Click here for Basketball, Cricket, Football, Girls' Football, Hockey, Girls' Hockey, Netball, Rounders and Table Tennis reports

BASKETBALL

UNDER 15
This season the Under-15 side improved dramatically. After losing their first three games against strong Dulwich and Alleyn’s sides, the team went on a winning run which lasted all the way to the league play-off final. Highlights for the season were definitely the 54-16 victory over Dulwich, who had beaten us twice earlier in the season, and the play-off finals held at Sevenoaks. Unfortunately fatigue and a very strong opposition overcame our team in the final, but things are looking good for next year.

 UNDER 19
The Under-19 team had there most successful year ever. With Daniel Thompson and Farit Rakhimov as forwards, we had the tallest inside combination in the league. Coupled with Tim Roberts as ball handler and the speed of Stanley Li on offence, we had a very strong side. We reached the London Independent Schools play-off finals where we unfortunately lost narrowly in the semi-final to a strong City of London side that went on to win the competition. Our energies this season were definitely concentrated on the English Schools National Championship. We finished top in the London area to propel us into the last eight teams in the country. We then overcame a quick side from the European school in Oxford to run out winners 50-66. This left us another away draw against Holy Trinity school, Horley. In what was perhaps the highest-scoring schools match in the competition we unfortunately lost 78-108 to the team that went on to become this season’s national champions.

CRICKET

1st X1
A number of players had been part of the 2004 Tour to Grenada, and the experience gained from playing in such a tough environment against talented opponents should certainly have been beneficial to our side as we embarked on our short season. But we had a setback before a ball was bowled with an injury to the captain, Daniel Jones, preventing his participation. And then, of course, there was the rain!
Arun Sivarajan took over the captaincy for our opening game against Sutton Grammar. On a damp wicket, which made batting difficult, the opposition scored 128 for 6 in their 25 overs. Edward Wragg was the pick of our bowlers, taking 2 wickets for 6 runs in 5 overs. We managed 60 in reply, with James Balmforth (28) top scorer.
We started the next match against Trinity in dull conditions with the forecast of rain and had reached 38 for 4 before the heavens opened, forcing the abandonment.
For once, we were rewarded with a bright day for the game against City of London. The ball was misbehaving early on and the inconsistent bounce made batting hard work. The middle order eventually got to grips with the conditions, and good contributions from Keshav Lohiya (22), Tim Roberts (24), and Edward Wragg (36 n.o.) enabled us to reach 106-6 in our allotted overs. Our bowlers found it difficult to contain their batsmen and only Liam Conroy and Chris Busher had any success, taking 2 wickets apiece. Our opponents reached their target with 5 overs to spare.
I would like to thank our team for their honest endeavour.

Under-15
An injury- and rain-plagued season left the under-15 side with only three games and one win. We had been hoping to improve on a successful season the year before, in which several players had started to show increased promise, both in the field and at the crease.
Ewell Castle visited on our first game of the season, and, after scoring only 59 runs, we left ourselves a very tough job. However, Tsidi Dagadu went on to take 4 wickets in a very short time and with Moller and Griffiths taking two apiece the opposition collapsed and we won by 3 runs.
City of London and Wilson’s proved to be a much tougher opposition and apart from some good batting from our lower order, in particular Jack Reid (37 and 29 runs), we were left wanting in both games.

