William Parker College wins schools title at last

The Hastings-based establishment finished with 74 Stableford points at Penn Golf Club near Wolverhampton, winning by four from three other teams.

Over the past three years, the William Parker pupils have finished ninth, seventh and runners-up last year so they were delighted to get their hands on the title in 2008.

To know you are the best school in England is amazing particularly after finishing second last year, said 14 year old Steven Gibbs.

Chris Cotton, 16, agreed and added: We said last night that we had a good chance of victory and we proved it.

The third member of the team, 14 year old David Wicks admitted: This is the first English event I ve been to and it s incredible. Fortunately, the weather was good. The wind was a bit deceptive but we didn t get any rain, which was surprising. But the course was in terrific shape.

With the best two scores from three to count, Wicks returned 38 points off a handicap of six, while Gibbs added 36 off 13. Cotton, who scored 40 when William Parker came so close a year ago, contributed 31 which, as it turned out, wasn t required.

Wymondham College from Norfolk, Collingwood College from Surrey and defending champions Queens from Hertfordshire, all finished with 70 but in the case of a tie the non-counting card counts.

That meant Wymondham finished second with 31 to Collingwood s 25 and Queens 21.