THE STAFF and pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg will probably take the greatest satisfaction of any Vale school from the results of the Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Schools boys’ cross-country league 1.

With the start of term in the Vale being only a fortnight before the date of this fixture, it was pleasing that all the schools had boys competing with only Llantwit, preparing for the school’s pending November inspection with an Inset day, not at full strength.

On a sunny afternoon and with the Trelai Park course in very firm condition following the recent dry spell, it was Elliot Richards who led the Vale contingent home in the first of the three races.

The Stanwell year 9 was fourth home, 17 seconds down on the winner, Jack Gooch (Radyr), with another four Vale athletes in the top eleven places.

In the year 7 race, with all the boys making their league debut, it was another Stanwell pupil, Jack Knight, who was the top placed athlete. Over the short-two lap course, he finished third, ten seconds down on Josh Moore (Llanishen), the first boy home. Knight was just ahead of the Cowbridge duo of Kristian Jones (4th) and Ellis Rosser (7th), with Richard Stephens (St Cyres) claiming 11th place.

Year 10 boys performed surprisingly well in the opening senior race, which may well be encouraging for the Cardiff and the Vale Schools’ u17 (years 10 & 11) team to compete at Cardiff UK Cross Challenge in January 2010, and at the Welsh Schools’ National championships in late February but also suggests that the u20 team (sixth formers) may not be as strong as last year.

The first Vale boy home was year 10 Rhodri Heslop in fifth place. The Bro Morgannwg pupil will be pleased at his placing but surprised that he finished over a minute down on another year 10 boy, Elliot Slade (Bishop of Llandaff).

This senior race was easily the best from a Vale perspective with Dan Lewis (St Cyres, 6th), Matthew Edwards (Barry 8th), and Dominic Farr (Bro Morgannwg, 9th) taking top ten placings and a further six finishing between 11th and 20th.

At this fixture, Bro Morgannwg fielded the biggest Vale contingent of runners and gained reward by finishing top team in the senior section, one place ahead of the defending title-holders, Llanishen. The positions were reversed in the u14 competition with the Colcot Road school having to settle for second. Competition in the year 7 was tight with less that a hundred points separating the top five schools. Whitchurch head the section with Cowbridge third and Stanwell fifth.

The Bro Morgannwg boys could not emulate their older team-mates and had to settle for sixth while Barry (8th), St Cyres (9th) and St Richard Gwyn (11th) will look to improve at the second fixture.

In the next league race, course distances will increase, and competition will be stiffer with Cardiff High taking part having been unable to take part in the opening fixture.

Boys who finished in the top thirty places in the u12 and u14 races at this fixture plus the leading u17 and u20 pupils from the senior contest, will be invited to compete for Cardiff & the Vale Schools at in the Schools’ Invitation Inter-Counties Match which will be held as part of Cardiff UK Cross Challenge at Blackweir in Cardiff on Sunday, January 17, 2010.

Later this term, there are important schools fixture on Tuesday, October 20 – the South Wales Regional Schools championships for boys at Trelai – and Saturday, November 14 – the Welsh Schools Inter Schools championships at Penlan in Brecon.

The age groups at these two fixtures will be different from the Cardiff & the Vale Schools league. Races will be held for u13 (years 7 & 8), u15 (years 9 & 10) and seniors (years 11 to 14).

The last major fixture of this team will be the Welsh Inter Regional championships, which will be held at Builth Wells on Sunday, December 13.

