Sweyne Park, Rayleigh, reigned supreme in the Castle Point and Rochford Schools' year seven rounders tournament, staged at King John, Thundersley.

They won from Benfleet's Appleton with Rochford school King Edmund third and FitzWimarc, Rayleigh, fourth.

The other rounders' competitions were staged as leagues with Fitz winning the year eight event from Castleview. Appleton and Sweyne Park were respective beaten semi-finalists.

In year nine it was King John's turn for glory with Castleview again in second place. Sweyne Park and Deanes were runners-up here.

Fitz also took the year ten prize, this time from Appleton. Castleview had to settle for being beaten semi-finalists here along with Sweyne Park.

The rounders league organiser was Annie Belcher, from the King John School.

Dixon award for Seevic's success

Thundersley's SEEVIC gained the honour of becoming the first college to receive the prestigious Clifford Dixon Trophy.

The award officially recognises SEEVIC as the best sporting college in the Eastern Region.

The trophy, which was presented to sport staff, recognises the students' outstanding achievements in a number of disciplines in the British Colleges' Sport Eastern Regional and National finals throughout the year.

Points were awarded to each college for their placing in each sporting event and these were then totalled to give the final standings.

SEEVIC amassed a remarkable 155 points which placed them well above runners-up Havering College on 121.

The highlights of the national finals included gold team medals being awarded to swimmers Liz McKinnon and Rachael Reynolds.

In addition to this, the men's badminton competition was dominated by Andy Frye, who easily saw off competitors from the West Midlands and South West regions.

There was also silver success for the men's trampolining team. However, the volleyball, five-a-side football and girls' hockey teams were all unlucky to miss out on medal placings.

Keli Hampstead, a sports tutor at the college, said: "This is a tremendous achievement for all the students who competed in all of the regional competitions.

"It's vital that the college and the students receive this kind of recognition for all the hard work over the past year.

"Sport at the college is going from strength to strength and we will be working even harder to retain the trophy next year."

Most of the 50 students who contributed to this accolade are currently studying on the A level PE or BTEC national diploma in sports science.

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