TOP JUNIORS LOOKING TO LAND NATIONAL POP CROWN

By Neil Goulding

THE best junior school teams in the country will descend on the University of Hertfordshire on Sunday (8th June) for the annual National Pop Lacrosse Championship.

And with defending champions The Downs back to try and defend the Championship title they won for the first time last year, this year's competition already has added spice.

Also back this season are Midlands-based St. Peters Church of England, last year's Plate winners. It was also the first time they have won National Pop honours.

No junior school in the history of the event has ever managed to win back-to-back titles in either the Championship or Plate competitions, so both The Downs and St. Peters COE both have the chance to make history in 2008.

In total 19 schools will be competing in this year's one-day event, which starts at 10.30am in the morning. Registration for all teams opens at 9.30am, with the day expected to finish around teatime.

There should have been 20 teams competing but Yorkshire-based Deepcar were forced to withdraw because they couldn't play on the Sunday.

Schools will travel from all over the country to compete for the national title - and 18 of those are confirmed now.

One more team, from the South East region, will be confirmed later this week after the final Kent qualifying event.

Last year's Championship final saw The Downs, from the South West region, beat East-based 2006 champions William Ransom 11-7, while St. Peters COE defeated North West-based Mellor 7-4 in the Plate final.

Former Championship winners back at this year's event include North West-based Bowdon Church of England (2004, 2001 and 1999) and Mellor (2002).

As well as schools from the North West, North, London, South East, South West and East, there will be Lochmaben representing Scotland, while St. Johns on the Hill will represent Wales.

This year's full line-up, barring the final South East side to qualify, is: