Sport Round Up - November 2024

In Athletics, at the ESAA Cross Country Cup (South West Regional Final), the Inter Boys team finished fifth, the Inter Girls team were second, the Senior Boys team were first and the Senior Girls team were first. The IG, SG and SB teams all progress to the National Final on Saturday 7 December in Leeds.  

The Mendip Schools Cross Country Championships were held at Millfield on Wednesday 27 November. There were podium finishes for Year 9 Raphael Selby, Year 10 Ruby Bodman, Hope Lewis, Mateo Elliott, Sam Jackson, Year 11 Jasper Girven, Lower Sixth Abigail Bushell, Upper Sixth Erin Shepherd, Nate Ground and Seb Forrest. 

In Clay Shooting, the Millfield Invitational Shoot took place on Thursday 7 November, with 170 students from 17 schools including two from Scotland and one from Wales. Lower Sixth Oliver Austin won the A course High Gun. Upper Sixth Nuccio Stanton-Rotondi won the A course High Gun and Lower Sixth Matilda Wilkes took the Ladies High Gun. The Millfield team won the A course and Ladies competitions and Cheltenham College won the B course. 

In Cricket, Year 11 Louie Lawrence retained his place in the Sussex Academy. Upper Sixth Caleb Falconer retained his place in the Middlesex Academy. Lower Sixth Laila Moledina was named Somerset Women’s Young Player of the Year. 

In Equestrian, on 9 November, at the British Showjumping show at West Wilts, Year 10 Zoe Przedborski placed third in the 1.05m and second in the 1.10m. Lower Sixth Manige Deleersnyder placed third in the 1.10m. Year 11 Max Bonney qualified for the Blue Chip Bliss of London Novice Championship with a superb double clear. On 17 November in the National Schools Equestrian Association showjumping qualifier, the team of Lower Sixth Manige Deleersnyder, Amber Moxon, Year 10 Zoe Przedborski and Year 9 Darcie Slater won the 1m elite class and have qualified for the National Championships in May 2025. On 27 November at the British Show jumping show at Chard Equestrian, Year 10 Blaire Carling was second in the 0.90m open, Year 9 Darcie Slater won the 1m open and Year 10 Vaasvi Khaitan was fifth in the 1.05m class.   

In Fencing, the results for the Cadet and Junior National Championships 2024 are as follows: In the Cadet Womens Sabre, Lower Sixth Maisie Searle was 19th, in the Cadet Mens Epee, Year 11 Monty Price Bailey was 34th,  in the Junior Womens Sabre Maisie Searle was 18th and Lower Sixth Evie Colyer was 27th. In the Junior Mens Epee Upper Sixth Seb Forrest was 18th, while Lower Sixth Chloe Johnson was 26th in the Junior Womens Epee. In the Senior Foil Open Upper Sixth Aleksey Ageyev Jr was sixth, Year 10 Jason Shi was 10th and Lower Sixth Anton Sidorov was 14th. In the U14 Womens Sabre Year 9 Lucia Millington was 16th. 

In the 2024 RAF Senior Open, Year 11 Dora Ji was third in the Womens Epee and Lower Sixth Kaden Woname was third in the Mens Sabre. Lower Sixth Evie Colyer was third in the Womens Foil, while Marabelle Lippold was 14th. In the Mens Epee, Year 11 Monty Price-Bailey was 33rd and Lower Sixth Reuben Cawley was 42nd. In the Mens Foil Year 10 Jason Shi was 44th and Lower Sixth Anton Sidorov was 47th. 

Millfield won the Millfield vs Clifton College Team Match by a score of 249-213.  

In the U23 National Epee Championships, Lower Sixth Chloe Johnson was seventh in the Womens Epee, while Year 11 Dora Ji was 25th. In the Mens Epee, Upper Sixth Seb Forrest was 34th and Lower Sixth Reuben Cawley was 44th.

At the Heart of England Foil U17 BRC, Year 10 Henry Gould was 20th in the U17 Boys event, U17 Boys, Jason Shi was 24th and Frederick Horgan was 27th. In the U17 Girls Lower Sixth Alice Keers was 19th and Year 10 Marabelle Lippold was 20th. 

At the Dragon Sabre LPJS Cardiff, Year 9 Joe Trainor was third in the U14 Boys event, while Lucia Millington was third in the U14 Girls. 

At the U23 National Foil Championships 2024, Lower Sixth Evie Colyer was 22nd. 

At the Welsh Senior Open 2024, Lower Sixth Reuben Cawley was 46th in the Mens Epee, Year 11 Monty Price-Bailey was 62nd and Year 10 Mateo Elliot was 64th. In the Womens Foil, Lower Sixth Evie Colyer was 27th.  

In the Truro Cadet Sabre 2024, Year 9 Joe Trainor was first in the U14 Boys, while Year 9 Lucia Millington was third in the U14 Girls and Cadet Girls.  

