Godolphin strike gold at 2024 School Challenge Cup

Godolphin School put 2024 National Schools Lacrosse Championships heartbreak behind them as they snatched a first School Challenge Cup title after a 9-5 final victory over hosts St Swithun’s School on Sunday.

An unbeaten day that saw them win all four competition games ensured Godolphin backed up their terrific performance at this year’s Nationals, where they came runners-up to Moreton Hall, to become just the fourth side to lift the School Challenge Cup trophy after Guildford High (3), St Catherine’s (1), and Berkhamsted (1).

Last year’s winners Guildford High, who were looking to win three School Challenge Cup titles in a row, had to make do with a fourth place finish after a 7-1 defeat to St Catherine’s in the bronze medal game followed a shock 6-4 semi-final defeat to St Swithun’s.

Likewise, 2021 School Challenge Cup winners St Catherine’s were knocked out at the semi-final stage after a 10-5 defeat to eventual winners Godolphin; they went on to claim third place in that bronze medal game versus Guildford High.

Westonbirt finished in fifth place after a close 11-7 win against Queen Anne’s in the fifth place game and were involved in undoubtedly the game of the competition in their quarter-final match against St Catherine’s that went to two periods of sudden-death overtime before St Catherine’s clinched the victory 6-5.

2024 National Schools Lacrosse Championships winners Moreton Hall started well with a 9-6 victory over St Catherine’s but ultimately had to settle for a seventh place finish after a big 7-1 win over Haberdashers’ in the seventh place game.

The National Schools Lacrosse Championships returns to Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre from 8-11 March 2025 with the 2025 School Challenge Cup to follow once again in November (details TBC).

2024 School Challenge Cup Final Standings

1. Godolphin

2. St Swithun’s

3. St Catherine’s

4. Guildford High

5. Westonbirt

6. Queen Anne’s

7. Moreton Hall

8. Haberdashers’

2024 School Challenge Cup Results

Final | Godolphin 9-5 St Swithun’s
3rd Place | Guildford High 1-7 St Catherine’s
5th Place | Westonbirt 11-7 Queen Anne’s
7th Place | Moreton Hall 7-1 Haberdashers’
SF1 | St Swithun’s 6-4 Guildford High
SF2 | Godolphin 10-5 St Catherine’s
Game 8 | Guildford High 8-7 Queen Anne’s
Game 7 | St Catherines 6-5 (OT) Westonbirt
Game 6 | Godolphin 6-3 Haberdashers’
Game 5 | Moreton Hall 7-8 St Swithun’s
Game 4 | St Swithun’s 3-7 Westonbirt
Game 3 | Queen Anne’s 8-6 Haberdashers’
Game 2 | Godolphin 7-6 Guildford High
Game 1 | Moreton Hall 9-6 St Catherine’s

England's top school teams compete at 2024 School Challenge Cup

England’s top eight school teams compete to be named the best in the country at this weekend’s 2024 School Challenge Cup at St Swithun’s School, Winchester.

Moreton Hall (1), Godolphin (2), St Catherine’s (3), Guildford High (4), Queen Anne’s (5), St Swithun’s (6), Haberdashers’ Girls’ (7), and Westonbirt (8) will take part in the annual competition after qualifying by finishing in the top eight in the U19 competition at the National Schools Lacrosse Championships earlier this year.

Reigning School Challenge Cup champions Guildford High return as they look to claim their third consecutive title, and fourth title in total, following a dramatic 6-4 comeback win over Moreton Hall in 2023 and a 6-3 victory over Putney High in 2022.

After claiming their first National Schools Lacrosse Championships title in 2024, Moreton Hall will be back at the School Challenge Cup looking to go one step further than last year and lift their first School Challenge Cup trophy.

Previous winners of the competition include Guildford (2019, 2022, 2023), St Catherine’s (2021), and Berkhamsted (2018).

The first round of fixtures gets underway at 10.30am all leading through to the final scheduled for 4.45pm.

Spectators are welcome to attend, with parking and a kiosk serving hot and cold drinks, burgers, and hot-dogs available on-site throughout the day.

Game 1 | Moreton Hall v St Catherine’s | 10:30am
Game 2 | Godolphin v Guildford High | 10:30am
Game 3 | Queen Anne’s v Haberdashers’ Girls’ | 11:20am
Game 4 | St Swithun’s v Westonbirt | 11:20am

Game 5 | Winner G1 v Loser G4 | 12:10pm
Game 6 | Winner G2 v Loser G3 | 12:10pm
Game 7 | Loser G1 v Winner G4 | 1pm
Game 8 | Loser G2 v Winner G3 | 1pm

Semi-Final 1 | Winner G5 v Winner G8 | 2pm
Semi-Final 2 | Winner G6 v Winner G7 | 2pm

7th Place Game | Loser G5 v Loser G6 | 2:50pm
5th Place Game | Loser G7 v Loser G8 | 2:50pm
3rd Place Game | Loser SF1 v Loser SF2 | 3:45pm

Final | Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 | 4:45pm

Guildford High retain School Challenge Cup

Guildford High claimed their second consecutive School Challenge Cup title after an incredible 6-4 comeback win over Moreton Hall in the final on Sunday.

