IPSWICH School's girls' Under-18 hockey side has secured the County Championships with a 2-0 win over Woodbridge School.

Stuart Watson

IPSWICH School's girls' Under-18 hockey side has secured the County Championships with a 2-0 win over Woodbridge School.

And though it is the first time that an Ipswich School girls' U18 team has won the Championships, the victory came as no surprise.

The squad which Ipswich School fielded included six players - Rebecca Christie, Jessica and Sarah Glanvill, Jasmine Grayling, Liz Pope and Kathryn Watson - who were members of last season's high successful U16 side.

Back in January that team made it all the way to the final of the National Indoor Hockey Championships, taking second place behind Belper Hockey Club and emerging as the top school side in the country in that age group.

“Add to that line-up experienced players such as captain Bethany Scott, Grace Richmond, Sumitha Bose, Eleanor Shone, Hannah Brooks and Laurence Pinnell, as well as talented newcomers Rebecca Rowles, Anna Sherring and Camilla McWhirter, who have recently joined our sixth form from other schools, and you have a very strong side,” explains Ipswich School's Director of Games, Julian Halls.

Having beaten Culford School 3-2 and Ipswich High School 7-0 in the earlier stages of the competition, Ipswich School side soon settled into their usual effective pattern of play in the County Final.

An early save by goalkeeper Rebecca Rowles helped to settled any nerves and set the tone for a match in which the Ipswich defence proved rock solid.

Anna Sherring was outstanding in midfield and the link-up play between her and Millie McWhirter soon proved fruitful when Ipswich scored their first goal.

Sherring put the match beyond doubt with a mazy run past four of the Woodbridge players, slotting home Ipswich's second goal and securing a 2-0 victory.

The squad is now preparing for the Regional Finals on Tuesday 11 November.