At the Cocks Moor Woods Epee 2024, Upper Sixth Seb Forrest was 41st in the Senior Mens, while Year 11 Monty Price-Bailey was 56th. In the Senior Women, Lower Sixth Chloe Johnson was ninth, while Year 11 Dora Ji was 19th. 

At the South West Senior Foil and Sabre Championships 2024, Year 10 Harry Wilder was 14th in the Senior Mens Sabre, while Upper Sixth Jamie Hague was 17th. In the Senior Womens Sabre, Lower Sixth Maisie Searle was second, Year 9 Lucia Millington was sixth and Year 11 Victoria Baughan was seventh.

In the Senior Mens Foil, Lower Sixth Anton Sidorov was eighth, Upper Sixth Keiran Campbell was 10th, Year 10 Jason Shi was 11th, Henry Gould was 12th and Year 11 Jem Hedgecock was 15th. In the Senior Womens Foil, Lower Sixth Alice Keers was eighth and Year 10 Marabelle Lippold was ninth. 

In Football, nine Millfield Football players have been selected for the Independent Schools FA (ISFA) national team squads and will attend national camps in mid-December. U18 Boys Upper Sixth Rhomey Ashby-Hammond, Jaden Rose, while Lexie Barrington-Hibbert and Hollie Tappin were selected for the U18 Girls squad. Lower Sixth Sam Tisdale, Rocco Pardon, Jay Nakamichi, Dexter Trego were selected for the U17 squad. Year 11 Ahann Gupta was selected for the U16 squad.  

In national cup competitions Millfield has representation in the last 32 and last 16 of ESFA Boys U14, U15, U18 cups and in Boys ISFA U15 and U18 competitions. 

The Girls U16 team have progressed to the last 32 in the ESFA U16 National Cup. 

Upper Sixth Hollie Tappin was named Player of the Match on a match with her external club Bridgwater United. 

In Golf, at the Swifts National Foursomes, the U15 team played Truro away at Teignmouth. The Millfield team of Year 10 Jack McMeekin, Seva Johal, Year 9 Jack Issacs and Zane Ward won 2-0 with convincing wins in each match. 

In Hockey, Old Millfieldian Becky Manton has been selected for England to play in China in the FIH Pro League, while Monica Watkins has been selected for England U21s. 

The Girls First XI beat Marlborough 4-0 in their latest cup match (EHT1), and also took part in the Indoor Regional Finals. 

The Girls U16As beat Taunton School 3-0 in their latest cup match (EHT1), and competed in the Indoor Regional Finals. 

The U15A team have won their latest ISHC game 3-1 against Seaford College to progress into Round 5. 

The Boys First XI had their latest cup game in October and are training hard preparing for their next game. 

The Boys U16 team also took part in the Indoor Regional Finals. 

In Karate, students from the squad have attended the Autumn Gasshuku (Intensive Training) as well as some extra training sessions at the Wincanton Dojo. Upper Sixth Falak Al Busaidi, Lower Sixth Alex Harrop and Valentina Hands have all successfully passed their Green Belt Assessments. There are a couple of assessments still being run and it is hoped that these students will pass their belt gradings before the end of term. Year 10 Frederick Horgan continues his preparation for his 1st Dan Black Belt Grading, which will take place in March 2025. His Grading Panel will consist of Senior Black Belts who between them have over 100 years of experience in the Martial Arts. The Millfield students will be joined by their Wincanton counterparts on a session of ground fighting, instruction on what to do if they are knocked to the floor. 

In Modern Pentathlon, Millfield hosted the Southwest Schools Biathlon, on Sunday 24 November. Despite the challenging weather conditions, which tested the athletes’ resilience, the event was a great success. Congratulations to everyone that competed and individuals that have qualified for the finals in March 2025. In the Year 9 Girls' event, Ana Price-Martic was fifth. In the Year 9 Boys’ event, Reilly Barber was third and Henry Mahon was fourth. In the Year 10 Girls’ event, Ruby Bodman was third, Hope Lewis was fourth, Hattie Griffths was fifth and Addison Clary was sixth; together they claimed Team Gold. In the Year 10 Boys’ event, Sam Jackson was second, Mateo Elliott third, Tim De Pree was fifth; together they won Team Gold. In the Year 11 Girls’ event, Ella Shepherd was sixth. In the Year 11 Boys event, Rufus Lovett was third. In the Year 12/13 Girls’ event, Chloe Johnson was first and Abi Bushell was fourth. In Year 12/13 Boys’ event, Nate Ground was first, Seb Forrest was third, Reuben Cawley was fifth and Sebastian Williams was 13th; together they claimed Team Gold. 

