Category: Sport

We are fortunate at Woodbridge to have many talented sportspeople, none more so perhaps than in hockey.  Both Suffolk and Norfolk have recently announced their JAC squads (Junior Academy Centre) for the coming season and Woodbridge School is well represented in all age groups.  Congratulations to Myles and Mia King who are in the Norfolk U17 and U15 squads respectively; and to the following who have been selected for the Suffolk squads: Emma Harrington (U17), Mollie Biddle, Georgia Harrold, Maud Peel, Maddie Craig, Sophie Little, Georgia Harrold and Harriet Spence (all U15); Ianthe Hill (U14); Molly Marshall and Annabel Yates (both U13); Toby Stowe, Alex Weir-Simmons and Oliver Juszt (U15 boys, Alex and Oliver are both playing a year up); and Joshua Graves and Hugo Thomas who will be flying the Woodridge School flag for the U14 boys.

We are very proud of these players who have put in many hours of hard work, not only at school but also at club level.

As for this weekend, we send our very best wishes to Myles King, who will be representing Harleston Magpies U18 boys at the National Indoor Finals at Nottingham Trent University.  This will be a fantastic experience, playing top quality hockey.

A number of Woodbridge School pupils represented the School against the best Suffolk Clubs at the annual County Cross Country Championships held at Heveningham Hall.

U11s are not able to progress to Nationals but our two athletes deserve special mention:

• U11 Girls – Amy G – Suffolk Champion!
• U11 Boys – Tommy B – Bronze Medal (Running a year up)

In the U13 and above a top 8 finish guarantees selection to represent Suffolk at the Nationals:

• U15 Girls – Sarah B – 4th (Running a year up)
• U15 Boys – Nathan G – 4th (Running a year up)
• U20 Men – Connor G – 4th (Running a year up)
• U15 Girls – Millie B -5th (Running a year up)
• U13 Boys – Henry D – 5th (Running a year up)
• U15 Girls – Amy G – 7th (Running a year up)
• U13 Boys – Edward R – 8th (Running a year up)

7 County vests with everyone running in the same age group next year!

Equally impressive results from everyone else on the day:

• U15 Boys – George R – 11th (Running a year up)
• U13 Girls – Sophie G – 18th
• U13 Girls – Victoria B – 20th
• U15 Boys – Daniel D – 21st (running a year up)
• U15 Boys – Alex E-L – 23rd (running a year up)
• U13 Boys – Thomas L – 30th (Running a year up)

To round off a successful day the Woodbridge School U15 Girls won the County Team Silver Medal defeating a number of the larger County Club teams!

Four of our Year 7 girls won the Girls U12 Suffolk Youth League Hockey Championship. Clara Simpson, Olivia Buchanan, Molly Marshall and Ella Walker were playing for Ipswich East Suffolk (IES) Hockey Club. It’s a three tournament competition and IES became the overall champions for 2015. They played some very impressive hockey winning their last game 8-0 in 12 mins. They all received medals and certificates will be handed out next week.

During half term our riders went to Wix Equestrian Centre in Essex and competed in an Inter Schools Show Jumping competition. It was a very busy, long day, starting at 9am and finishing at 9pm! Schools from all over East Anglia and London were taking part. The first 4 classes were qualifiers for the Grassroots Regional Final being held in December. Woodbridge School entered a team in all 8 classes and several individuals too.

It was certainly a day for coming 4th – our teams in the 40cm, 50cm and 90cm all came 4th! Individually, Neve Walker and Rohan Brooks did particularly well winning the 60cm and 90cm respectively, both classes had over 40 entries – so a great result.

Full results – 40cm – Oliver Reid 4th, 50cm Ada Marson 3rd, Tess Walker 5th, 70cm Fleur Ludgrove 4th, Tess 5th, Ada 6th. All riders qualifying for the Regional Finals – very well done! Also, Rowena Wilson –Smith came 4th in the 90cm individual.

B

13 U16 hockey players represented Woodbridge at the regional qualifying tournament. With no time to train together as a team and only one substitute the team was prepared for a tough challenge. Woodbridge finished joint third on points but had to settle for fourth place due to goal difference. The school can be very proud of this group of players – their performances today and how they conducted themselves.

We started poorly the first half against eventual winners, The Leys. A much improved second half performance set the team up for the rest of the day despite losing this game heavily. Alfie Agar scored for Woodbridge after good linking between Hugo Kelleway and Oliver Whiting.

The second match against Greshams saw Woodbridge cause the first upset  of the day. A very good team performance, and some important saves from Felix Kibble in goal, lead to a very exciting 0-0 draw. Fatigue started to set in but the boys dug deep and were unlucky to lose the third match against Watford 0-3. Watford scored two penalty strokes during this match and Woodbridge had several chances.  A good performance from Woodbridge not being reflected in the scoreline.

The final match of the day was a scrappy affair. Woodbridge played the better hockey and dealt with the fatigue better than their opponents from Samuel Whitbread College. The players showing great character to win 1-0. Alfie Agar the scorer again.

It was very encouraging the improvement in skills, decision making and positional play throughout the day. Jasper Beaumont particularly impressed with how he took information on board and implemented it. James Meakin stepped into various positions during the day to good effect, possibly saving his best game for last. Tim Smith had good impact once we got more ball to his side of the pitch. Jack Grant lead by example and gave 100%, despite getting battered and bruised. Jakob Hatfield, Alex Farquharson and Will Pilkington were solid in defence stepping up their marking and distribution fantastically as the day progressed. Hugo Kelleway made an impressive return from injury being outstanding all day.

Forwards Oliver Whiting, Abraham Hew and Alfie Agar worked tirelessly and impressed with their work rate, especially in the press.  Goalkeepers Miles Budden and Felix Kibble were kept busy and the stood up to the test well.

Player of the day: Hugo Kelleway.