A winning start for Year 11 football & netball teams in SLAT tournament
A winning start for Year 11 football and netball teams in SLAT tournament
The SLAT Sports Games has returned for its fourth year and first up to help Bourne Academy stake a claim the overall trophy was our Year 11 boys football and girls netball teams.
The tournament features all four schools in the Trust and is held at Spalding Academy as this is a central location for all schools in the Trust to visit. This is where football and netball teams for all year groups compete in friendly mini-tournaments against their respective years and gain points over the whole academic year.
Bourne Academy had the perfect start to the tournament with both the Year 11 football team and the Year 11 netball team, both winning their leagues.
FOOTBALL REVIEW
The Year 11 boys football team were unbeaten across their three matches as their strong defence and cohesive play were key to their success.
It was a frustrating start to the tournament as the match against Giles Academy ended in a 0-0 draw, but the score didn’t reflect the game’s true story as we dominated possession and created numerous chances, but were unable to find the breakthrough.
In the next match against Spalding Academy, we were able to turn our dominance and possession into goals as the team secured a deserved 3-0 as Callum Martin was in sensational form, scoring all three goals with clinical precision.
Knowing that a win against Cowley Academy could win them the tournament, the team showed exceptional skill and determination to win 2-0 with Callum Martin on blistering form with another two goals.
Callum Martin finished the tournament with all five of Bourne Academy’s goals, earning well-deserved praise for his sharp finishing and leadership on the pitch.
NETBALL REVIEW
To secure first place in the tournament, the Year 11 girls netball team demonstrated skill, teamwork and determination with three impressive victories. Every player made important contributions in the matches and were key to the teams success.
In the tournaments opening match against Cowley Academy, it was a high scoring game as they had a commanding 20-3 win. They then following this up with a hard-fought 14-9 victory against Giles Academy. In the final match against Spalding Academy, it was closely matched and the team put in a gritty 8–6 triumph to be crowned tournament winners.
Hettie Baker was outstanding in both attack and defence, earning Player of the Match in all three games thanks to her dynamic play and consistent impact across the court. Her shooting was sharp and decisive, contributing significantly to the team’s scoring success.
Defensively, Tallulah Conway and Ava Hiles made crucial interceptions throughout the matches. In the shooting circle, Keeley Garner, Hettie Baker, and Chloe Matsell were all excellent in converting their opportunities with confidence and flair. The centre court was expertly managed by Chloe Matsell and Eleanor Sandall, who distributed the ball with precision and consistently feeding the shooters with well-timed passes. Amelia Addison and Hanan Abiola-Alawode also made vital interceptions as Wing Defence, breaking up play and turning defence into attack.