The country’s top schools are back in action at the School Challenge Cup this weekend, taking place on Sunday (20 November) at Benenden School, Cranbrook.
St Catherine’s win 2021 School Challenge Cup
Take a Look Back: School Challenge Cup 2018
As we gear up for the return of the School Challenge Cup, taking place at Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre on Sunday 14 November 2021, we take a look at the inaugural competition back in 2018.
The Cup was designed to provide an extra level of competition for those school teams who finished in the top places at the annual National Schools Lacrosse Championships.
And in the first edition of the tournament in 2018, six teams including Berkhamsted, Benenden, Moreton Hall, St James, St Helen & St Katharine, and Queen Anne’s, Caversham all competed to be crowned the best lacrosse-playing school in the country.
In another first, the competing schools also had the opportunity to try the new Women’s World Lacrosse rules in competition, including 10-aside teams, over the 40-minute matches.
After the opening match between the top two seeds to decide their semi-final placings in which Berkhamsted overcame Benenden 9-7, the semi-final play-ins took place.
The play-in games resulted in comfortable wins for St Helen & St Katharine (14-5 v Queen Anne’s, Caversham) and Moreton Hall (16-5 v St James); but it was to be the semi-finals where the competition really came alive.
At half-time, both eventual finalists trailed, Benenden leading St Helen & St Katharine 4-2 and Moreton Hall 5-4 up against Berkhamsted, and with six minutes to go it was evens across the board with St Helen & St Katharine clawing back to 7-7 and Berkhamsted to 8-8.
However, Berkhamsted exhibited their superior stamina and staying power that would prove crucial on the day to hit a four-goal run and win 12-8, while St Helen & St Katharine also finished off an impressive comeback to win 10-9.
Before the final, Queen Anne’s took 5th place beating St James 10-5 and Moreton Hall picked up the bronze medals with a strong 13-5 win over Benenden.
As predicted going into the final, it was a nip-tuck affair with both sides trading goals in a match that turned into a real high-level contest as the girls responded well to the new format.
Berkhamsted held a 6-5 lead at the half and then with the scores at 7-6, a crucial thirty-second period set the platform for Berkhamsted to take the title.
At the one end, St Helen & St Katharine rattled a shot off the post and from the resulting loose ball and break their opposition pushed another goal ahead.
Berkhamsted carried the momentum to put down a four-goal streak and take a commanding advantage they would never relinquish to win 12-8.
Challenge Cup 2018 Full Results
Seeding Match
Berkhamsted 9 - 7 Benenden
Semi-Final Play-ins
Moreton Hall 16 - 5 St James
St Helen & St Katharine 14 - 5 Queen Anne’s, Caversham
Semi-Finals
Berkhamsted 12 - 8 Moreton Hall
St Helen & St Katharine 10 - 9 Benenden
5th/6th
Queen Anne’s, Caversham 10 - 5 St James
3rd/4th
Moreton Hall 13 - 5 Benenden
Final
Berkhamsted 12 - 8 St Helen & St Katharine
If you fancy grabbing yourself free entry to this year’s School Challenge Cup in Aldershot on Sunday 14 November, click the button below.
Take a Look Back: School Challenge Cup 2019
It’s been almost two years since the last one, but the School Challenge Cup is back in 2021 after its cancellation last year due to coronavirus.
This year’s cup competition will take place, once again, in its traditional home at Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre and will see eight teams battle it out to be crowned the best lacrosse-playing school in the land.
At the last School Challenge Cup in 2019, eight teams also took part, including Berkhamsted, St Mary’s, Calne, Caterham, Bedford Girls, Lady Eleanor Holles, Wycombe Abbey, Guildford High, and Moreton Hall.
It was a competition filled to burst with quality and the quarter-finals saw Guildford edge past Moreton Hall 6-3, Berkhamsted and Caterham squeeze into the semi-finals by defeating St Mary’s, Calne and Bedford Girls 10-9 and 9-8 respectively and Wycombe Abbey overcome Lady Eleanor Holles by 9 goals to 6.
Guildford managed to hold off a late Caterham comeback to see out their semi-final encounter 10-9 while Berkhamsted produced a convincing performance against Wycombe Abbey in their semi-final to win 12-4.
The weather had largely held out for most of the day; however, by the time the final between Guildford and Berkhamsted came around, the heavens opened making playing conditions difficult.
But both teams still managed to put on a highly entertaining game to keep everyone engrossed.
Berkhamsted took the initiative early in the final, holding a 4-3 lead at half-time and, extending their lead early in the second, looked like they were in the driving seat and on the way to repeating their 2018 School Challenge Cup success.
However, over the longer 40-minute matches, Guildford had the opportunity to respond and slowly but surely they began to take control.
Camille Barton led the charge for her side, finishing the game with seven goals with a number of drives to goal and executing a number of deadly finishes from her free position opportunities.
As the game wore on, Guildford only became stronger and were able to shut out Berkhamsted for the majority of the second period, while they took their chances when in possession to earn the 2019 Challenge Cup title.
In the 3rd place play-off game, Caterham put the disappointment of missing out on the final behind them by coming through against Wycombe Abbey and winning 4-3 to earn themselves bronze medals.
Challenge Cup 2019 Full Results
Quarter-Finals
Berkhamsted 10 - 9 St Mary’s Calne
Caterham 9 - 8 Bedford Girls
Lady Eleanor Holles 6 - 9 Wycombe Abbey
Guildford High 6 - 3 Moreton Hall
Semi-Finals
Berkhamsted 12 - 4 Wycombe Abbey
Guildford High 10 - 9 Caterham
7/8 Play Off
Moreton Hall 10 - 9 St Mary’s Calne
5/6 Play Off
Lady Eleanor Holles 11 - 9 Bedford Girls
3rd Place Play Off
Caterham 4 - 3 Wycombe Abbey
Final
Berkhamsted 5 - 10 Guildford High
Check out the highlights from the enthralling 2019 School Challenge Cup final below!
And if you fancy grabbing yourself free entry to this year’s School Challenge Cup in Aldershot on Sunday 14 November, click the button below.
Free entry to School Challenge Cup for England Lacrosse members
School Challenge Cup 2021 Schedule Released
England Lacrosse are excited to release the schedule for the upcoming School Challenge Cup 2021, taking place on Sunday 14 November.
The eight-team tournament, that was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, is being held at its regular home of Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre, Aldershot.
Reigning champions from 2019, Guildford High School, are set to take on St Catherine’s School in their first-round knockout fixture at 11:20am.
In the other 11:20am game, Benenden School will battle it out against St Mary’s, Calne for a place in the semi-finals.
The remaining fixtures will take place at 10:30am and will see Berkhamsted School play National Schools Championships 2020 winners, Wycombe Abbey and Caterham School take on Downe House School.
In addition to the first-round matches, two semi-finals, and a final, there will also be third-place, fifth-place, and seventh-place games.
Usually, teams would qualify for the School Challenge Cup by finishing in the top eight places at the National Schools Lacrosse Championships.
However, in a change from tradition due to the pandemic, the eight teams taking part in the School Challenge Cup 2021 have qualified based on their previous four National Schools Lacrosse Championships’ performances.
From these performances, points were assigned to each school depending on where they finished in each tournament.
Check out the schedule in full below: