Sports round-up 13.03.2026

It is getting warmer, allegedly, but with sporadic sunshine dodging rain showers this week, and the mercury plummeting once again, the weather gods still stubbornly refuse to let Spring fully uncoil. Lacrosse Nationals for Senior squads, U13 and U14s dominate the headlines this week, including some excellent results topped by the U15 squad battling to become Division Champions. Netball, Soccer and Rugby Sevens add to the smorgasbord sports schedule.

Team of the week:

2nd Team lacrosse – semi-finalists at National Schools

Report: Megan T

The Senior 2nd Lacrosse Team are this week’s Team of the Week after achieving the best result the school has ever recorded at Lacrosse Nationals for the Senior second team, reaching the semi-finals following an outstanding weekend of competition. The team began Sunday by topping their pool, highlighted by a particularly strong performance against Berkhamsted, where Polly’s exceptional draw control helped the team dominate possession. Building on this momentum, the girls secured a confident 5–0 victory against GHS in the Round of 16 before progressing through a closely contested quarter-final against St Paul’s Girls’ School, winning 3–2 thanks to excellent game management and composure under pressure.

Although the team narrowly lost 4–2 to St Catherine’s in the semi-final (the team that won the whole tournament), their determination, teamwork and resilience were evident throughout the day. The squad maintained high spirits even in the tightest matches, with fantastic leadership from Genevieve and Daniella helping guide the team to a historic achievement for the school.

Football

3rd XI v Claires Court

Claremont 3rd XI played away at Claires Court on an artificial pitch, which made up for the difficult muddy pitches so far this season. It was a well-balanced game: 1–1 at half time and 2–2 at the final whistle. Goals from Raff E and Noah W. MVP: Jack G.

U15A v RAA

After last night’s rain, playing on RA&A ‘Bottom Field’, it came as no surprise that the pitch was a little more difficult to play attractive football on. The heavy conditions certainly contributed to a very tiring game, but one the boys worked incredibly hard in throughout.

With a slightly different formation to deal with some players missing, my thanks go straight away to Ed for slotting in at centre back. He actually had an excellent game, and he and Henry developed a very solid pairing. He and Henry were put to the test in the first minute as RA&A broke away and found themselves seven on four. Somehow, the defence held out, but the alarm bells certainly rang. After that, the team decided to play in their opponent’s penalty box and in no time we were two goals up. Firstly, a well-taken strike from Ollie W, and then a headed corner from James S. Everything seemed good at this point, but as the half drew on and the pitch became progressively cut up, individual strength and skill became the dominant factor. Pressure switched on to us and, if it hadn’t been for some last-ditch defending and some amazing keeping by James G, the scoreline would have been very different. As it was, the half ended 2–1 with a well-taken individual goal.

The second half was much more even, with little quality on show. RA&A managed to score from another goalmouth scramble but thankfully a breakaway allowed Claremont to regain the lead, with Ollie W again slotting away after a rebounded shot. As the half wore on, the game became more and more static, with boys struggling to control and pass the ball. Occasional flashes of brilliance were interspersed with pinball scrambles and physical challenges. Whenever James S could get the ball he created problems, holding the ball up well or running into space. The final minutes were a nervy affair, and another goalmouth scramble yielded a third goal for RA&A. This was how the game ended and it was probably a fair result. Everyone was exhausted, including the pitch, but a thoroughly competitive game played in great spirit probably ended with the right result.

U15B v RAA

What an amazing game! At half time the score was 0–0 and then in the second half Claremont found themselves 3–1 ahead with 10 minutes left. Royal Alexandra then scored twice to even the match, including a pitch invasion by Alexandra’s A team after the equaliser. But then justice was done. With just two minutes left, Ally J scored his third, the game ending at 4–3. Goals from Buster W and Ally J (3). MVP: A. Justice.

