Held over two days at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, the U16s beat Epsom College 3-2 on penalty shuffles in their semi-final match to set up a thrilling final against Wellington College. Oakham’s girls played some magnificent hockey but just couldn’t get the breakthrough they needed on the day and finished runners-up of the national competition.

Whilst Oakham’s senior girls’ and boys’ hockey teams have a long and illustrious history of success in the National Finals, this is the first time an Oakham U16 side has reached this stage. A crowd of 250 pupils, parents and teachers travelled to the Olympic Stadium to cheer on their team and watch the girls make history.

Director of Hockey, Neil Evans, said: “I am so proud of the U16 team’s achievements; there is so much that they can take away from the competition. The way they conducted themselves was exemplary.

“Congratulations to Wellington who were deserved winners of the title and my thanks to everyone at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre for such a well-organised event.”

Assistant Director of Hockey, Alex Cooper, said: “These are two days that those girls will never forget.

“They have been on an amazing journey and we can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for them.”