Under-14
The team got off to a slow start against City of London. We batted first and scored 78 runs, the best batting performance coming from Adam Sandhu with 32. Although the opposition reached their target with overs to spare, there was some good bowling from Will McIntyre, who took 2 for 12 off 4 overs, and Andrew O’Mara, who took a wicket for only 14 runs.
Our next match was at home to Langley Park. The visitors batted first and with a fast outfield scored an impressive 222 for 5. They had a young England hopeful in their team who scored 102. Notable bowlers were Matthew Waters, who took a wicket with his looping spin bowling, and Will McIntyre. Richard Chandler and Adrian Yansaneh also sent stumps tumbling.
Away to Wilson’s, again Royal Russell batted second. This time the pick of the bowlers was George Morris, who took two excellent wickets. Unfortunately in the process the opposition scored 145 runs. This again proved too high a target for our batsmen, although Will McIntyre stayed in for a good part of the innings and was top scorer with 28. We were all out for 79.         
Our match at Trinity had to be cancelled because of bad weather.
Our final match, at home to Sutton Grammar, was a combined Under-14 and Under-15 game. We batted first and Tim Crawforth-Moller top-scored with 29. There were good batting performances from Nathan Griffiths and Adrian Yansaneh. The total of 89 proved once again to be too low, however, and our opposition reached this target with 8 wickets to spare.
Enthusiastic players who turned out but who haven’t yet had a mention include our wicketkeeper George Nicholson, Nathan Powell, Elliott Shepherd, Samir Osman and Lance Rowe. There was always great enthusiasm in the squad, despite the losses, and the results never diminished the team’s enjoyment of this great game.
Many thanks go to our outside coach, who spent time with the team on Thursday evenings
A special thank you to George Waters, who was our most consistent supporter, kept score and made helpful suggestions to the team when necessary!

Under-13
This was a season of highly competitive matches, virtually all decided by a margin of ten runs or so. There has been a noticeable improvement in the general performance of the team since last year, and they came near to winning their first game on a number of occasions.
The batting performance was consistent, with at least seventy runs scored in every innings. The batting highlight of the season was Anish Mahidharia’s magnificent 63 against Wilson’s, a major contribution to our total of 122. The chief wicket-taker for the season was spinner Ravi Patel, who took eleven wickets in total.
The team has maintained a good level of morale, encouraged by Suraj Bali and Anish Mahidharia. The most improved player of the season was undoubtedly Oliver Morgan, whose batting prowess grew with each match. With all his big shots, he is fast emerging as Royal Russell’s very own Kevin Pietersen. We are awaiting the hair colouring, for which he would be sent home! Overall, if the team can maintain its level of progress, bowl a little more accurately and work on scoring at a faster run rate, then they should look with confidence to next season.

FOOTBALL

1st X1
As the start of the 2004-5 season drew closer, rumours began to echo around the Royal Russell terraces that this year was going to be a poor one owing to the loss of several key players from last year’s squad. Boy, were they wrong!
We got off to a great start with four wins out of our first four games, which took everyone by surprise. This obviously left us on a high. In the next game we came back down to earth with a bang. After losing to King Edward’s Witley 5-1, we then lost three and drew two of the next five games. It took a rainy day on November 20 th to lift our spirits. For this game we had included star debutants Lorenzo, Lok and Farit, who were thrown in at the last minute. We played Lancing College, beating them 7-1 with many of our regulars missing. This particular game showed the team’s resilience and lifted morale.
We ploughed through our next four games, winning them all. Unfortunately, against RGS Guildford, I came off worse in a 50-50 tackle, picking up a major injury that ruled me out for the rest of the season. Following this the armband was handed to Vuyo. The team then went on to finish the season strongly, with only one defeat in the remaining matches.
When the final standings were calculated it seemed that the critics were proved wrong as our 1 st X1 was the second-best team in the School’s history, having won 12 games out of 20, with 49 goals for and only 32 against.
I would like to thank all of my players for their brilliant efforts this year. The Year 11 players settled in well, with Harry Hudson influential in midfield and Stefan Small scoring a number of goals. And in particular, all of the Yr 12 players -- Vuyo, Duncan, Ben, Dan, Adam, Lok, Farit and Lorenzo-- who all played vital roles in making this year’s team so successful. Last but not least, thanks to Mr O’Brien and Mr Greaves.

