Sport

Year6IAPSNetball Tour

On a chilly February afternoon, the Year 6 girls, togged in customised hoodies (thank you, Mr. Evans!) bundled their kit and ‘A games’ into the DH minibus and headed to Suffolk for a very exciting road trip to the Small Schools IAPS netball competition.

After the longest sing-along on record, they arrived at the Darsham Community Centre to settle in for their first night ahead of the big games hosted the next day at Framlingham College. A relatively quiet night ensued: supper, chatting and playing cards. More than can be said for the staff who, by morning, were totally au fait with the timetable for the trains running between Lowistoft and Amersham!

The big day dawned. Healthy breakfasts eaten, sandwiches made, and crucially Miss Oland’s plaiting salon frequented by all to ensure they all looked super sharp on the day. The girls played 5 group stage matches, all five-a-side with an obligatory rotation each half; meaning that no player was able to settle in a position for more than five minutes. At the end of the group stages, the team were second in their pool which took them into the Cup semi-final; a white knuckle-ride of a match against Littlegarth. 7-7 at the end whistle blew meaning another 5 minutes of game play which concluded in a 9-9 draw. However, a draw wasn’t an option, so this meant only one thing. Golden goal. Littlegarth took the centre pass, an interception from DH, back up to the attacking end and a victorious DH goal meant a place in the final for DH against St. Andrews, Woking. The final was another nailbiter, with St Andrews just securing a 4-2 win, but a valiant effort from both sides. The girls were thrilled with their silver medals, and from a national competition, a fabulous achievement indeed. A big thank you to Tiggy, Florence and Izzy for captaining the team so brilliantly!

That evening the girls enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Ed Sheeran’s local (sadly, he didn’t pop in for a pint!) before an evening of karaoke back at their digs. A quick trip to Colchester Zoo on the way home to feed the giraffes concluded an utterly fabulous trip; home, ready for half term and a very well-deserved rest. Great job girls, you were an absolute credit to DH, and we are so proud of you all!

Sarah Posnett

Netball

The U13 girls should be very proud of their excellent netball season! Several of the U12 girls stepped up to the 1st team. Captained by Neve Meurer, the team gelled well and some excellent shooting from Eliza Fearon and Olivia Boyce produced some good results. There were close games against Lancing Prep, Seaford and tournaments at Westbourne. Coco Gray was strong in defence assisted by Lottie Laing. U12 girls Sophia Bassett and Olivia Finn made valuable contributions to the team. Well done everyone. Jo Owen

The U13Bs had a tough start to the season facing a strong Handcross Park side. They fought hard but started with a loss. However, this fuelled the girls’ competitive spirit, and they came back fighting against Roedean and Duke of Kent achieving a draw and a win respectively. They have adapted their play, becoming more cohesive as a team, finishing the season with a great win against Lancing prep at Worthing. Harriet Howgate played well in the centre court and even tried her hand at shooting. There were also impressive interceptions from defensive superstars Layla Owens and Beatrice de Courcy-White.

The U10s and U11s started with a clean sweep of wins against Pennthorpe. Quick movements, tight defending and excellent shooting, combined with the girls’ versatility, bodes well for the season ahead.

Further wins against Lancing Prep at Hove, Lancing Prep at Worthing and a huge win of 21-9 against Seaford helped to boost the girls’ confidence. Jessie Tustin worked tirelessly each game to maintain possession and always provided positive team spirit. Well done to Strawberry Frizzell for playing up in the U11A team on occasions and boosting the team’s defensive play. It was tournaments galore for the U11s and a season they should be proud of. Starting with a huge 17-6 win against Pennthorpe, they were ready for their first tournament. The girls put in a stellar performance at the Westbourne tournament beating Westbourne, Stroud, PHS and a draw against Highfield. Several coaches commented on the girls’ play and were impressed by their speed in attack and patience in the circle. A further 3rd place in the Lancing tournament, losing by 2 goals in the semi-final against Hurst, and runners up in the Oakwood tournament proved how hard the girls had worked. The final game of the season was against a tough Windlesham side. The U11s remained calm and put into practice what they had learnt, managing an impressive win to conclude their best netball season to date!

The U8s and U9s were fantastic this season. With most children attending netball club, you could see the progress the children had made. Kicking the season off with two wins against Pennthorpe and continuing their success against Lancing Prep at Hove and Seaford, the girls played superb netball: quick passes, movement into space and great team spirit. Their seasons concluded with netball festivals at Oakwood. The U9s only lost one game throughout the festival. Beau Black, known as the ‘interception queen,’ made countless interceptions and Sophie Ratcliffe and Flora Lewis, demonstrated their superb shooting in the attacking end. The U8s won all their games and are shaping up to be a fantastic netball team. Well done to Saskia Bladd-Symms, known as ‘the footwork guru,’ for being awarded Player of the Season: she was congratulated by several coaches for her amazing play.

Cricket 1sts

Hardball cricket has been flowing for the girls this year and they have gone from strength to strength, improving with every match and, most importantly, growing in confidence. The lovely, sunny weather has also been a big positive. With only our second season of hardball cricket in school for the girls, the season started off well with a very close match against Brighton Girls, losing by 8 runs. They went on to win two further matches. A special mention goes to

Olivia Boyce for being the top wicket taker for the girls this season, taking an impressive 11 wickets across 7 matches. The girls have played Seaford twice this term, a tough team with many of their players within the County Pathway. They met them in the new Sussex Cricket Foundation Girls U13 Independent School league, another addition to the girls’ hardball schedule. In our second match against Seaford, it came down to a nail-biting finish where DH needed 1 run off 1 ball and our captain Bella Boyce, led from the front and got the winning runs. Many of the Year 7 girls have stepped up across the season and, for many, experienced hardball for the first time. Most improved player was awarded to Sophia Bassett and Player of the Season was Bella Boyce.

The Year 8 girls have a lot to offer on the cricket pitch and will continue to thrive in their senior schools. We wish them all the best for the next chapter.

Ali Fentiman U11s

The return of the cricket season saw the girls embracing the chance to wear cricket whites. The improved look resulted in a strong season for the U11 girls, who remained unbeaten all season. There were notable wins against Brighton Girls, Lancing Prep, Seaford, Duke of Kent and a final win against Cottesmore in their last game of the season. It was a special game for the girls as this was the first game of hardball for the team and they adapted brilliantly, showcasing their excellent cricket skills and true team spirit! The bowling was superb all season; pace and accuracy have been a focus this term and it is evident in the 37 wickets they have taken as a team that they have delivered! A tremendous season, and they remain unbeaten, well done! The Most Improved Player of the Season was Tiggy Allum and Player of the Season was awarded to Bea Belgeonne.