THE YEAR eight basketball team from Saddleworth School retained its Oldham Schools’ title after staging a dramatic fightback in the final against Crompton House.
Trailing by four points with only eight seconds left, it looked inconceivable that Saddleworth would triumph.
However, power-forward Will Marston was fouled in the act of scoring, which halved the deficit.
After the resultant free throw was missed,Yasmin Roebuck secured the rebound and held her nerve to convert her shot with just two seconds on the clock forcing the match into overtime.
It was again Yasmin who performed heroics in the three extra minutes as her cool shooting under pressure edged Saddleworth to a 16-12 victory.
Earlier the team had swept all of their opponents aside with five wins, including a 16-2 triumph over Crompton House in the group stages and a 32-4 trouncing of Radclyffe in their semi-final game.
A much more determined and physical Crompton House outfit had threatened to spoil the party in the final until the drama of the last few seconds unfolded.
Meanwhile, the year nine football team has reached the final of the Oldham Schools’ Cup Final for a third consecutive year.
A well-deserved 8-2 victory over Oasis Academy, without really hitting the heights they know they can achieve, means another final for the boys.
Oliver Griffiths capitalised on some lethargic defending to score after 90 seconds and within five minutes it was 2-0 with Cav Purtill pouncing for a poacher’s goal.
It was a great fast start but complacency and poor finishing allowed Oasis to score out of the blue and half the deficit.
Fortunately, this kick-started Saddleworth to score again before half-time with Cav scoring again after some great work from Oliver down the left making it 3-1 at half time.
Saddleworth played the second half at a better tempo as Cav completed his hat trick and there were further goals from Matty Barlow, Brandon Halliwell and Luke Doyle. There was just one lapse when, with the score at 8-1, Oasis found the net for a second time.
Elsewhere combined year 10/11 rugby team emerged 32-16 victors in a physical encounter with Wright Robinson Sports College at Churchill Playing Fields.
Tom Houraghan was in scintillating form scoring four tries in a player-of-the-match performance. Other impressive displays came from England recruit Olly Russell and Liam Aspin from year 11 and Niko Kourakos, James Perks and Jack Bradbury from year 10. Matthew Pazos made his debut for the school and will be a valuable addition to the squad.
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