Millfield & Wycliffe Retain National School Titles, While Central Newcastle Reclaim U15 Girls Crown

Millfield School maintained their dominance of the U19 category in the National Schools Championships by retaining both the Boys and Girls titles for the fourth successive year at the Chase Squash Club in Leicester - the Somerset school equalling the four-year unbeaten run set by Aylesbury Grammar School in the Boys event in 1984.

Gloucester's Wycliffe College retained the Boys U15 title, winning it for the third time in the last four years, while Central Newcastle High School reclaimed the Girls U15 title they last won in 2002.

Millfield romped to a 5/0 win over Exeter School in the Boys U19 semi-finals to set up a repeat of last year's final against Wycliffe College, who beat Derby's Ecclesbourne High School in the other semi, also by the same margin.

The two finalists have shared the title in all but two years since 1993, and Wycliffe were anxious to recapture the crown they last held in 2002. But Millfield were on top form, winning four of the matches by 3/0 margins, and only losing the top string clash 2/3, when Kamran Khan gained a consolation point for Wycliffe with a 3-9 9-5 9-3 2-9 9-7 victory in 46 minutes over the Millfield number one James Snell.

One of the Girls semi-finals was an all-Newcastle clash, between Newcastle Church High School and 2002 champions Central Newcastle High School - the former coming through a tough battle 3/2.

In the other semi, Brighton College faced defending champions Millfield. With Rachel Willmott leading the Brighton team and Emma Chorley the top string for Millfield, their match was a re-run of the British National U19 Championship final. Willmott repeated the victory that gave her her seventh national junior title in February - but this proved to be the Sussex school's sole win as Millfield progressed to the final after winning the tie 4/1.

Millfield maintained their decisive run, dominating the final to beat Newcastle Church High 5/0 to win the crown not only for the fourth year in a row, but also for the sixth time in the last seven years.

In the Boys U15 semi-finals, title-holders Wycliffe beat event newcomers Bishop Luffa High School, from Chichester, 4/1 - while fellow first-timers Joseph Rowntree High School, of York, defeated last year's semi-finalists Kenilworth School by the same 4/1 margin.

Wycliffe's strength in depth proved too great for their Yorkshire opponents in the final as the Gloucester favourites successfully retained the title with a comprehensive 5/0 victory.

One of the Girls semi-finals again saw a clash between Tyneside rivals Central Newcastle High and Newcastle Church High. But this time it was Central Newcastle that prevailed 3/2 to earn a place in the final against defending champions Millfield - who beat Wycombe Abbey 4/1 in the other semi.

The final saw Millfield face a strong Northumbria side for the second year running. Both teams started the tie well, with Millfield's fifth string Charlotte Ames working hard for a 9-6 3-9 4-9 9-3 9-6 win over Alice Stirrat - then the fourth strings having an equally absorbing five-game clash in which Central's Lucy Wright pulled back the deficit by beating Eleanor Badger 9-2, 9-7, 7-9, 1-9, 10-8.

Central Newcastle then proved too strong for the holders, taking the next three strings and the title with a 4/1 victory.

Boys U19 semi-finals:
Wycliffe College (Gloucester) bt Ecclesbourne High School (Derby) 5/0 (Kamran Khan bt John Slater 9-5, 6-9, 10-8, 9-4; Rich Wade bt Sam Yallop 10-8, 9-5, 5-9, 9-3; Anthony Graham bt Nick Bygraves 9-0, 9-0, 10-9; Adam Wellstead bt Jack Blythe 9-3, 9-1, 9-3; Mark Blundell bt Ben Wall 9-5, 9-3, 9-0)
Millfield School (Somerset) bt Exeter School 5/0 (James Snell bt Michael Keough 9-3 9-0 9-3; Petr Martin bt Ben Rodgers 9-2 9-0 9-0; Mike Harris bt Ollie Rimmer 9-1 9-0 9-2; Simon Culver bt Chris Johnston 9-0 9-0 9-0; Leo Maxwell-Harrison bt Jonny Telford 9-5 9-6 9-1)
Final:
Millfield bt Wycliffe 4/1 (James Snell lost to Kamran Khan 9-3 5-9 3-9 9-2 7-9; Jim Bristow bt Rich Wade 9-0 9-0 9-0; Petr Martin bt Anthony Graham 9-5 9-4 9-4; Mike Harris bt Robbie Maycock 10-9 9-3 9-3; Simon Culver bt Adam Wellstead 9-3 9-0 9-1)
Third place play-off:
Exeter bt Ecclesbourne 3/2 (Michael Keough lost to John Slater 9-4 4-9 5-9 4-9; Ben Rodgers bt Sam Yallop 9-0 4-9 9-0 9-4; Ollie Rimmer bt Nick Bygraves 9-7 7-9 2-9 10-9 9-1; Chris Johnston lost to Jack Blythe 5-9 6-9 0-9; Jonny Telford bt Ben Wall 9-3 9-2 9-1)

