HOCKEY I t has been a successful season for the Dulwich College 1st XI hockey team. Our first game was against the current OA team and we played well, scoring three goals, putting our victory Ben Taffs (Year 13)
Circular. I prefer to believe the former. We stepped off the coach in Cranbrook a week later to be met by large crowd of six Cranbrook girls, who, it transpired, were there to support their own team. To no avail, however: our sponsored star striker Jake Lamplough was able to prove Dulwich’s superiority by knocking the ball in to the bottom right-hand corner. His skills are so advanced, that it would appear the normal laws of hockey no longer apply to him, with the umpire overlooking his blatant back-stick shot. The victory was carried home by Elliot Betteridge, the team’s resident substitute, allowing us to leave Cranbrook with a 2-1 victory. The Alleyn’s game came and went with a result that I’d rather not dwell upon, leading to the team suffering a further draw and loss over the final few weeks. However, in true Dulwich College Hockey underdog style, the final game of the season, St George’s away, brought the kind of reversal of which memories are made. The spectators, the team and our coach Mr King were all in awe as we triumphed 3-1. The season was over and the team were overjoyed: not only had Dulwich come out victorious, but Alec Bannister had also managed to put his name on the score sheet for the first time this year. mental and physical game as it is about victory. Thus the season’s first win over KCS is even more impressive, even if it was not followed through. Close games with schools such as Alleyn’s and City of London resulted in some wins and some losses; in the end, the team made it to the LISBA finals where they faced up against a strong Whitgift side in a tough semi-final, finishing fourth overall. Fourth place was also where the U15 age group had come last year, meaning they returned this season hungry for revenge. Immediately they won all their group matches in the national league, putting them in the National Regionals, where the top two
down to our team’s well-organised and skilful players, rather than the opposition’s lack of fitness that the past few months of university had caused. Dulwich continued this winning streak into our second game against Reigate. Neither the long journey there or the cold winds and rain proved a problem, with the new rules that had been brought in this season playing to our advantage. Two goals were deflected into the opposition’s net within the first 15 minutes. The goals kept flowing, extending Dulwich’s victory to 7-0. Three weeks went by with performances against KCS and St Albans both ending in draws. Dulwich were not in high spirits and we realised that if we were to stand a chance this season we had to beat our next opponents, Eltham College. The Dulwich College 1st team squad turned out in full force at training all week to prepare for the game and to gain a win. Unfortunately, the match was cancelled last minute. Some say Eltham had heard about our star drag flicker, Louis Ferrari, being back on form. Others argued it was due to gas and maintenance works along the South
Itwouldappear the normal lawsof hockey no longer apply to Jake Lamplough,with the umpireoverlookinghis blatant back-stickshot BASKETBALL T his year, representatives of Dulwich College Basketball in every age group have shown increasing success. The youngest age group competing Sebastian Pauwels (Year 13)
in LISBA (the London Independent Schools’ Basketball Association) are the U14s, and this first year provides an opportunity to scope out rivals, work on the fundamentals of the game, and learn how to compete under the pressure of the LISBA league. It is much easier to play in the school gym with your team and your friends than it is to perform in a LISBA game: playing in the U14 age group is as much about players learning to perform at the top of their
133
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker