THE Saddleworth School Year 11 basketball team were crowned champions of Oldham after emerging victorious in a golden point thriller over Waterhead in the final of the annual Oldham Schools’ borough tournament.
The scores were tied at 12-12 in the final in regulation time with Zach West scoring the decisive golden point. Saddleworth’s Jayden Finnerty was voted player of the tournament.
Nine teams competed at the Sport for All Centre in Failsworth with the Saddleworth Year 10 team receiving bronze medals in their tournament.
SADDLEWORTH School’s Year 7 rugby league team lost 10-6 to a late try at Wade Deacon School, Widnes, in their North West Counties Cup group match.
Buoyed by their maiden victory in their recent friendly against Bluecoat, Saddleworth faced a strong, well-drilled opposition and the scores were locked at 0-0 after 10 mins with the Saddleworth outfit resolutely defending their try line until the visitors finally succumbed with Wade Deacon scoring their first try and adding the conversion.
With this wake-up call Saddleworth increased their intensity and managed to keep the scoreline down to a 6-0 deficit at half time.
After the break and with a resident heron refusing to leave the field of play for a few moments, the boys gained momentum and a great cross-field kick by Max Gosling was gathered and scored by Max Speak, with Mathew Fahey converting to level the scores at 6-6 to set up a tense finale.
Both teams continued to pose little threat with ball in hand as defences dominated in the second period until a break by Wade Deacon resulted in a try for the home side making it 10-6 in the dying embers of game.
Player of the match for Saddleworth was Ollie Knox who tackled with great determination and made some strong forward runs. Next up for the squad is the visit of Wigan’s St John Fisher on Friday, December 3.
SADDLEWORTH School’s Year 8 rugby team was beaten 32-4 by a big, strong and physical Bridgewater side from Warrington in the pool stages of the North West Counties Champion Schools’ Cup.
The match was played in dire weather conditions at Churchill Playing Fields and, despite being against the odds for large parts of the game, the team maintained its resilience to the final whistle.
They registered the final points of the encounter as Riley Eckersley plunged over the try line after Theo Anastasiou had given the hosts good field position with his powerful drive.
The task is unlikely to get any easier next week as the team host St Peter’s, from Wigan, in their second group game.
THE Saddleworth Year 9 rugby league team posted an impressive 30-12 victory against St Helens side Rainford in the North West Counties Champion Schools’ Cup.
After losing to Culcheth in their opening group game, Saddleworth produced a vastly improved performance.
Oscar Knox was in scintillating form registering a hat-trick of tries as hosts Saddleworth raced to an early 14-0 advantage.
Further tries from the talismanic Lewis Jagger (2) and Alfie Holden Supyk plus three successful conversions from the boot of Jagger kept a resilient visiting outfit at bay.
In their opening group game, Saddleworth lost 20-10 to a strong Culcheth side from Warrington.
Against much bigger opposition at Churchill Playing Fields, Saddleworth trailed 10-6 at half time after skipper Lewis Jagger had jinked his way over the try line to register the first points of the contest. He was then successful in converting his own try from out wide.
Culcheth grew in confidence as the game progressed and registered 20 unanswered points either side of the interval and, although Jagger reduced the arrears late on to complete a brace of tries, it was the visitors who went away with the spoils.
The team will now face Byrchall School from Warrington in their final group match on Wednesday, December 1 requiring a win to progress to the quarter-finals.
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