Going unbeaten throughout their five games during the competition, Guildford High overturned a three goal deficit in the second half of the final to defeat 2023 National Schools Lacrosse Championships finalists Moreton Hall.

Their previous games saw them beat St Catherine’s 4-3 in sudden death overtime, Bolton 6-5, and Putney in the semi-final.

Bringing together the top eight performing under-19 teams from the last National Schools Lacrosse Championships, the School Challenge Cup is the premier schools lacrosse competition in the country.

This year’s competition was highly competitive with seven of the opening eight games being won by a single goal and four in sudden death overtime.

Guildford High is now the most decorated School Challenge Cup team with three wins (2019, 2022, 2023), two ahead of St Catherine’s (2021) and Berkhamsted (2018) who have one title each.

The National Schools Lacrosse Championships will return in 2024 between 9 & 12 March where the top eight will once again compete at the School Challenge Cup later in the year (date and venue TBC).

Final Results

Game 1 | St Catherine's 3-4 (OT) Guildford High
Game 2 | Moreton Hall 8-5 Caterham
Game 3 | Berkhamsted 6-7 (OT) Haberdasher's Girls'
Game 4 | Putney High 8-7 (OT) Bolton
Game 5 | Guildford High 6-5 Bolton
Game 6 | Moreton Hall 7-4 Berkhamsted
Game 7 | Haberdasher’s Girls’ 5-4 Caterham
Game 8 | St Catherine's 4-5 (OT) Putney

Semi-Final 1 | Guildford High v Putney
Semi-Final 2 | Moreton Hall v Haberdasher’s Girls’

5th Place Game | Caterham 5-9 St Catherine’s
7th Place Game | Bolton 5-9 Berkhamsted
3rd Place Game | Haberdasher’s Girls’ 3-8 Putney
Final | Guildford High 6-4 Moreton Hall

Final Standings

1. Guildford High

2. Moreton Hall

3. Putney

4. Haberdasher’s Girls’

5. St Catherine’s

6. Caterham

7. Berkhamsted

8. Bolton

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.

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:

Volunteer at 2021 School Challenge Cup

England Lacrosse is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to volunteer as Table Officials or Event Stewards at the School Challenge Cup 2021.

The annual competition, which was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, is due to take place on Sunday 14 November in Aldershot.

Table Officials will be required to keep the official timing and scoring for each game and ensure that each match runs smoothly. They will also ensure match statistics are called and entered.

Event Stewards will be responsible for ensuring all spectators and participants attending the School Challenge Cup have a positive and memorable experience. They will help at the entrance point, giving out wristbands and collecting Fan Membership information, and make sure spectators are seated in the correct areas of the venue.

Eight teams have qualified for this year’s School Challenge Cup, with reigning champions from 2019, Guildford High School, looking to make it two wins in a row.

But the competition is tough and Berkhamsted Girls’ School, Benenden School, Caterham School, Lady Eleanor Holles School, Downe House School, St Catherine's School, and St Mary’s Calne will all be looking to take the trophy home themselves.

After a year off, this year’s competition is sure to be bigger and better than ever so don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to get involved!

School Challenge Cup 2021 Teams Announced

England Lacrosse are delighted to announce the names of the schools who are set to take part in the School Challenge Cup 2021 in Aldershot on Sunday 14 November.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were unable to host the 2020 edition of the competition and we are very excited to be able to welcome schools back this year.

In previous years, schools would usually qualify by finishing within the top eight of the U19A age category at the annual National Schools Championships.

However, as the 2021 Championships were also unable to take place, the School Challenge Cup 2021 teams have been identified by online Macoocoo results from the previous four years of National Schools Championships.

From these results, points were assigned to each school depending on where they finished in each tournament.

Based on this points-based system, we’re excited to announce that the following eight schools have qualified for this year’s School Challenge Cup:

• Berkhamsted Girls’ School

• Benenden School

• Guildford High School

• Caterham School

• Lady Eleanor Holles School

• Downe House School

• St Catherine's School

• St Mary’s Calne

The following four schools will be placed on a reserve list if any of the top eight schools are unable to compete:

• Bedford Girls’ School

• Wycombe Abbey

• Moreton Hall

• St Swithun’s School

The reigning champions of the School Challenge Cup are Guildford High School who saw off inaugural winners of the competition, Berkhamsted Girls’ School, 10-5 in the highly competitive 2019 final.