Taylorian

TAYLORIAN 2024

61

U12A P: 9 / W: 2 / D: 0 / L: 7 / F-A: 11-46 / GD: -35 The U12A Team started the term with very limited hockey experience, but lots of hard work in training soon paid dividends. The boys responded to early-season heavy defeats to Hitchin and Reed’s with real grit and determination in training. Four weeks after our first loss we held the reverse fixture against Hitchin at MTS, and even though they got the only goal to win the game, the defensive improvement was obvious, and we even had some good chances of our own to win the game. Progress soon turned into results, and we enjoyed wins over MTP and UCS later in the term. Fixtures against Kingston Grammar School – our strongest opponent – did not yield results, but the performances were exceptional. Overall, it was a brilliant term and all the names below have significantly improved. Mr J. O. Middleton Squad: A. Chauhan, Y. Ashraf, E. Beeby, Y. Fletcher, L. Phethean, K. Shah, D. Amin, S. Murad, M. Shah, G. Malli, A. Muralitharan, A. Tyagi, M. Hussain.

U12B

U12C P: 9 / W: 4 / D: 1 / L: 4 / F-A: 24-30 / GD: -6 What a tremendous season it was for the mighty U12Cs. So often a springboard to even greater glories in coming years, this squad was no exception; many players made their mark and were promoted to the Bs, and in one case the As. Team spirit was the key: the boys listened to each other and their coach, established their game plans and squad formation, and developed really promising skills. There were plenty of Mr Garvey’s favourite type of ‘ugly goals’, knocked in on the rebound from two metres (they all count!), leading to epic victories (11-1 vs Sir William Borlase), bringing consolation to mammoth defeats (1-10 vs Reed’s) and clinching nail-biting draws (2-2 vs Kingston Grammar School). Ciaran deserves special mention for his heroic diving saves in goal, as does Jack for his hat-trick on his debut. But more than individuals, this was a group which shared the space well, rolled through substitutions willingly and grew as a team. I wonder how many will be in the U13Bs next year. Mr R. C. Garvey Squad: C. Khosravi-Nouri, J. Mohamed, E. Mistri, Z. Allibhai, A. Agarwal, D. Patel, R. Bahad, Z. Abrahams, L. Warnapala, L. Warnapala [sic], Z. Treon, X. Ghali, J. Gunes-Lennox, A. Byron, K. Shah, O. Young.

P: 8 / W: 3 / D: 1 / L: 4 / F-A: 19-40 / GD: -21 The U12Bs concluded their season with tremendous success, marked by some outstanding victories that showcased the team’s dedication and skill. Arjun Mehta, the team captain, emerged as an exemplary leader and under his guidance, the boys displayed remarkable teamwork and sportsmanship. Another standout performer throughout the campaign was goalkeeper Zach Green, who earned the team crucial victories and demonstrated unwavering commitment. Mustafa Hussain’s prowess in front of goal was a key factor in our success, until he was inevitably poached by the A Team. Despite the challenges of losing a key player, the boys remained a credit to the school, consistently upholding our values and spirit. Their achievements on the hockey field reflect their hard work and dedication, and they should be immensely proud of their accomplishments. Mr S. J. Reid Squad: Z. Green, A. Mehta, M. Hussain, S. Shah, J. Gunes-Lennox, A. Byron, K. Shah, O. Young, A. Tyagi, D. Gami.