Girls U19 semi-finals:
Newcastle Church High School bt Central Newcastle High School 3/2 (Sarah Oswald lost to Kimberley Hay 2-9 1-9 5-9; Anna Oswald bt Ashley Hay 9-4 9-7 9-0; Lucy Robinson bt Jennifer Mackay 9-0 9-7 9-5; Helen Scott lost to Sophie-Bea Wylde 10-8 0-9 1-9 10-8 7-8 ret.; Rachel Oswald bt Lucy Wright 9-1 9-0 9-1)
Millfield School (Somerset) bt Brighton College 4/1 (Emma Chorley lost to Rachel Willmott 9-4 5-9 3-9 5-9; Bethan Williams bt Holly Colvin 9-0 9-0 9-4; Stephanie Coombs bt Katie Browning 9-0 9-1 9-3; Jane Allman bt Maddy Sava 9-0 9-0 9-0; Jeanae Dumas bt Sarah Taylor 9-0 9-0 9-1)
Final:
Millfield bt Newcastle Church 5/0 (Emma Chorley bt Sarah Oswald 9-1 9-0 9-0; Bethan Williams bt Anna Oswald 2-9 9-5 9-3 9-6; Stephanie Coombs bt Lucy Robinson 9-2 9-1 9-0; Jane Allman bt Helen Scott 9-0 9-0 9-0; Jeanae Dumas bt Rachel Oswald 9-1 9-1 9-5)
Third place play-off:
Brighton bt Central Newcastle 3/2 (Rachel Willmott bt Kimberley Hay 9-1 9-3 9-2; Holly Colvin lost to Ashley Hay 0-9 4-9 7-9; Katie Browning bt Jennifer Mackay 7-9 6-9 9-1 10-8 9-4; Maddy Sava lost to Sophie-Bea Wylde 1-9 1-9 1-9; Sarah Taylor bt Lucy Wright 9-7 9-3 9-3)

Boys U15 semi-finals:
Joseph Rowntree High School (York) bt Kenilworth School 4/1 (Tom Pepper lost to Guy Pearson 5-9 6-9 4-9; Mackenzie Nichol bt Luke Dalton 9-8 9-6 9-3; Tom Boyle bt Tom Holmes 10-8 9-2 9-7; Jack Unsworth bt Andy Pearson 9-0 9-3 9-0; Ben Walker bt Chloe Pearson 9-1 9-2 9-2)
Wycliffe College (Gloucester) bt Bishop Luffa High School (Chichester) 4/1 (Josh Saysell bt Alex Fuller 9-0 9-3 9-0; Sam Cantle bt Henry Geal 9-0 9-0 9-0; Lewis Wood bt Julien Smith 9-2 9-0 9-0; Declan Christie bt Milo Locke 9-1 9-1 9-0; Mathew Lewis lost to Callum MacDonald 9-0 3-9 4-9 3-9)
Final:
Wycliffe bt Joseph Rowntree 5/0 (Josh Saysell bt Tom Pepper 9-2, 9-6, 4-9, 10-8; Sam Cantle bt Mackenzie Nichol 9-0, 9-0, 9-0; Lewis Wood bt Tom Boyle 9-2, 9-1, 9-1; Declan Christie bt Jack Unsworth 9-0, 9-0, 9-4; Will Hewer bt Ben Walker 9-2, 9-7, 6-9, 9-3)
Third place play-off:
Bishop Luffa bt Kenilworth 4/1 (Alex Fuller lost to Guy Pearson 9-10, 6-9, 1-9; Henry Geal bt Luke Dalton 9-0, 5-9, 9-2, 9-3; Julien Smith bt Tom Holmes 9-5, 9-5, 9-7; Milo Locke bt Andy Pearson 9-1, 9-0, 9-1; Callum MacDonald bt Chloe Pearson 9-3, 9-4, 9-0)

Girls U15 semi-finals:
Central Newcastle High School bt Newcastle Church High School 3/2 (Kimberley Hay bt Anna Oswald 9-1, 9-0, 9-7; Jennifer Mackay lost to Rachel Oswald 4-9, 2-9, 4-9; Sophie-Bea Wylde bt Lucy Craig 9-6, 9-0, 9-3; Lucy Wright lost to Elizabeth Shoesmith 9-3, 6-9, 9-4, 2-9, 8-10; Alice Stirrat bt Victoria Brewis 9-5, 9-4, 5-9, 9-3)
Millfield School bt Wycombe Abbey (Bucks) 4/1 (Jane Allman bt Victoria Glatman 9-0 9-1 9-0; Lesley Culver bt Geeta Mahtani 9-1 9-2 9-5; Sally Seymour bt Elly Uaruarina 9-7 9-5 9-1; Eleanor Badger lost to Amanda Yu 0-9 4-9 0-9; Charlotte Ames bt Olivia Outram 9-1 9-6 9-0)
Final:
Central Newcastle bt Millfield 4/1 (Kimberley Hay bt Jane Allman 3-9, 9-6, 9-1, 9-6; Jennifer Mackay bt Lesley Culver 9-5, 9-2, 9-0; Sophie-Bea Wylde bt Sally Seymour 9-1, 9-0, 9-0; Lucy Wright bt Eleanor Badger 9-2, 9-7, 7-9, 1-9, 10-8; Alice Stirrat lost to Charlotte Ames 6-9, 9-3, 9-4, 3-9, 6-9)
Third place play-off:
Newcastle Church bt Wycombe Abbey 5/0 (Anna Oswald bt Victoria Glatman 9-0, 9-1, 9-4; Rachel Oswald bt Geeta Mahtani 9-3, 9-0, 9-0; Lucy Craig bt Elly Uaruarina 9-7, 9-3, 2-9, 9-3; Elizabeth Shoesmith bt Amanda Yu 8-10, 9-6, 7-9 9-0 10-9; Victoria Brewis bt Olivia Outram 9-4, 9-7, 2-9, 9-6)