The female footballing talents of the St Ivo School are starring on the national stage again.
Their Under 16 side have roared into the semi-finals of the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) Premier League Schools’ Cup for Girls.
Joint-captain Zoe Barratt slammed in six of their goals in a 8-0 romp against the Passmores Academy from Harlow at the quarter-final stage.
Tia Everdell and Angel Lyden also found the net for a side who are now due to host Bournemouth School for Girls in a last-four clash later this month.
The Under 15s are still going strong in the ESFA PlayStation Schools’ Cup – despite suffering from a host of injury problems.
They advanced to the quarter-finals of that competition with a 2-1 win against Northamptonshire opponents Weavers Academy. Lyden and Everdell both scored in that triumph as they also play in this age group.
Their next test will be provided by the Bishop Heber High School, of Chester, in the last eight early next month.
That is the stage at which the St Ivo Under 18 side saw their involvement in the ESFA Schools’ Trophy come to an end.
They were beaten 10-1 by the Reading-based John Madejski Academy, but performed considerably better than the scoreline suggests against a side full of Academy-level players.
The St Ivo team, skippered by Katherine Speed and Ellie Brown, impressed in the three previous rounds despite featuring only two Year 13 pupils so the vast majority of their squad will be eligible again next season.
The Under 12, Under 13 and Under 14 teams from St Ivo all reached the last 64 of their respective competitions.
Co-captain Emily Waterman, Georgia Mellors and Eleanor Townsend were all frequent goalscorers for the Under 12 side also skippered by Kenzie Anderson.
Hannah Simpson was the top scorer for an Under 13 side featuring several players from the Under 12s. Simpson and Katie Kent were the captains of the team who bowed out to March school Neale Wade Academy.
And the Under 14s were also eliminated by Neale Wade in a match which went straight to penalties due to there not being enough light for extra-time.
Simpson also impressed at this level as the Under 14s’ joint leading scorer along with Jess Jarah. Melissa Lorman-Hall and Maya Edwards captained that squad.
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