Mark Williams reports:
Wednesday 26th March: Record numbers of pairs continue to descend on Eton as the Marsh Insurance N/national Schools' Championships progress towards the finals at the end of the week.
U16s
52 pairs from 17 schools entered this competition, with the top eight pairs seeded out to the Last 16. Three pairs qualified from each pool, and the second round was between second and thirds. Eton (6), Highgate (4) and Shrewsbury (3) had most pairs qualifying from the pools. The highlight of the second round was a very close match between Emanuel 1 and Eton 7, which the former won 13-11 in the deciding game.
The pool winners had a bye through to the third round and R/rydal, Mill Hill 1, Eton 3, Highgate 3, Shrewsbury 2 and Eton 5 all won comfortably in three games. Eton 4 dropped a game against a spirited Highgate 6, but the match of the round was between Shrewsbury 3 and Berkhamsted 1. Shrewsbury won the first two games, but Berkhamsted recovered strongly to level the match at 2-2 and the fifth was level all the way until Shrewsbury pulled away right at the end to win 12-10.
The top eight seeds joined the qualifiers in the Last 16 and Shrewsbury 1, Eton 1, Highgate 2, St.Olave's 1 and Ipswich 1 all won in three games. Eton 4 and Shrewsbury 2 played very well to defeat seeded pairs Latimer 1 and Eton 2 respectively, and Shrewsbury 3 took a game off Highgate 1. Today's quarter-finals should produce some interesting matches.
3rd Round
Eton 5 beat Berkhamsted 2 12-6, 12-7
Eton 4 beat Highgate 6 12-7, 12-2, 9-12, 12-4
R/rydal 1 beat Highgate 5 12-6, 12-4, 12-4
Mill Hill 1 beat Westminster 1 12-0 ret
Highgate 3 beat Eton 6 12-5, 12-3, 12-7
Eton 3 beat Emanuel 1 12-3, 12-1, 12-1
Shrewsbury 2 beat Highgate 4 12-4, 12-3, 12-5
Shrewsbury 3 beat Berkhamsted 1 12-5, 12-7, 8-12, 9-12, 12-10
4th Round
Shrewsbury 1 beat Eton 5 12-8, 12-2, 12-1
Eton 4 beat Latymer 1 10-12, 12-7, 12-11, 14-13
Eton 1 beat R/rydal 1 12-2, 12-6, 12-7
Highgate 2 beat Mill Hill 1 12-5, 12-6, 12-3
St.Olave's 1 beat Highgate 3 12-5, 12-3, 12-5
Ipswich 1 beat Eton 3 12-2, 12-2, 12-2
Shrewsbury 2 beat Eton 2 14-12, 6-12, 12-4, 12-9
Highgate 1 beat Shrewsbury 3 12-8, 12-7, 8-12, 12-4
U15s
Harrow 1 played stirringly well to defeat Shrewsbury 1 but the other three quarter-finals were all very close affairs. St.Olave's played with more consistency than Harrow 2 and won in straight games, although two were set; Highgate 1 found themselves 2-1 down to a talented and hard hitting High Wycombe 1 but dug deep in the fourth game to turn the match round 12-9 and won easily in the fifth. Berkhamsted 1 also found themselves 2-1 down against Highgate 2, and after narrowly winning a desperately close fourth game, found confidence to win the fifth 12-6.
Both semi-finals were won in straight games by Harrow and Highgate, but Berkhamsted played with real spirit in the first game against Harrow and lost by the narrowest of margins. St.Olave's were outplayed in the first two games, but scored 9 points in the third. We eagerly await today's final.
Quarter-Finals
Harrow 1 beat Shrewsbury 1 12-0, 12-4, 12-8
Berkhamsted 1 beat Highgate 2 9-12, 12-9, 8-12, 12-10, 12-6
Highgate 1 beat High Wycombe 1 12-6, 4-12, 9-12, 12-9, 12-2
St.Olave's 1 beat Harrow 2 14-12, 12-6, 13-11
Semi-Finals
Harrow 1 (R.Wijeratne & O.Denby) beat Berkhamsted 1 (M.Skelton & C.Nicholls) 13-12, 12-5, 12-9
Highgate 1 (A.Balsanu & M.Andrejevic) beat St.Olave's 1 (J.Oxley & M.Pugh) 12-4, 12-6, 12-9
Open
54 pairs from 15 schools entered this competition and it was pleasing to welcome a pair from Tring School (both ex-Berkhamsted) for the first time. The top eight pairs were seeded out until the Last 16. St.Olave's (4), Eton (4), Shrewsbury (4) and Highgate (3) got most pairs through the pools stage. Pools winners received a bye to the 3rd round.
In the second round, Harrow 2, St.Olave's 2, Mill Hill 1 and High Wycombe 1 all lost a game to Eton 5, Shrewsbury 4, Shrewsbury 5 and Shrewsbury 9 respectively, but Westminster 2 & 4, Highgate 3 and Shrewsbury 3 all won in two straight games.
In the third round there were wins in three straight games for Westminster 2, Eton 3, Highgate 4 and Shrewsbury 3. St.Olave's 2 & 1, Highgate 3 and Mill Hill 1 all dropped a game to Berkhamsted 1, Harrow 2, St.Olave's 4 and Highgate 5 respectively.The top eight seeds join the qualifiers in the Last 16 today.
3rd Round
St.Olave's 2 beat Berkhamsted 1 12-5, 12-7, 12-13, 12-2
St.Olave's 1 beat Harrow 2 12-6, 12-8, 12-6
Westminster 2 beat Eton 6 12-6, 12-4, 12-4
Highgate 3 beat St.Olave's 4 12-3, 9-12, 12-9, 12-2
Mill Hill 1 beat Highgate 5 10-12, 12-6, 12-7, 12-9
Eton 3 beat Westminster 4 12-3, 12-4, 12-5
Highgate 4 beat High Wycombe 1 12-1, 12-2, 12-3
Shrewsbury 3 beat Eton 4 12-11, 12-6, 12-7