U19s through to National Netball Finals

On Sunday 29 January, Bancroft’s had three teams (U19, U16, U14) playing in the Regional Finals of the National Schools’ Netball Tournament held at Redbridge Sports Centre.  By this stage in the Tournament, there are no easy opponents and every single match counts.

The U14 played well, although they were faced with the usual challenge of height difference between them and their opponents!  The girls finished in sixth place in the group; there were lots of Remove players in the team who will still be eligible to play next year.

The U16 team was a depleted squad with several key players missing due to sickness or injury.  Despite this, they did very well, winning their first two games before coming across very strong opposition.  They finished in fifth place.

The U19s, also beset by sickness,  won their first three games against St Helen’s (9-7), Benenden (17-15) and Coloma Girls (10-7)  before a very close game against Lady Eleanor Holles.  Unfortunately, the Bancroft’s girls lost by a single goal (11-12), and were about to shoot for a draw when the final whistle blew.  The girls were devastated, but they pulled themselves together to beat King’s 14-5.     The final match of the day saw Bancroft’s face their old adversary Barking Abbey.  Thanks to a Guildford victory over Lady Eleanor Holles, Bancroft’s knew that progress to the National Finals was possible.   At this crucial stage, the Woodford girls needed just one point to qualify as silver medallists.  With Barking Abbey's very solid defence and  efficient scoring, Bancroft's took the philosophy that they had to keep the ball away from the opposition in order to minimise potential damage! As expected, it was a tough game and, although Bancroft’s lost to Barking Abbey, the 13-8 score gave them the much needed point.

 It had been an exhausting day of netball, with every match tight, and demanding that the girls gave 100% to every game.  Every member of the Bancroft’s U19 team, which had been reduced to a squad of just 9 fit players, gave their best throughout and their finals place was well deserved.  

The National Finals are on 17 March in Basildon, and Bancroft’s join Barking Abbey as the very best schools’ U19 netball teams in London and the South East.  We wish the girls well for the Finals.