2nd XI
The 2 nd XI had a disappointing season in terms of results (P16 W2 D1 L13). The main problem was a lack of firepower up front. The team scored only 19 goals all season, and on only four occasions did they manage more than one goal in a game. This, coupled with the habit of conceding late goals, meant that the team lost several games after having dominated the play. The close defeats to Trinity (3-4), Sutton (2-3) and KCS Wimbledon (2-3) spring to mind. In addition, injuries to several key players such as Dan Jones, Rigel Barros de la Parra and Owen Larsen robbed the side of much-needed experience.
On the plus side, the team did put up some excellent performances against strong schools, and players like Ian Parry, Ziya Mustafa-Ahmed and Jamie Ivory made terrific strides over the course of the season. It would not be a surprise to see these players step up to the 1sts as some point next year. The season finished on a high with a dramatic 2-1 win against Trinity, a fantastic 25-yard volley from Lok Dong sealing the victory.
As usual, the commitment and behaviour of the team were of the highest order throughout the year. My thanks go to leavers Edward Wragg, Lok Dong, Farit Rakhimov, Owen Larsen and Audley Swain. They all had good, consistent seasons and were rewarded with colours.

3rd XI
This was one of our more successful seasons. Although the 3 XI are still to record a winning season, we seem to be getting closer and closer. We started the season on a winning note with two close victories over Reigate Grammar and Trinity. These were good results and the team looked good going forward and battled well in midfield. Jon Greenland and Hardeep Ryatt provided the engine in midfield with Crish Maxwell and Soner Kemal giving us plenty of width. Mid season saw our fortunes change and the confidence of what was a predominately Year11 side diminished. Heavy defeats by Alleyn’s, Sutton Grammar and City of London before the mid-season break dented our hopes of a winning season. Our defence started to improve after Christmas and some strong performances from George Begley and Greg Bowman increased confidence throughout the team. We won three of our last four matches, improving our record, and things are looking good for next season.

Under-15
Record : Played 10; Won 7; Drew 2; Lost 1. Goals scored 44, goals conceded 15.
Top scorers : Luke Pullen 9, Amar Dhesi 9, Tsidi Dagadu 8, Tom Nicholson-Pratt 6.

This was another very successful season in which tremendous enthusiasm was shown, with 18 to 20 boys regularly attending practice. Several players who missed out on regular selection deserve great praise for their willingness to turn out on occasions and strengthen the under 14 team.
Standards of discipline, teamwork and individual skill all rose and some notable victories were achieved : Wilson’s (4-0), Trinity (2-1)and Charterhouse (6-0), the final match and probably the best performance, with four goals coming in the last ten minutes!
All members of the squad can look back with pride at their performances. James Dunn was a reliable goalkeeper who made vital saves at important moments; Daniel Cohen, Theo Fabunmi-Stone, Tim Crawforth-Muller and Oscar Lam proved a secure back four, becoming more solid as the season progressed and capable of creative football ; Patrick Phynn also played an important part in defence in several matches.
Our midfield was very strong and usually comprised Peter Phouli, Tsidi Dagadu, Harry Muldoon and Amar Dhesi, with Ryan Walters and Nathan Griffiths starting in several matches and supporting from the bench. Amar also performed admirably as a striker on several occasions.
Up front, Luke Pullen had another outstanding season and John Park (who also played a few games in midfield) showed energy and proved a real threat to opposing defences. Tom-Michael Nicholson-Pratt came in late on and scored six goals in three matches ! James Osbaldeston, Matt Toner, Ross Pryce and Simon Foss all made their mark at some point and can count themselves unlucky to be part of such a strong squad . It was very disappointing to lose Tom Higginson to injury in the very first match, but he’ll be back!
Colours were awarded to 6 players who – in such a gifted group – made a particularly important contribution : Theo Fabunmi-Stone, Luke Pullen, Amar Dhesi, Tsidi Dagadu, Daniel Cohen and Harry Muldoon. If we were picking a player of the season, it would be Harry.

