game ended 33-25 in favour of Bohunt, leaving Shiplake in 2nd place in the group at the end of this term's basketball.
This is a tremendous achievement for a team newly formed in September. These boys have shown that basketball at Shiplake has a fantastic future, and we will continue to grow and develop as a team. Everyone that has represented Shiplake in U14 basketball this year should be extremely proud.
Coach: Mr Gingell
Football
Girls’ 1st XI vs Salesian College
Last week, the girls’ 1st XI football team played Salesian College in their second match of the season. There was a huge improvement from the last match, with all girls displaying great skill and determination and wearing our new first team kit! Excellent play was seen from L Schoenmakers, working the ball down the pitch, and scoring a hat-trick! M Spooner and G Weedon had a great game in goal and brilliant play was seen from T Gillard, S Pendlebury and A Flower. The result was a fantastic 6-0 win for Shiplake, with goals from L Schoenmakers, F Lenthall and E Flower.
Well done to L Schoenmakers for receiving Player of the Match, and T Gillard for receiving Coach’s Player. We are all really looking forward to the next football matches next term.
Report: F Lenthall, Girls' Football Captain
Coach: Mrs Lovelock
Rugby
Boys’ U13A vs St John's Beaumont School
Final score: Shiplake College 20-20 St John's Beaumont School
Boys’ U13B vs St John's Beaumont School
Final score: Shiplake College 50-20 St John's Beaumont School
