BORDERS junior badminton players were first to arrive and last to leave the Ravenscraig venue for the Scottish Schools Badminton Championships.
With players in two out of the three age categories (junior under-14s and intermediate under-16s) it was a very long day.
Up against the best in Scotland the Borderers had to work very hard with Robbie Patterson (Eyemouth High School, U-14), Annabel Young (Peebles High School, U-14), Jake Drum (Berwickshire High School, U-16) and Rachel Scott and Katie Ross (BHS, U-16) successfully making it through to the second rounds of the A championships.
Most of the players made it into the B championships where the Borderers made their mark with Gavin McQuarrie (Earlston High School, U-16) and Oliver Smith and Ian Richards (BHS, U-16) making it through to the second round and Fraser Young (Kelso High School, U-16) going one better, to the semis.
Late on in the day there was an all-Border final in the junior B mixed doubles with Patterson and Kathryn Myatt (EyHS) beating Rory Shaw (PHS) and Annabel Young, in a great three-set match, to take the consolation B championship.
Joanne Rae and Linsey Young (KHS, U-16) took the girls’ level doubles title and finally more mixed success with Jake Drum and Katie Ross (BHS U-16) taking their B title, eventually all finishing at 7pm.
Coach Lynn Young told TheSouthern: “These are fantastic results. Our players did themselves and their schools very proud. Costs for the events were supported by the four Borders district sports councils, for which we are grateful.”