London Academy and Grantham Academy are the respective Premier Division champions after weekend two of the Junior British Table Tennis League.
Boys Premier champions Grantham Academy receive the trophy from Table Tennis England Chair Nick Donald
Grantham Academy, having opened a five-point lead on weekend one, duly took the Premier Division title, and rarely looked troubled in winning their first four matches to ensure they could not be caught – Fusion came closest as they were level at 2-2 after four matches, thanks to a Larry Trumpauskas double, before Grantham sealed it 4-2, Isaac Kingham also taking a personal double.
Grantham could not complete a 100% season, however, as they succumbed 5-1 to Urban in their final match, the losers fielding only two players due to a shoulder injury to Toby Ellis. The result saw the victors finish in second place, just ahead of Fusion.
Grantham dominated the averages with three of the top four, headed by Elias Sjogren (9/10) and Ellis (15/18).
The Girls’ Premier Division came down to a straight fight between Grantham College and London Academy, who went into the weekend level having won four and drawn with each other on weekend one.
The first day saw the Londoners sweep to three 6-0 victories, while Grantham won their opening two matches 6-0 and 5-1 – but then drop a surprise point to Ormesby. Grantham trailed 1-0 and 2-1 but then led 3-2, before Rebecca Savage sealed a point for Ormesby with a 3-0 win over Mabel Shute.
Sunday’s first match saw a fourth successive 6-0 win for London, while Grantham beat Draycott 5-1, meaning it was still all to play for in the decider – London needed a draw, but a Grantham victory would give them the title.
After two matches, it was 1-1 as Sophie Barcsai put London ahead and Hannah Silcock levelled. The next two matches went the distance and both saw comebacks from 2-0 down. First Maliha Baig defeated Shute 3-2 (7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7) and then Barcsai, crucially for London, beat Silcock 3-2 (5-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9).
Grantham did hit back to win the next two to ensure a point which meant the top two teams both remained unbeaten, but the title was London’s.
In the averages, Barcsai won all 10 of her matches on weekend two and Tianer Yu won all 10 for Grantham on weekend one. Of those who played a full complement of 20, Grantham’s Maria Girlea was the best with 17 victories.
The was a double celebration for London Academy as their second team took the Division One title by three points, with Grantham College again in second place.
Once again, London won their three Saturday matches, while Grantham dropped a point in a 3-3 draw against Cippenham in round 8, having to recover from 2-1 and 3-2 down.
Both the top two drew 3-3 in round 9 – Grantham with Draycott II and London with Ormeau, in matches which both led 3-1 but were pegged back.
All that meant London were a point ahead going into their showdown meeting, in which Grantham took the lead as Lowri Hurd beat Lianna Shilani Tousi in five.
But London powered through the next four to make sure of victory and daylight at the top of the table. It finished 4-2.
Grantham Academy, having opened a five-point lead on weekend one, duly took the Premier Division title, and rarely looked troubled in winning their first four matches to ensure they could not be caught – Fusion came closest as they were level at 2-2 after four matches, thanks to a Larry Trumpauskas double, before Grantham sealed it 4-2, Isaac Kingham also taking a personal double.
Grantham could not complete a 100% season, however, as they succumbed 5-1 to Urban in their final match, the losers fielding only two players due to a shoulder injury to Toby Ellis. The result saw the victors finish in second place, just ahead of Fusion.
Grantham dominated the averages with three of the top four, headed by Elias Sjogren (9/10) and Ellis (15/18).
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