St Bernard’s School flew the flag for Furness as three of their teams took part in the English Schools Table Tennis Association national team finals.

The three sides were among 32 competing for glory in Hinckley, with the best four in each age group from around the country taking part.

Only one school was represented by more teams, the renowned Peniel Academy, who had four, so St Bernard’s had achieved a great feat before play even began.

For three of the girls in the under-16s team, it was their fourth appearance at the finals, and for the other player her third visit, in probably their last match as a team.

They began against holders Morpeth School, Tower Hamlets.

Anna Donohue played well to defeat their number two Yasmin Majeeda, and also took a game against number one Sally Hoang.

It was a similar story against Peniel, who were to take the title this year.

Donohue defeated their number two and was narrowly beaten by number one Evangelica Collier in a five-game battle of push and quick counterattack.

Shannon Trainor, playing at number two, also went to five games, but could not quite contain the hitting power of Estelle Purkis.

St Bernard’s had to battle it out for third place against old rivals Bramhall High School, from Stockport, a team they lost to in the North West finals.

Again Donohue showed great form, defeating Olivia Brookes. However, St Bernard’s fell behind after sisters Natalie and Nicolle Dodd gained wins against Trainor and Adele Bassett.

Emily Edwards used her improved backhand to take a 3-1 win against Jenny Szakal and tie the match.

The two number ones produced some fast, attacking table tennis, Donohue beaten in the decider by Natalie Dodd.

Having already lost against the opposing number four, it seemed a hard task for Bassett to gain a result against Olivia Brookes, the number two.

It looked even more unlikely when she lost the opening game 11-4, but the Furness player battled back for victory.

Trainor’s straight-games win against Szakal put St Bernard’s 4-3 ahead before Edwards played the younger of the Dodd sisters, Nicole.

Bramhall could only deny St Bernard’s third with a straight games victory and it looked likely as the first two games went against Edwards 11-7, 12-10.

However, the resilient Barrow girl took the next 11-5, and although she lost the match, this was enough to claim third place in England.

For the under-13s boys, this was a step beyond their previous experience at area or regional finals at primary schools level.

Things started well when James Coward took the opening game against Joseph Langham-Ferreira, the number two from Ernest Bevin College, Tooting Bec.

However, the next 19 games all went the way of the team from Surrey, who were to finish the day as champions. Brendan Trainor took the Barrow school’s only other game.

When St Bernard’s came to play their next match they seemed more composed and less in awe of their opponents, Harefield Academy, Uxbridge.

Ross Ahern, the youngest member of the team, chalked up the first win when he beat Mitchell Jones in a nail-biting finish, 13-11 in the decider.

Anton Vacca looked to have let his chance slip when his opponent came from 2-0 down to level at 2-2, but he held his nerve and took the fifth game 11-8.

Coward was unfortunate not to give St Bernard’s the lead when he played his opposing number one, Baiden Thoroughgood. He lost the first 12-10, but won the next two games. It was only in the decider that he was pipped to victory before Harefield wrapped up a 6-2 win.

The last match was a battle of the northern champions against Crossleyheath School, Halifax.
Marcus Reynolds gave the Halifax school the lead when he beat Trainor, but St Bernard’s hit a purple patch, with Coward, Ahern and Vacca all winning to take a 3-1 lead.

Crossleyheath then won three in a row to go 4-3 ahead, but third place was St Bernard’s’ if Ahern could win the last match.

He did so with some very consistent attacking play, returning a score of 11-6, 11-3 11-7.

The under-13s girls featured the same line-up that had finished third last year and they were hopeful of a repeat.

They began against the team who had beaten them in the race for second last year, Blackminster Middle School, from Evesham.

Emily Cotton was beaten by Shannon Johns and Robyn Holden went 2-1 down against Gemma McKay before changing her tactics to come home 11-9 in the decider.

There followed another extremely close match between Katie Linton and Chloe Johns, with Linton winning the decider 11-7.

Louise Keneally and Cotton both won to put the Barrow school 4-1 up, but Blackminster then closed to 4-3 with two victories.

The match would be decided by the final rubber between Linton and Laura Dyson, with St Bernard’s needing to win this as they were behind on games count back.

With good all round play and a consistent forehand topspin shot, Linton won easily in three games.

With confidence high, St Bernard’s returned to the table to play Horsforth School, Leeds.