Under-13
This proved to be a patchy season, the team failing to find consistent form.
The opening game saw a heartening 5-1 win against St Edmund’s. It was a much closer contest than the result suggests, two goals by James Moon killing off the match in the dying minutes. Defeats at the hands of Wilson’s, Glyn and Trinity followed: in all these cases we were overrun by strong and mobile opponents. The last three matches were closer: while we did not manage to secure a win, we did score seven goals.
Opposing team coaches remarked frequently that we had some excellent individual players. We did not, however, always work coherently as a team, and at times we were defensively naïve. The position of goalkeeper was problematic throughout the season: although we had a first-rate keeper in Jamie Butler, we required his services in the outfield and had no replacement of comparable quality. I hope we can improve in these areas in Year 9, with the help of the normal influx of new boys.
Thanks are due to all who attended training regularly, and to Mr Baron for his invaluable help.

Under-12
The Under-12 team proved to be one of the best in recent years. Over the season, they won seven of the nine games, losing only one and drawing the other.
After an initial setback in the shape of a defeat by St Edmund’s, we won a couple of tight matches 3-2 before drawing against Trinity in the most exciting game of the season. From this point onward, the team really took off, winning subsequent matches 7-1, 14-0, 10-0, 8-1 and 9-1. This amounted to an impressive run, in which 48 goals were scored and only 3 conceded in a string of 5 games.
In goal the first choice for most of the season was Ben Henning. In the tight games, Ben proved to be a fantastic keeper. Henry Smale and Beau McCarthy also kept gloves and proved to be keepers in the making.
At the back were Ben Bernard and William Hodson. Both proved to be tenacious ball-winners and were very comfortable playing the ball along the ground to start off moves. The left back position rotated between a few players, most notably George Toner and Guy Hughes. Anthony Davies and Joel Rhule-Samuel also ably backed up the defence when called upon.
Between defence and midfield sat Robert Nicholls. He was superb at breaking up attacks with timely tackles as well as supporting midfield with his linking passes. Elliot Welch controlled the midfield in the centre, while Josh Landymore, Sam Sheppard and George Toner took up the left and right positions. All of these players showed pace and ability.
The front line supplied most of the goals. Robert Oakley, the top scorer, proved to have a thunderous and accurate left foot. Chris Savory supplied numerous precision passes and took a lot of the set plays. Finally, Piers Hanifan utilised his pace and ball control to great effect.

GIRLS' FOOTBALL
The team went from strength to strength this year. Many Year 7 players showed great skill against Archbishop Tenison, winning the match with ease.
Jemma Hill, Amy McCarthy, Amy Muldoon and Becky Shepherd were selected for the Croydon Girls’ Team, a great achievement.
Congratulations to all who have supported the Wednesday practices.

BOY'S HOCKEY

Under-13
It was a tough season for the team. Trinity were a very strong side and put six goals past us, though Ian Allocca, our man of the match, pulled one back. Against Kingston Grammar the boys played out of their skins. They had opportunities to score but were thwarted by an excellent Kingston goalkeeper, and a goalless draw was a fair reflection of the match. Matthew Hart played really well in defence against Eltham College, yet we lost 1-2. Whitgift were also a well-organised team and were tough to handle; they scored 7 goals against us.

Under-12
It was very encouraging to see so many players attending the early season training sessions with the intention of playing for the School team. A number of boys had not played the sport before they came to Royal Russell, and it is to their credit that they listened to the coaches, practised regularly and improved their skills in a very short time.
Josh Landymore and William Hodson were enthusiastic goalkeepers. Joel Rhule-Samuel proved to be an effective defender and received good support from Robert Oakley and Anthony Davies. In midfield we were particularly strong with Ben Bernard (captain) dictating play and Sam Sheppard supplying the forwards with a number of telling passes. Elliot Welch linked up well with the speedy Piers Hanifan on the wing, and the boundless energy of Guy Hughes was always a threat to opposing defences. Beau McCarthy and Chris Savory both proved useful in more than one position.
The season started with a fine 3-1 win against Trinity, with man of the match Ben Bernard scoring all three goals. The most encouraging aspect was how well the team gelled in only their first game together. We followed up with a hard-fought match against Kingston Grammar, losing 1-2, Sam Sheppard being man of the match and Elliot Welch scoring the goal. Unfortunately, the matches against Caterham and Eltham College could not be played because of adverse weather conditions.
Ben, Sam and Josh have all been attending Surrey trials.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

