Lara Newton: U-11 winner at Moreton Hall
TWO ESSEX juniors are this week celebrating their first ever Bronze event successes.
Lara Newton from Mersea Island and Chelmsford’s Elli Barrott (pictured above) are two of the county’s hardest working and most dedicated players and they had their efforts rewarded with successes at the Moreton Hall and Boston events respectively.
Lara won all four of her matches at the Bury St Edmunds event, including her final U-11 match which had an element of farce about it. The referee became confused with the score and with Lara leading 9-4, reversed the scoreline in her opponents’ favour. Fortunately, the mistake was rectified and Lara eventually took the match and the trophy.
Building on her runner-up position at the recent Coolhurst Junior Open, Elli Barrott went one better last weekend when she won the Boston Open and secured her first tournament victory in the Girls U15’s event.
Playing on one of the club’s “rainbow” courts, Elli started the final a little tentatively, but soon found her form and by chasing down every ball, she dominated her opponent, local girl, Sophie Munroe to win the first game 11-5. Applying everything that she has been taught by her coach, Lauren Selby, and varying lobs with drives with drops, Elli took the next two games to 3 and 2, to secure the trophy 3-0.
Connaught’s Caleb Belcher almost pulled another victory for Essex. He finished second in the Coolhurst U-11’s producing some terrific squash and only lost in the final 3-2 after an intense battle against Sonny Flint. Bishop Stortford’s Alex Banhidai finished third.
Fabulous performances, kids. Congratulations from everyone at Essex Junior Squash.