We’ve done it again, again! Our U13 football team has won the IAPS National Football title, for the third year in a row. What an amazing achievement!
On Sunday 4th November the U13 squad travelled to King’s College, Somerset for the IAPS National 6-a-side Tournament as defending regional and national champions. Eighty Prep schools from all across the country took part in this tournament with 24 qualifying for the finals. This was the school’s tenth national football final in the past 6 years.
We hit the ground running with some high quality football beating Cumnor House and St. George’s of Windsor. In Archie FitzGerald and Josh Mullins we boasted the two best players in the tournament and they were not only big goal threats but worked hard and linked up beautifully with their team mates, particularly James Ripley and Daniel Katsande up front. Positive results in our next three games saw us move in to the quarter finals without conceding a goal. The calmness on the ball that we were showing was particularly pleasing to see, especially from our goalkeeper Joss Howard and Thomas White, Harry Fox and Harry Tannett at the back. They gave us a great base to play from.
Tiredness was creeping in as we headed in to the knockout stages of what was a long day and we adapted by playing a less aggressive style. We still used the ball very well though and a single goal from Archie saw us beat Cranleigh. The semi-final saw us take on Downsend, from Surrey. We scored early on but then conceded our first and only goal of the day, which meant the boys had to show some character. This they did and more with two second half goals seeing us through to the final with a 3-1 victory. Shrewsbury House were our opponents and although we found their keeper in inspired form, we weren’t to be denied. Josh broke the deadlock with a great finish in to the bottom corner and captain Archie put the game to bed with a left foot thunderbolt, again in to the corner, before going on to lift the cup.
Once was special, twice was amazing but three times is unbelievable!