Vale Results

Senior, U19 (Years 10 to 14) – 3970 metres - 95 finishers

Individuals

5 Rory Heslop (Bro M) 14:23; 6 Dan Lewis (StCy) 14:28; 8 Matthew Edwards (Barry) 14:33; 9 Dominic Farr (Bro M) 14:35; 11 Callum Barrie (Barry) 14:41; 12 Rhys George (Bro M) 14:49; 13 Darren Jones (Lwt) 14:56; 14 Duke Durham (StCy) 15:03; 18 John Davies (Cow) 15:13; 19 Joseff Whitmarsh-Knight (Bro M) 15:18; 20 Tom Howles (Lwt) 15:22; 21 Dan Owen (Lwt) 15:26; 23 Morgan Preece (Bro M) 15:44; 24 Matthew Sullivan (Cow) 15:46; 27 Joshua Thomas (Cow); 31 Ben Bryl (Bro M); 32 Abdel Boulaiche (StCy); 35 Joseff Swain (Bro M); 36 Ieuan Donovan (Bro M); 38 Alex Simon (Lwt); 39 Elliot Mears (Cow); 40 Oliver Crosby (Lwt); 41 Tom Howson (Cow); 42 Matthew Metcalfe (Bro M); 43 Mitch Bryl (Bro M); 44 Jo Briscombe (Bro M); 45 Rhys Griffin (Cow); 46 Adam Hewitt (Cow); 47 Tom Kamal (Cow); 48 Lewis Jones (Cow); 50 Jonathan Esquirol (Cow); 53 Lewis Evans (Bro M); 54 Rhydian Mepham (Bro M); 57 Stuart Fleming (Cow); 62 Michael Coles (Bro M); 63 Michael Lloyd (Cow); 65 Jack Pritchard (Bro M); 67 Steffan Kitchen (Cow); 68 Tom Parker (Lwt); 69 Michael Rosser (Cow); 71 James Williams (Cow); 74 Tavia Rickard (Cow); 75 Davy Davies (Bro M); 76 David Parks (Bro M); 78 Robert Sullivan (Cow); 79 James Clarke (Cow); 80 Emyr George (Bro M); 88 Harry Foster-Davies (Bro M); 94 George Brown (Cow); 95 Andrew Ott (West)

Team: 1 Bro Morgannwg 477; 4 Cowbridge 381; 5 Llantwit Major 376; 10 Barry 19; 11 Westbourne 1

U14 (Years 8 & 9) – 2570 metres – 153 finishers

Individuals

4 Elliot Richards (Stan)10:38; 6 Sam Peterken (StCy) 10:49; 8 Harri Williams (Bro M) 10:53; 9 Sam Corria (StRichG) 10:55; 11 Dafydd George (Bro M) 11:02; 14 Tom Owen (Cow) 11:11; 17 Jacob Briscombe (Bro M) 11:25; 20 Tom Griffiths (Bro M) 11:31; 21 Liam Beavis (Bro M) 11:32; 26 Lloyd Creed (Barry); 27 Jake Bosza (West); 28 Sam Laity (West); 30 Chris Brace (Cow); 31 George Zygmond (Stan); 36 Rhys Thomas (Bro M); 38 Tom Johnston (Cow); 41 Arran Bright (Lwt); 42 Gareth Hurman (Barry); 44 Ben Pearse (Barry); 45 Rowan Miller (Lwt); 47 Jason Sami (Cow); 52 Curtis Hayes (Barry); 54 Rory Edwards (West); 57 Iwan Mepham (Bro M); 58 Matthew Bennett (Bro M); 65 Daniel Bell (StRichG); 66 Lewys Thomas (Bro M); 67 Cory Rowlands (Bro M); 71 Harri Thomas (Cow); 74 Calvin McCann (Barry); 77 Andrius Stepanous (Barry); 79 Connor Wilson (Bro M); 80 Connor Beattie (Lwt); 81 Curtis Jones (Bro M); 83 Liam Welsh (Barry); 84 Tomos Harvard (StCy); 86 Tim Goodman (Cow); 91 John Miles (Barry); 92 Matthew Moore (Barry); 93 Joel Reeves (Bro M); 94 Will Parker (Lwt); 95 Gareth Pilcher (Bro M); 98 Nathan Stephens (Cow); 100 Gethin Evans-Cooper (Bro M); 101 Taylor Harris (Bro M); 102 Tom Geen (Stan); 103 Ieuan Orton (Bro M); 104 Jacob Frost (Stan); 105 Callum Goddard (Barry); 107 Dafydd Fardy (Bro M); 109 Alex Guard (Cow); 112 Gareth Bolter (Lwt); 114 Curtis Powell (Cow); 119 Joe Brown (West); 120 Robert Tucker (StRichG); 121 Jordan Roe (StRichG); 124 Luke Maunder (West); 132 Nicky Griffiths (Cow); 135 Tomos Davies (Stan); 136 Chad Travis (Barry); 138 Liam Martin (Cow); 139 Mark Williams (Barry); 140 Brad Enticott (Barry); 148 Jordan Chichester (Barry); 149 Morgan O’Neill (Barry)