Seniors
It was a season of two halves for the senior girls. We started off badly, losing 1-7 to Hayes, and then went on to win only one of the next three games. As the season went on, the team started to bond, and friendly banter started to fly about. Morale was always kept high by the comic timing of Caroline Culbert.
The team started to work harder on the pitch, led by Asi Rego’s never-say-die attitude, Charlotte Bell’s tireless running and Emma Michell’s silky skills. Unfortunately Emma came off worse in a tackle and broke her collarbone during the City of London Freemen’s game. Franzi Wilk was cool as ice in goal and denied the opposing strikers, while Alvina Benjamin-Taylor troubled defences with her speed. We had turned the tables and were winning our games.
It has to be said that the team had an aversion to fitness training. However, heavy snow and the opportunity to pound each other, coach and the teacher with snowballs made for a most successful fitness session. It’s funny what motivates the mind!

Combined Under-15 and Under-14
Unfortunately this was a very short season for this team, as all games had to be played before the dark nights drew in.
We lost to Croydon High 3-4 in our first game. Although the result was disappointing, we were pleased with our performance against such a strong hockey school. Laura Kastoryano, our player of the match, covered a lot of ground from midfield.
Sadly we were not able to compete so well against Hayes, going down 2-0. Huratu Bangurah, a newcomer to the squad, played admirably, putting in some key tackles.
In our last game of the season we drew 1-1 with Wallington. The team pulled together after going behind. Stunning saves from Ella Ogilvie and unconventional tackles from Micaela Grove kept us in the match. The relief not to lose the last game was obvious as the team cheered at the final whistle.
This squad is made up of talented individual players. It is unfortunate that the short season did not allow them to achieve their potential and cohere as a team. With an extended season in 2005-6, it is hoped that this will change.

Under-13 Mini-Hockey
This was one of the most hard- working teams. All the players were committed and always turned up to training. As a coach you cannot ask more.
We only scored one goal in our first four games. While the calibre of our opponents was high, it was clear that our lack of experience on astroturf pitches was a key factor. We were struggling against strong hockey schools who were used to the speed of play and close ball skills required on this surface.
From mid-season, a local school allowed us to use their astro for training and home matches. This enabled us to work far more on technique and rebuild confidence. The training obviously paid off, as we went on to beat Croydon High 5-2 in a match that we dominated throughout.
The players showed determination through a tough season. They never gave up and should be commended on their positive attitude.

Under-12 Mini-Hockey
The Year 7 team got off to a promising start, drawing 2-2 with Wallington High. Helen Foss earned herself the title of player of the match with her attacking midfield play.
Unfortunately our next opponents, Alleyn’s, proved too strong for us. Their solid defending meant that we had few opportunities to score. Becky Shepherd helped to put up a brave defence, but we lost 0-4.
The team were able to put this disappointment behind them when they played City of London Freemen’s School. It was an excellent all-round team performance. The defence, midfield and forwards were able to link effectively, with Amy Muldoon covering a lot of ground. The team deserved its 6-2 win, a fantastic result.
Sadly, we were unable to reproduce this form against St George’s. They were a much stronger side, and their defence kept us out of good scoring positions. On the occasions we did break through, their goalkeeper denied us success in all but one attempt. In our goal Georgina Goodwin played well, keeping the score down to 1-2.
This is a team with much potential and we look forward to 2005-6.