U12B v RAA

Claremont made a fantastic start to the match, with every player working hard and linking up well as a team. Their early pressure nearly paid off when Will G unleashed a brilliant long-range effort that smashed the underside of the bar but, unfortunately, didn’t quite cross the line. Luckily, Claremont did not have to wait long to get their reward. After another well-worked move, Will S calmly slotted the ball into the net to give Claremont a deserved 1–0 lead. Moments later, Callum tried his luck from distance too, forcing the goalkeeper into a smart save, tipping the shot over the bar. Having learned from last week’s performance, the boys kept things tight right up to half time, defending sensibly and working hard off the ball.

Claremont pushed forward again after the break, creating several strong attacking moves. However, against the run of play, Royal Albert and Alexandra managed to find an equaliser. The response from Claremont was outstanding. Heads did not drop and the work rate increased. The pressure soon paid off when Will S struck again, restoring the lead with his second goal of the game. In the closing stages, James put in some excellent defensive work to help protect the advantage, while Callum delivered another impressive performance in midfield, driving the team forward and battling for every ball. Claremont held firm to the final whistle, securing a well-earned victory.

Final score: Claremont U12Bs 2–1 Royal Albert & Alexandra U12Bs
POM: James S-W

Lacrosse

Nationals success for Claremont

This was a historic weekend for Claremont, marking the first time the school has entered four senior teams into the National Schools competition. Even more impressively, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams all finished in the Top 8 of their respective tournaments — a fantastic achievement and a testament to the strength and depth of lacrosse across the programme.

The 1st team headed into a challenging pool on Saturday at the National Schools competition but rose to the occasion with impressive resilience. A combination of hard-fought wins and two agonising one-goal losses was enough to secure progression into the Top 16. Sunday’s matches saw them face familiar opponents in LEH and Moreton Hall, as well as GHS. Two more incredibly tight contests ended in one-goal defeats to LEH and GHS, but a composed 4–2 win over Moreton Hall sent them into the knockout stages against Putney. A disciplined and determined performance earned a 2–1 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. In a fantastic, end-to-end match against Godolphin, the team pushed all the way but narrowly lost 3–2, securing an outstanding Top 8 finish in the country.

The 2nd team also produced an excellent tournament. After a slightly rocky opening game on Saturday, they quickly found their rhythm and put together a strong run of results to comfortably progress into the Top 16. Sunday morning pool play saw them top their group and set up a knockout match against GHS. An outstanding performance led to a dominant 5–0 victory, sending them into a quarter-final against St Paul’s. A thrilling 3–2 win secured their place in the semi-final, where they faced St Catherine’s. Despite a determined effort, they fell 4–2 to the eventual champions, capping off an unbelievable tournament run where they finished in the Top 4 in the country!

The 3rd team also impressed with a strong morning of pool matches, finishing second in their group to move into the Top 16. Here they faced St Catherine’s 4ths and produced a confident 5–3 win to progress to the quarter-finals. Another St Catherine’s side awaited, and despite a determined performance the team narrowly lost 3–1 to the eventual winners. It was a fantastic effort and a brilliant achievement to reach the last eight.

For the 4th team, the day consisted of a very tough set of pool matches against strong opposition. Despite the challenges, the team showed excellent determination and teamwork throughout and played some really positive lacrosse in what was their first ever experience of Nationals.

Results

• 1st team – Top 8 (quarter-finalists)

• 2nd team – Top 4 (semi-finalists)

• 3rd team – Top 8 (quarter-finalists)

• 4th team – First ever 4th team to represent Claremont

15A – Div 1 champions

After a long and challenging season, our U15 team are Division 1 National Champions!

They were drawn into a very tough initial pool, facing strong opposition right from the start. The players rose to the challenge, showing resilience, composure, and real determination to compete at the highest level. Every game in the group stage demanded focus and belief, and the team responded with outstanding performances.

Reaching the knockout stages was just the beginning. From there, the players elevated their game even further. They played with confidence, teamwork, and tremendous spirit, delivering some of their best lacrosse of the season when it mattered most. Each knockout match was fiercely contested and incredibly exciting, but the team showed remarkable character and composure to keep progressing.

