U15 Last 8 review (22nd March) - Richmond back with a bang 

The London club had been shocked in each of their semi-finals the previous week after moving comfortably through the group stages. 

But there was no mistake this time around as those in dark blue progressed with unbeaten records. 

In the boys’ category, Richmond A competed in Pool B and won all of their group matches. 

Their closest match was against Newcastle Staffs, who took the first set, but the number-two ranked side bounced back to take the match overall (23-25, 25-22, 15-9). 

It was Wessex who finished in second spot to go through to the semi-final stages, as they edged out the West Midlanders in three close sets (25-22, 24-26, 15-12). 

Staffs beat Team Sideout in straight sets 25-14, 26-24 to decide the battle for third and fourth. 

Pool A saw Urmston Grammar go in as the number one-ranked side, and they lived up to that billing by progressing to the Last 4 stage without dropping a set and conceding only 76 points from their three matches. 

The scrap was on to clinch the runners-up spot and it was Leeds Gorse Orange who eventually proved successful in that bid thanks to a key victory over Monkseaton (25-23, 25-21). 

The North East side, however, did enjoy one triumph as they took third spot after beating The Boswells School 25-12, 25-12. 

The first of the semi-finals proved to be a relatively one-sided affair as Urmston showed their class to see off the challenge of Wessex 25-15, 25-16. 

But the second was much closer and Richmond had to work hard to eventually eke out a 30-28, 23-25, 15-11 triumph. 

In the girls’ category, Richmond A took part in Pool A and saw them stamp their authority early with a 25-16, 25-6 success over Ashfield Vipers. 

They followed that up with equally convincing wins against Sevenoaks School and MK City in conceding a miserly 68 points. 

In the scrap for second place, MK City look to have struck a vital blow in getting the better of Sevenoaks 26-24, 25-22. 

But they had reckoned without the Vipers, who eventually finished fourth, where the Buckinghamshire side had to fight all the way to dig out a 18-25, 25-23, 15-8 win. 

Pool B was no less exciting, with three of the six matches going to three sets. 

Ranked third, Wapping Wildcats gave themselves the ideal start in edging out second-placed Urmston Grammar 25-22, 21-25, 17-15 and went on to win their other matches too. 

The Greater Manchester side recovered quickly, notching an important success over Newcastle Staffs (25-20, 25-17), who in turn beat South Bucks 25-11, 25-22 to decide third and fourth. 

In the semi-finals, the two pool winners ruled the worst and booked their Cup Finals Weekend spots with few alarms. 

Richmond’s victory was secured in the blink of an eye as they overpowered Urmston Grammar to wrap up a 25-6, 25-12 victory. 

Wapping, too, were always in control to set up an all-London final encounter, prevailing 25-16, 25-22 against MK City. 

Images by Jon Cornish

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