Cotton showed her best form with sharp attacking forehands and won the opener comfortably, while Holden was even more comfortable, winning 11-1, 11-1, 11-6.

It was not until Keneally played Chardae Chaggar-Brown that the Yorkshire team won games, but Keneally managed to win the decider.

Holden was faced with a five-game battle against Abigail Harrison, the Horsforth number one, which she eventually won.

Further wins from Cotton, Keneally and Linton earned St Bernard’s an emphatic
8-0 win.

In the final they met holders and favourites Peniel. There were strong performances from the St Bernard’s girls, with Holden on the point of beating Kristelle Brook before a despairing forehand clipped the net cord and just dropped over to deny her match point.

Linton was also narrowly denied at 11-9 in the decider against Holly van Haver.

Despite losing the match, the team finished second in England.

St Bernards’ talented table tennis stars will be taking on the best in England in the national championships this weekend.

The Barrow school has three teams in the English Schools Table Tennis Association finals after a remarkable year of success.

The under-13s girls, under-13s boys and under-16s girls teams will all be eager to claim the silverware after coming through county, area and regional events to reach the national finals in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Under the guidance of teacher Karen Griffiths and former England coach Denis Neale, the three teams have all excelled this year.

“We’re absolutely delighted for the kids,” said Griffiths, herself a table tennis player.

“They have been training and working really hard.

“Last year we managed to get two teams through to the national finals, but to get three teams through this year is a fantastic achievement.”

Neale, too, has been impressed with the success of St Bernard’s against bigger schools from larger catchment areas.

“I think it’s fantastic for a school like St Bernard’s to have three teams reach the national finals when they have been playing teams from Manchester, Liverpool and the like – where there are more than 300 schools to choose from,” he said.

“For them to have three teams there on finals day is fantastic.

“I’ve been working with them for about the past 10 weeks and Karen, being a table tennis player herself, is a big thing in bringing the kids on.

“You can’t tell the team now from 12 weeks ago. They are all really keen and they really want to do well – they have developed a lot from the beginning.”

The under-16s girls team is made up of Shannon Trainor, Emily Edwards, Adele Bassett and Anna Donohue, the under-13s girls consists of Emily Cotton, Robyn Holden, Louise Kenneally and Katie Linton, while the under-13s boys quartet is James Coward, Ross Ahern, Anton Vacca and Brendan Trainor.

The teams have all had weekly sessions with Neale at the Barrow Table Tennis Centre, and in the school, with top local coaches Mike Yardley and Duncan Crawford both also lending their expertise.

“The coaching sessions and the extra practice have been really helpful,” added Griffiths.

“The combination of the practice they are getting in and out of school is a big thing and a lot of the kids are playing four or five times a week, which is what we need to compete with the other schools.”

Neale is hopeful the strength-in-depth of the St Bernard’s teams will hold them in good stead this weekend.

“The key to success at the nationals is having good depth,” he said. “You can have the best two players in England, but if your other two are no good you can’t win.

“With the St Bernard’s teams, they can all play at the same level, which gives them every chance.”

The northern finals of the English Schools’ Table Tennis Association Championships took place in Blackburn.

St Bernard’s under-13s girls were third in England last year and hopeful of making the national finals again.

Their opening match against De Ferrers Technical College, from Burton-on-Trent, was won by a quite comfortable margin of 6-2.

However, the second match, in effect the final, was against north east champions, Northfield School, from Billingham, and was far from easy.

Robyn Holden found it hard against the top-ranking players and it was a rearguard action that brought their wins.

It looked as though St Bernard’s were going out when Emily Cotton was 2-0 down, but she fought back to gain the win.

There were further wins from Louise Keneally and, vitally, from Katie Linton that earned a draw.

The games count-back was level and the girls faced an agonising wait while the points totals were confirmed, giving St Bernard’s victory by just seven points and a place in the national finals.

Keneally was the player on top form, winning all four matches. Linton won three, Cotton two and Holden won once.

It was a great team effort and one where every point won had a bearing on the match.

Encouraged by the girls’ performance, St Bernard’s under-13s boys started their quest for a first national finals place with a resounding 8-0 win against Graham School, from Scarborough.

This put them through to the final against De Ferrers Technical College.

Again St Bernard’s showed invaluable strength-in-depth.

