FIVES - West of England Schools’ Championships

(Marlborough College - January 4^th and 5^th, 2003)

St Paul’s were RUNNERS-UP in the Open Singles and Colts Doubles

and WON the Open Plate Singles and Doubles and the Colts Doubles Plate

Open Singles

Jonathan MAJOR was runner-up to Steve Korris (Tiffin, formerly of St Dunstan’s), after wins against the top players from five different schools, culminating in a three-game semi-final against Forbes (Loretto)

Alan Beverly and Ryan Dale reached the quarter-finals, Dan Colton and Tim Barlow the last 16: in all cases they were beaten by players ranked higher in the seeding list. Alex Gonszor reached the second round but lost to another opposing top player.

In the plate, Robert Alexander won the event in an exciting final, 16-15, against Mason (Bradfield) who had defeated David Newsome in the semi-final.

Open Doubles

St Paul’s I (Beverly/Barlow) reached the semi-final, losing in three games to the top seeds, Christ’s Hospital I. SPS II (Colton/Dale) reached the quarter-final, losing in three close games to the second seeds, Merchant Taylors’

SPS III (Major/Newsome) won the plate, defeating St Dunstan’s II in the final, a pair knocked out of the main competition by SPS IV (Alexander/Gonszor) before their defeat by Bradfield I.

Colts Singles

Ali Jennings and Freddie Halliday reached the quarter-finals, losing to strong players from Winchester College. Paul Simister and Jack Wellby reached the second round. Nick Orton and Charles Rayner were in the plate, Orton narrowly losing the semi-final

Colts Doubles

SPS I (Halliday/Jennings) were runners-up, losing to Winchester College.

SPS II (Simister/Wellby) lost a three-game match to Blundells I, and in the plate were beaten by Blundells II, but SPS III (Orton/Rayner) exacted revenge, winning the plate final 16-14

PJK