Under 13s Championships
St Paul's School, Barnes, 23rd March 2014
Peter de Winton writes: With thirty nine competitors, it was a healthy field of players, with all the usual competitive spirit and enthusiasm. We missed having boys from Loretto, Oundle, Richmond Park Academy and Derby Moor, but were pleased to have Rossall back, plus a bigger entry from Alleyn’s, and a lone entrant from Sedbergh Junior School. There was plenty of variety in the experience, style and physical size of those competing.
In the pool stage of the Singles Hirth of Alleyn’s emerged as the top player, losing no points in any of his games and impressing with his steadiness. Cochrane of Alleyn’s ran him close, losing just three points.
The other pool winners all achieved maximum points, and the seconds and four top third-placed boys were entered in the knockout stage where seven schools were represented. Knowles of Blundell’s and McGuire from Sedbergh both made short work of their opponents, so the final looked intriguing: an evenly matched contest with Knowles' extra height and all-round game pitched against McGuire's physicality. In the end Knowles showed consistency, composure and variety of shots to overcome his opponent decisively, 11-1, 11-3. The Plate was not staged in the usual way of involving the remaining players, in view of the need to sustain boys' energy for the afternoon Doubles, but it was resolved by the losing semi-finalists Hirth and Cochrane competing, with Hirth emerging as the winner.
We were able to start the Doubles soon after the half time break, though some pairs were frustrated as their opponents were still involved in knockout Singles action. Boys were clearly rested and ready for this section of the day, as typically the matches went on for longer and involved closer scores.
Of the eighteen pairs entered, this was gradually reduced to a quarter-final line up consisting of two each from Alleyn’s, Blundell’s, and Pilgrims, plus one from Merchant Taylors’ and Shrewsbury House. Pilgrims looked to have the edge at the semi-final stage with both two pairs still competing, but unfortunately they both lost to Alleyn’s and Blundell’s respectively, and the Doubles final was a closely fought contest with the superior strength and physical presence of the Blundell’s pair winning through. The Doubles Plate was also keenly contested, with 9 of the first game losers. Once again after a number of close games it was Blundell’s against Alleyn’s in the Final, and Blundell’s collected their third win out of a possible four.
My thanks to St.Paul’s for allowing us the use of the courts, to the coaches for their enthusiasm and flexibility, and to Frank Akerman and Dick Warner for their tireless support in helping to run the show. It is my fervent wish that one day we can run the championships over a weekend so that the full potential of the players in this age group can be realised. In this scenario, one could have bigger squads and players from more schools, and not be racing against the clock and worrying about the stamina of the boys. But I look forward to next year with confidence knowing that there is so much enjoyment of the game within this age group.
RESULTS
Singles
1st round: Hirth (Alleyn’s) bt Martin (Pilgrims) 15-0; Fernando (Pilgrims) bt McMillan (Shrewsbury House) 15-7; Murphy (Merchant Taylors’) bt Grassi (Pilgrims) 15-4; McGuire (Sedbergh) bt Hall-Tompkin (Blundell’s) 15-0; Knowles (Blundell’s) bt Bradshaw (Pilgrims) 15-0; Dautlich (Alleyn’s) bt Powell (Pilgrims) w/o; Whittome (Pilgrims) bt Gair (Rossall) 15-11; Cochrane (Alleyn’s) bt Le Gassick (Blundell’s) 15-8
Quarter-finals: Hirth bt Fernando 15-8; McGuire bt Murphy 15-1; Knowles bt Dautlich 15-0; Cochrane bt Whittome 15-8
Semi-finals: McGuire bt Hirth 11-5, 11-7; Knowles bt Cochrane 11-5, 11-0
Final: B Knowles (Blundell’s) bt McGuire (Sedbergh) 11-1, 11-3
Plate: Hirth (Alleyns)
Doubles
1st round: Pilgrims II bt Rossall I 11-7; Blundell’s IV bt Alleyn’s JII 11-4
2nd round: Pilgrims I bt Rossall II 11-2; Blundell’s II bt Alleyn’s JI 11-2; Merchant Taylors’ I bt Pilgrims III 11-2; Alleyn’s I bt Blundell’s III 11-5; Pilgrims II bt Alleyn’s III 11-4; Shrewsbury House bt Blundell’s IV 11-9; Alleyn’s II bt Pilgrims IV 11-0; Blundell’s I bt Merchant Taylors’ II 11-1
Quarter finals: Pilgrims I bt Blundell’s II 11-5; Alleyn’s I bt Merchant Taylors’ I 11-4; Pilgrims II bt Shrewsbury House 7-0 ret.; Blundell’s I bt Alleyn’s II 11-3
Semi-finals: Alleyn’s I bt Pilgrims I 11-4; Blundell’s I bt Pilgrims II 11-5
Final: Blundell’s I (B Knowles & W Hall-Tompkin) bt Alleyn’s I (A Cochrane & W Hirth) 15-10
Plate: Blundell’s III (J Le Gassick and G Vickery) bt Alleyn’s III (M Gill & H Turner) 11-8