NETBALL

Year 9
This was a most impressive season. The team improved throughout and were unbeaten. They finished top of their league and will consequently be moving up to Division 3. They finished as quarter-finalists in the Croydon Schools tournament, losing just 2-1 to Croydon High School, the eventual winners. Players of the tournament included Charlotte Bean and Laura Kastoryano. We look forward to success in Year 10.

Year 8
This was a very successful season. The team improved throughout and were unbeaten. They finished top of their league and will be moving up to Division 3.
We look forward to success in Year 9.

Year 7
The Year 7 team had an excellent season, thanks to their consistent commitment, dedication and enthusiasm. The team improved steadily and were unbeaten. They finished top of the league and will be moving up to Division 2. In the Croydon Schools tournament, third place was secured. Players of the tournament included Amy McCarthy and Lauren McAvoy. We look forward to success in year 8.

ROUNDERS  

Year 10 Rounders
The Year 10 team beat their first opponents, Archbishop Tenison’s, in a close game. Against Selsdon they had another tight match but lost 15-16 . Unfortunately clashing dates restricted our entry into tournaments. Within the team there were some big hitters such as Holly Chambers and Silvia Mauricio. Their efforts were matched by some enthusiastic fielding.

Year 9
The Year 9 team had a good season. They won all their games, beating Archbishop Tenison’s, Selsdon High and Edenham. At the Croydon Schools Tournament we had a tough draw. We narrowly lost to Croham Hurst. Selsdon also got their revenge on us with some impressive fielding. However, we were too good for Harris and Coloma. Unfortunately, we did not progress further than the first round in the competition.

Year 8
Poor weather meant that we played only one match. This was a success, however, as we beat Selsdon High School 25-5. I was impressed by the team’s ability to progress so quickly, so it was a disappointment that they were unable to participate in the Croydon Schools Tournament, since the date was arranged after we had finished our Summer Term. I am positive the team would have done well. The girls have a lot of potential, and I look forward to more successes next year.

Year 7
The Year 7 team also had success playing against Selsdon High School, winning 22-3. Apart from this match, they were able to participate in the Croydon Schools Tournament, in which approximately twenty schools competed. The team successfully reached the final, having scored the most rounders in the tournament! In the final they beat Croydon High School. Players of the tournament included Amy McCarthy, Elizabeth Ashworth and Isabelle Eden. I look forward to continued hard work and success next year!

TABLE TENNIS

 Table tennis has had another good season with several individual awards being gained as well as league success.
The Under-13s were third in the Surrey Schools League, Under-16A second in the league,Under-16B fourth in the league and Under-19 team fourth in the league at the end of the season. In January, the girls’ Under-16 team ( Caroline Culbert, Kim Ngo, Trushna Patel, Dan Hu) reached the Regional finals in Southampton representing Surrey, and in February the girls’ Under- 19 team ( Jing Bo Zhang , Grace Liu, Franziska Wilk, Tina Zhang) reached the National finals, also held in Southampton. We hope to continue with mixed teams in the league next year.
Christopher Wilkinson was a winner at Sutton Youth Centre Under-13 singles, while Kim Ngo won the girls’ Under-13 singles and represented Surrey in West London, achieving a gold medal. Oliver Morgan and Alasdair Culbert were members of a three-player team which won the Byng Hall National Cadet league second division.
Table tennis has continued to benefit from the extension to the Sports Hall. The lighting and flooring are of a recognised international standard for the sport. Not only have our ever-improving table tennis squad been taking advantage of these facilities; for the second year running we were host to several international players, including Matthew Syed, Timo Boll and Jorgen Persson, who completed their training sessions prior to the Ocean International cup held at Fairfield Halls!!
Training will continue in the Summer term in the new Sports Hall at the South Croydon Table Tennis Development Scheme on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6.30 to 9-30 in the evening. Squad trials for next season will be held next term. New players are always welcome!