St Bede’s proved to be the perfect hosts when they staged the annual Lancashire Schools Table Tennis Championships after winning one age grup and finishing runners-up in another writes Grace Orrell.

The competition was organised by St Bede’s teacher and England coach Dave Pilkington as the cream of the crop from across the county headed to the Blackburn school.

The St Bede’s U16 Boys team that included Gareth Brennan, Jacob Briody, Harry Wallsworth and Greg Simms as pictured proved to be a force to be reckoned with as they powered their way to the finals with two consecutive 8-0 wins. In the final, they were pitted against St Thomas of Lancaster. The match went game for game up until the 3-3 stage and was finely poised for the deciding two legs. But Wallsworth and Simms both stepped up to the plate and achieved two overwhelming victories to secure the final and the championship for the boys.

St Bede’s also battled their way to the final in the U13s boys competition where Tom Horsefield, Cameron Kirby, Harry Rushworth and Reon Bagley put up an excellent fight but eventually succumbed to a 6-2 defeat and were the runners up. “I was absolutely delighted with the effort and endeavor of the St Bede’s boys,” said Mr Pilkington. “From the grassroots of the Year seven students who have only been playing since September through to the experienced Year 11 boys who are seasoned league and tournament players.”