In Netball, Millfield netballers have been selected into NPL franchise squads and development pathways. Lower Sixth Olivia Doherty and Lower Sixth Isabella Lofthouse have both been selected into the U19 squad for the Team Bath Pathway. Liv Pitt has been selected as vice captain into the London Mavericks U17 squad. Freya Artell has been selected into the Cardiff Dragons squad and the Gibraltar U21 squad. Upper Sixth Louisa Davidson, Matilda Moore and Eliza Goodwyn are all in Team Bath Senior Player Development Programme and Lower Sixth Eva Doubler is in the Team Bath Junior PDP. 

The Senior First team won the U19 Somerset County tournament which was hosted at Millfield. They now progress through to regionals in February with the U14 and U16 teams. After winning their third round of the cup, the Senior second team are through to the quarter finals of the Sisters n Sport Shield competition. Additionally, the Senior first team are also through to the quarter finals of the Sisters n Sport cup competition.  

In Pickleball, Year 10 student Zahaan Udai Singh competed in the PWR DUPR Masters 700 in New Delhi. The event showcased the finest pickleball talent participating with an aim to qualify for the PWR World Series. Zahaan participated in the 19+ Open Intermediate category and placed third and secured a bronze medal.  Zahaan and his team also competed for the prestigious DUPR 16 team event and their team punched well above their weight and won the overall championship despite competing against much older and more experienced opposition. This victory will give the team an opportunity to qualify for the year end championship to be held in the US. 

In Rowing, at the Avon Big Boats Head on 16 November, the Millfield team of Year 11 Zara Barnett, Poppy Clothier and Lottie Godsell won the WJ16 4x event. Upper Sixth Sienna Williams, Lower Sixth Electra Bennett, Emily Brooke, Year 11 Zara Barnett and Lottie Godsell were winners of the W8+ as part of a composite crew with Avon County Rowing Club. Upper Sixth Felix Merritt and Lower Sixth George Monk took second place in the J18 4x as part of a composite crew with Avon Country Rowing Club. 

In Rugby, the Year 9 A team travelled to Ivybridge to win convincingly in a tight fixture in October. Ivybridge returned to Millfield for a rematch against the Year 9 B team; the Millfield team lost in a close game but took huge learnings and developed as Rugby players. 

Upper Sixth Ellis James attended a Tuesday lunch time skills sessions that are hosted regularly in the Rugby department, providing students with extra time to work on individual skills. Ellis provided a scrum half masterclass to Year 9 Kyuss Green, Zach Sprenger and Year 10 Archie Camm. 

New fixtures have provided more challenging and different opposition to some of our teams. Seniors played Bristol schools U18s. U16s, U15s and U14s have played Westonbirt School in triangular fixtures with Taunton School providing more game time and different challenges for our players. The U16s are also playing Oasis schools RFC. 

Students selected to compete in the Boys and Girls Abu Dhabi World Schools Festival in December are: Upper Sixth Oscar De Lacy, Marmaduke Bizley, Zoe Holloway, Amber Chana, Ben Morrow, Jonah Miller, Harry Bunting, Evan Morris, Emma Phillips, Max Snaith, Ellis James, Imogen Langley, Conor Donoghue, Eddie Lloyd, Ernie Jackson, Jed Fitton-White, Jaimie Gregory, Alex Duncan, Codi Purnell, Charles Heffron, Matthew Bowler, Lower Sixth Dylan Parry-Cooper, Freddie Beasley, Lewis Rix, Sam Lumsdon, Sid Moore, Freddie Lomas, Sam Geall, Alex Yeabsley, Katherine Hill, Evelyn Wheeler, Sereana Matebalavu and Angie Bazzoni.

Upper Sixth Seva Kava was named in the England U18 training squad. 

In Ski Racing, Year 9 Amelia Midgley placed third for the U14 age group in the National Outdoor South Championships, Year 10 Alex Kim placed second for the U16 age group in the National Outdoor South Championships and Kostas Behe placed third in the U16 age group in the National Outdoor South Championships. The Millfield A Team placed first in the Senior Mixed Teams category, while the Millfield B Team placed second in the Senior Mixed Teams category in the National Outdoor South Championships. 

In Swimming, Matt Richards was named joint Aquatics GB Swimming Athlete of the Year. Matt trained at Millfield in the lead up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where he won two medals (gold and silver). 

In Tennis, the Year 9/10 Boys’ tennis team have reached the Youth Schools National Finals in Bolton this weekend. The team are looking to defend the national title, having claimed back-to-back wins over the past two years. Before the 2022-2023 victory, the Millfield team hadn’t won National Finals in this age group for a decade.

Lower Sixth student Rafe Samuel has been putting in incredible performances on the tennis court over the past six months. In October, this year Rafe achieved a career high junior (U18) world ranking, having been ranked outside the top 1200 in August. Rafe has also reached six back-to-back semifinals or finals in Junior International Tennis Federation (ITF) Events, was a finalist in the Junior ITF in Loughborough in October and a semifinalist of the Junior ITF doubles event in Bradfield in August.