Team: 2 Bro Morgannwg 811; 5 Cowbridge 638; 7 Barry 609; 10 Westbourne 352; 11 Llantwit Major 398; 12 Stanwell 394; 15 St Richard Gwyn 301; 18 St Cyres 218

U12 (Year 7) – 2340 metres – 173 finishers

Individuals

3 Rhys Knight (Stan) 9:12; 4 Kristian Jones (Cow) 9:15; 7 Ellis Rosser (Cow) 9:19; 11 Richard Stephens (StCy) 10:36; 15 David Constantinou (Stan) 10:49; 16 Andrew Groonslade (StRichG) 10:49; 20 Reuben Bryl (Bro M) 10:55; 21 Elliot Morris (Barry) 10:56; 22 Huw Bennett (Cow) 10:57; 23 Lloyd James (StRichG) 10:58; 27 Charlie Baister (StCy); 28 Scott Dutfield (Stan); 33 Cahal Brangham (StCy); 36 Isaac Dyer (Stan); 38 Tom Trotman (Cow); 39 Josh Lewis (Stan); 40 Tobt Walker (Cow); 41 Jason Vicount (Bro M); 43 Gavin Lewis (Bro M); 44 Cameron Gibbon (Barry); 46 Fraser James (Barry); 47 Scott Thomas (Cow); 55 Luke Swain (Bro M); 57 Rhys Evans (Bro M); 60 Tom Lucas (Cow); 61 Ben Morgan-Brownhill (Barry); 63 Hywel Williams (Cow); 65 Rhydian Hopkins (Bro M); 68 Miles Davies (Cow); 70 Tom Edwards (Bro M); 72 Callum Stristed (Stan); 73 Williams Brown (Stan); 81 Ben Jones (Cow); 82 Daniel Oddy (Cow); 83 William Eddy (Barry); 84 Sean Mayor (Barry); 86 Joshua Gibson (StRichaG); 88 Luke Garland (StCy); 91 Ryan Harrison (Bro M); 95 AJ Harry (Barry); 96 Einan Jones (Bro M); 97 Corey Mackey (StCy); 100 Rhys Ford (Stan); 101 Lewis Barry (Bro M); 103 Brandon Turner (Bro M); 105 Cory Price (Bro M); 106 Morgan Finlay (Bro M); 108 Josh Kemp (Barry); 116 Ben Jones (Barry); 118 Corey Cain (StCy); 119 ben Popham (Bro M); 120 Oliver Pike (Cow); 121 Ashley Newcombe (StCy); 122 Michael Margetts (Barry); 126 Luke Penberthy (StCy); 130 Nicolas Rees (Cow); 131 Kieran Webber (St RichG); 132 Sammy Sutton (StRichG); 133 Kristian Lixton (Barry); 136 Warren Ryland (Cow); 137 Rhys Hunter (Bro M); 139 Mo Evans (Bro M); 140 Rhodri Miller (Bro M); 141 Kristian Prosser (Cow); 142 James Norman (StRichG); 147 Lewis Adary (StCy); 149 Dylan Selby (Bro M); 156 Mabon Evans (Bro M); 157 Harri Thomas (Bro M); 162 Rhys McClelland (StCy); 164 Daniel Lock (StCy)

Team: 3 Cowbridge 886; 5 Stanwell 851; 6 Bro Morgannwg 763; 8 Barry 705; 9 St Cyres 670; 11 St Richard Gwyn 514