SADDLEWORTH SCHOOL’S senior basketball team was crowned Greater Manchester champions following a memorable afternoon at the Amaechi Centre, Whalley Range.
Their prize is a home tie in the English Schools’ knockout competition later in the term.
Having qualified to represent the borough of Oldham as local cup holders, Saddleworth began with pool victories against Philips School, Bury (19-0); Lowton, Wigan (26-8), Altrincham (16-8) and a last- gasp comeback for an 18-16 win over Wright Robinson Sports College.
The semi-final against Tameside’s Alder School proved a one-sided affair as Saddleworth emerged comfortable 23-6 victors.
The final was a repeat of the fantastically close group match against Wright Robinson. This game was to prove even more dramatic as the scores were tied at 15-15 with 11 seconds remaining.
Allistair Lloyd took control of the ball and ran down the time before releasing one final shot which circled the ring and came out which signalled overtime.
With Wright Robinson in foul trouble, Saddleworth dominated the period of extra time and some cool shooting from the free throw line under pressure from Darryl Shaw and Rylan Dickinson secured a 21-15 victory and with it the title of County Champions.
The year eight basketball team swept the opposition aside to win the Oldham Schools’ Cup.
Unbeaten in their seven matches during the afternoon, the team retained the trophy they won last year in style defeating Radclyffe 16-2 in the semi-final and Bluecoat 24-8 in the final.
Saddleworth will attempt to complete a clean sweep of the Oldham cup competitions when they take part in the year seven tournament on Wednesday, March 12.
The year 11 cricket team defeated Hathershaw and Radclyffe at Oldham Sports Centre to be crowned Indoor Cricket Champions.
Having won the outdoor title back in July, this completed a double for the team which comprised Luke Rhodes, Harrison Lees, Tommy Gallagher, Tom Osborne, Matthew Partington, Matthew Bradnum and Will Wilson.
Fifteen year seven cricketers spent a day at Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Indoor Centre at Headingley where they enjoyed coaching.
It was part of an ongoing initiative from the Saddleworth White Rose Society to re-connect Saddleworth cricketers with Yorkshire CCC and re-assure them they should consider themselves part of the Yorkshire cricket family, even though the district was placed in the Lancashire system many years ago.
There was also success for Saddleworth at the Oldham Indoor Athletics Championships at Newman College.
Saddleworth won the year seven event, a competition which attracted a total of 14 teams, and they will now represent Oldham at this month’s Greater Manchester Indoor Athletics Championships.
Saddleworth won 117 out of 120 badminton matches in singles and doubles as they whitewashed Waterhead Academy and also rolled over Royton and Crompton School.
There were excellent performances from Robyn Cartwright, Megan Bradbury, Dannielle Rhodes, Alice Griffiths and Yasmine Roebuck, Matthew White, Joe Ireland, Isaac Ashworth, Cav Purtill, Johnny Marston, Nathan Roebuck, Ben Kershaw, Maciej Przedziecki, Luke Rhodes, Mark Williams and Max Whitehead.
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