Top players James Coward and Brendan Trainor were both beaten by the opposition number one, but then everything went the way of St Bernard’s in a 6-2 win.

Both Anton Vacca and Ross Ahern won all their matches, with Coward and Trainor winning three from four.

St Columba’s under-11s girls played very well in the group stage with a 6-2 win against Dronfield, from Derbyshire and a 5-3 win against St Peter’s, from Nottinghamshire.

Mia Gwynne and Tyra Rushton were impressive, winning all their matches. Sophie Ridgway won twice and Jenny Williams won once.

Williams also went to five games in two other matches, a great performance by a player still only in Year 4, two years younger than her team-mates.

The final looked a harder proposition, and so it proved against Village school, from Thornaby-on-Tees.

Their number one, Megan Eden, was a very strong player for this age group.

Nevertheless, Gwynne had the opposition coach and the player herself worried. Her containing and counter-attack ploy almost caused an upset, with the match going to five games and only won at 11-9 in the decider.

Gwynne defeated the number two, while Sophie Ridgway won in straight sets for a 2-1 lead.

Despite Jenny Williams taking games in both her matches, the only other result to go the Walney school’s way was Tyra Rushton’s four-game win against Kristen Brown.

The St Columba’s girls should be proud of getting so close to the national finals.

At the parallel regional event held at Grantham, St Bernard’s under-16s girls were making it a hat-trick of national finalists.

They achieved this with two 5-3 victories.

Despite not playing league or national tournaments this year, hard-hitting number one Anna Donohue led the way, unbeaten in all four matches.

Shannon Trainor, Emily Edwards and Adele Bassett all won two matches.

Two other Cumbria teams played at Grantham, Askam under-11s boys and Dowdales under-13s boys.

Both teams achieved good individual performances, but were unable to make progress through the group stages.

YOUNG ace Ross Ahern is rising up the table tennis ladder at speed and is being tipped for big things.

The 11-year-old Cumbria County Schools Championships under-11s title after taking the tournament by storm at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School and is a great prospect.

Ross progressed through the group stages and eventually overcame his opponent 3-0 in the final to lift the crown.

The Holy Family RC primary school pupil also progressed to the quarter-finals of the under-13s tournament where he was eventually beaten by older opposition.

This success comes at a time when Ross is pushing ever-upward in the sport, with the help of regular coaching sessions at Parkview Table Tennis Centre, often under the tutelage of former England coach Dennis Neale.

“He’s been playing for three years now,” said dad Steve.

“A mate asked him if he wanted to go along to training one night. One of the coaches thought he had potential and we’ve taken it from there.”

Ross himself puts his initial enjoyment down to that first coach who came to teach him at school – Duncan Crawford.

“I really enjoy it and it was good when I started because Duncan is a very good coach,” he said.

“I like serving and hitting the ball, but I think I need to improve my backhand.

“I’ll be playing against older players next year so it will be harder.”

Following on from Ross’s success at the county event, he will represent Cumbria at the English Schools Championships in Doncaster this weekend.

Winning the tournament did not faze Ross and he left the celebrating to his parents. “He just had a laid back attitude towards winning,” said dad Steve.

“He doesn’t tend to get over excited, he leaves that to me and his mother!

“I texted all my mates and rang family members, I think I was more excited than Ross.”

Ross will continue playing the sport when he starts at St Bernard’s in September and the school already has a good pedigree within the sport.

The Dalton youngster was also invited to join the North of England under-11s set-up, following his recent success.

He trains at the table tennis centre at Parkview School where he receives top coaching from the likes of former England player and coach Neale.

As the sport looks to develop in the county, coaches have begun investing time in school sides and generating a buzz about the game as they look to encourage more youngsters to take up table tennis.

The sport has a strong following across the country and it is hoped the sport will progress in Furness.

“You don’t realise how much interest their is in the sport until you go to the national events,” added Steve.

“It’s more the southern counties that are keen on the sport but with all the distractions it’s not as popular around here.”

As Ross will be starting senior school next year he will not be able to defend his title and he will be making the step up in age groups to the under-13s and the under-16s.

The step up in age will be a new task for the youngster, but his dad is confident he will have a bright future in the game.

“It’ll obviously be a bit harder for him with the age difference,” he added.

“It just depends if he can play well on the day. We’re really proud of him.”

Article courtesy of the North West Evening Mail.