Staff vs U6 Leavers Netball
Mrs Rachael Prince – Head of Science & Teachers’ Netball Team Captain
Monday, 27th April saw the traditional play-off between the Upper Sixth Leavers and teaching staff teams on a gloriously sunny lunchtime.
The Upper Sixth burst onto the court with a point to prove, utilising the exceptional core spine of Elsie, Shriya, and Grey to dictate a high-tempo opening that left the staff scrambling and the students leading 2-1.
Although the match featured a relentless series of end-to-end plays, both teams found conversions hard to come by in a frantic first period defined by nervous energy and tight marking.
The second quarter settled into a much slower, hard-fought grind where every inch of the court was contested, yet the pupils showed great grit to protect their slim margin and head into the halftime break with a 3-1 advantage.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter as the staff utilised their extra substitutions to inject fresh energy into the game, combined with a defensive masterclass from Mrs Corbett and Mrs Smith that neutralised the student shooters.
With Miss Sharp finding her range and delivering a clinical performance in the circle, the scoreline swung back in favour of the teachers, who carried a 5-3 lead into the final quarter.
Bolstered by renewed confidence, the staff went from strength to strength in the closing minutes, as a flurry of brilliant centre court interceptions from Mrs Brewer, Mrs Boylan and Mrs Ball effectively cut off the students’ supply lines.
This late-game dominance allowed the staff to pull away and secure a final 8-3 victory, ensuring they walk away as champions for the third year in a row.
Huge shout out to all the pupils who played brilliantly: Elsie, Shriya, Ellie, Robyn, Favour and Grey representing the leavers – in particular the exceptional goalkeeping skills of Travis, who stood in at short notice to make up the numbers.
A wonderful tradition upheld with friendly camaraderie really kicked off the leavers festivities – well done all involved – we are all now looking forward to the leavers football on Friday after school!
