QEGS under 19 school squash team were hosts to Warwick High School in the National Schools Squash Championship last week.

By beating Oakham School, Hill Road 6th Form College, Cambridge and The Leys School, Cambridge, QEGS for the 4th year running reached the last 32 K.O. section of this competition.  With three of last year’s team moving on to University, coach Jacky Parsons had to recruit three new players for this season which appeared to be a daunting task.

Playing at no. 5 was 13 year old Mark Hurrell.  Mark, possibly the smallest player in the whole tournament set the team off to a winning start convincingly beating his older, taller opponent 3 – 0 (11/8, 11/6, 11/7).

At No. 4 was a recent convert to squash, 15 year old Oliver Fixter.  Oliver playing a more focused disciplined game also won 3 – 0 (12/10, 11/1, 11/7).

A new boy to QEGS 6th form this year was Sam Gould.  Sam had no trouble in dispatching his opponent 3 – 0 to win the No. 3 string rubber (11/4, 11/4, 11/5).

One of the main stays of the team for the last 4 years, Phil Roberts, played at No. 2.  Phil had the toughest match but eventually won 3 – 1 (11/9, 11/6, 6/11, 13/11).

Playing at No.1 is the current U17 and U19 County Champion and also Club Champion at Horncastle Squash Club.  Dominic Price also won 3 – 0 (11/5, 12/10, 11/7) to give QEGS a 5 – 0 victory and put them into the last 16 in the county for the second time.

The team have done their research to find their next opponents at Millfield School in Somerset – the top private sports school in the country.  Unfortunately their team will consist of national and world ranked players but QEGS, as ever, will look forward to the challenge. (Report by Jacky Parsons)