East Sussex Schools

With an original entry of Ninety seven, (although less turned up on the day!) it was a busy two days at Filsham Valley School,in St Leonards On Sea, who hosted the East Sussex Schools Table tennis annual competition. With the prize being a place at the national Schools Event in Doncaster in April, the competition was fierce. It was the Girls turn first with events played on the Friday evening.. The Under 16 Girls event saw some good table tennis with the final being played between the current national junior Champion Yolanda King of St Bedes, Eastbourne and Chelsea Furnival of the Grove, also highly ranked. Yolanda came out the champion and will represent East Sussex at the Nationals in April in Under 16 level. At under 13 level Emma Sheen of Falmer school in Brighton cam out on top beating Tia Payne of Filsham Valley. The under 11 Girls event was won by Battle and Langton player Alexandra Thompson, with Imogen Bennett of West St Leonards Runner up.

The Boys events were keenly contested with the Under 11 event finishing first. It was a triangular final with the winners coming through from three groups. Joshua Bennett of Willingdon primary School and won overall, with Ivan Flanagan from Sacred Heart Runner up and a well deserved 3rd place to Fred Bromley of Battle and Langton School. In the under 13 event there was a great quarter final between number 2 seed Michael Stringer from Uckfield community school and Cameron Flanagan of Filsham Valley . Michael just won through in a deuce in the fifth battle. He then went on to beat Ryan Caister of William Parker. However in the final Jack Bennett of Willingdon Community School proved too strong and beat Michael in the final. The final two events of the day were the Under 16 and Under 19 Boys. The Brighton boys proved too strong for the Bexhill College players in the Under 19 and Mark Scutts of BHASVIC won, beating team mate Charlie Lance in the final. The Under 16 event was more keenly contested with Jed O Brien of William Parker reaching the semi finals . His team mate James Eaglestone did one better reaching the final, having beaten Andrew Martin of Bishop Bell. However it was Carl Haines of Varndean in Brighton who beat number 2 seed James in the final.

It was a great day of Table tennis and many thanks to Colin Hyland and Ron Spencer for their great organisation on the referees table.