By the time they reached the final, it was clear how much this group had grown over the season. Their hard work, dedication, and belief in one another carried them through to a fantastic and well-deserved victory.

This championship is a testament to the commitment of every player and supporters who have been behind the team all season. We are incredibly proud of what this group has achieved.

14A – Top 16

The U14s progressed to top their pool despite a slow start, drawing against Benenden. The remaining four pool games saw positive results, including victories over Walthamstow Hall and St Mary’s Calne. The round of 16 saw the team face NLCS, the girls struggling to retain possession as fatigue set in. The 4–0 loss was perhaps harsh after such a positive morning.

13A – Top 4 (semi-finalists)

A fabulous morning saw Claremont top their pool, with victories over GHS (3–1) and a 7–0 demolition of Haileybury. The team progressed to the Championship, facing St Swithans in the last 16, the 5–3 victory propelling the team into the quarter-finals. A brilliant match against St Georges (Harpenden) went to extra time, Claremont scoring the decisive Golden Goal. The semi-final against Caterham saw the team battle to contain a particularly strong driver. At 4–4, the tension mounted across two periods of extra time, neither team able to seize the initiative. Sadly, having scored the first goal of the game, the rules dictated that Caterham progressed to the final. A great day, Olivia, Grace and Milly outstanding.

U12A @ Surrey County Tournament

The tournament started off really positively, with victories over schools including St Catherine’s B. The team then faced GHS in a crunch match, with a determined and tenacious effort from the Claremont girls rewarded with a single point victory. This took Claremont through to a tough semi-final against St Catherine’s A, which proved to be the girls’ final match on the day. Claremont scored first, but St Catherine’s battled back strongly, their two goals carrying them through to the final. The girls played really well, only narrowly missing out on a place in the decider, earning a highly creditable third place overall. Well done all!

Netball

1st VII v Dunottar

What a great game for the 1st VII on home soil. A feisty, physical game left the team feeling excited at half time. With clinical play from the attack and some really solid defence, the determination and consistency led this team to an 18–10 victory against a well-matched opposition!

2nd VII v Dunottar

The 2nds had a competitive and well-matched game against Dunottar. The team were well structured and consistent in their movements. Some excellent tactics were utilised, such as push up, which forced the opposition to make some errors, earning a well-deserved victory.

U14A v Notre Dame

What a great fixture for our U14A – fiercely contested and physical, the pupils were determined to get a win against Notre Dame. Having not won last year, their careful play and possession provided a great win for the team. Well done to all involved!

U14B v Notre Dame

What a game for the U14B team. Fluid defence, shooting accuracy on point and the flow from turnover to goal showed great determination in their gameplay. It was a great display of things we have been doing in training. Congratulations to all involved!

U14C v Notre Dame

A great game and what a goal difference for our C team! The team worked hard to earn a promising scoreline and really gelled as a team to develop what we have been doing at training and taking the ball to goal effortlessly. Well done to all involved!

U13A Surrey Junior Finals

Sunday saw a day of extremely competitive games for the U13s at the Surrey Junior Finals. The opening match proved to be a tough start to the day, but the team reset and fought their way to some extremely close results in the games to follow. With each match our tempo increased to match the opposition, allowing us to pick up points in every game for the number of goals scored. Although we did not qualify out of our group, the girls should be very proud of the performance they put out, clearly gaining confidence as we took some incredible teams to the line and showed the calibre of Claremont netball!

Players’ Player of the Tournament: Izzy J

Rugby Sevens

Frustration for all, as the U16 Surrey Sevens fell victim to waterlogged pitches at Old Reigatians RFC, the Friday 13th curse cancelling all fixtures at the ground. We now look forward to the U14 boys’ participation at the renowned Rosslyn Park Sevens in the final week of term. Who knows, it might have even warmed up by then!