Marr sweep all before them in record run

VOLLEYBALL: It’s a record that is unlikely to be matched – and it will surely never be beaten. For the third year in a row, Marr College has lifted the senior boys’ Scottish Schools’ Cup.

Five players – Captain Grant Gwynne and his twin brother, Callum, Jordan Flynn, Sam Revir and Scott Wilson – have been in the three victorious teams and they have all been selected to play for Scotland at the Sainsbury’s UK Schools’ Games in London in May.

The rest of this year’s squad comprised Cameron Watson, Michael Ellis, Rory Webster and the highly-promising third year pupil, Fraser Dunlop. Jess Reid, the volleyball coach and Marr College’s Head of Physical Education, has been at the school for more than 20 years and she acknowledged: “This is definitely the best group in my time at the school. Not only have they won three senior titles, but the same group won in second and third year as well.”

Gwynne is already recognised as a real Scottish star in the making. He has just been named captain of the Scottish team for the Young Seniors (under-19) European Championships to be staged at Ravenscraig in April – Wilson is also in the final squad of 12.

Moffat Academy was another school with cause for celebration at the finals. The girls and boys both won the P7/S1 titles – which was a tremendous accomplishment for the Dumfriesshire school with a roll of just 300.

Morgan Etchells, Aiden Wallace, Pasang Sherpa and Conor O’Neill were in the boys’ team and Catriona Hutchison, Erin Smith and twins Charlotte and Anna Beishauzen made up the girls’ squad for the mini volleyball event.

Brian Orr, a former Scottish cap, is in charge of volleyball at the school and he said: “it was terrific for such a small school to win both cups. The Beishauzen twins are quite tall, which helps, and the boys are all very quick.

“Our one drawback is that there is no senior local adult club for the pupils to move on to as they get older and that’s how they really develop as senior players.”

In the finals, the Moffat youngsters beat more recognised volleyball powers. The boys defeated Marr College and the girls fought out a close tussle with Stonelaw High School.

FINALS RESULTS AT THE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS’ CUP:

Girls: P7/S1: Moffat Academy bt Marr College 25-12 25-14.

S2/S3: Kyle Academy bt Carluke High School 25-12 25-8.

Seniors: Queensferry High School bt St Maurice’s High School 25-10 29-31 15-7.

Boys: P7/S1: Moffat Academy bt Stonelaw High School 25-21 25-20.

S2/S3: Belmont Academy bt Grange Academy 25-20 25-15.

Seniors: Marr College bt Carluke High School 25-11 25-20.