National glory for Hulme at last

GIRL POWER . . . Hulme under-16s enjoy schools’ title success in Southampton.

NETBALL:

MISSION accomplished! Oldham Hulme Grammar School’s under-16s netball side headed to the South Coast with a point to prove and did not disappoint, clinching victory in the National Schools’ finals with a 16-15 win over Bromsgrove.

They won nine out of 10 games, with a 12-10 defeat at the hands of Loughborough not harming their route to the final.

It brought down the curtain on two years of hurt.

In 2009 the same group of girls, operating at under-14s level, felt they were destined to win the tournament — only to finish third.

Victory for the talented teenagers in the North-West round of the competition at the start of last month earned them another shot at the big time.

Despite being impressed with several impressive performances in the regional heats, Jo Knighton, head of PE at the school, took nothing for granted.

Determined to give the girls all the preparation they needed in order to secure top spot, she went about arranging pre-tournament games which would pit her charges against older players.

Friendlies against an under-19s side from Preston, and an open-age Manchester University team, obviously held the Oldham outfit in good stead.

This time there was to be no unexpected slip-up and they came away from Southampton with the coveted silverware and medals for everyone.