Nottingham Lions claim another national title

The Lions had gone 16 games unbeaten throughout the season in the Under 18 North Division in which Alexander Rushby topped the scoring stats with 28 goals and 36 assists for a total of 64 points in the 11 games in which he played, with team mates Theo Thomas and Luke Birchnall second and third, and so Lions went into the National Championships play offs between the top two teams from the South and top two from the North for the Under 18 National Title.

The Lions came up against Swindon Cougars in the semi-final and went a goal up early on with a goal from Rushby assisted by line mate Luke Birchnall, only for Swindon to level two minutes later. However the pair combined for another two goals before the end of the first 20 minute period to lead 3-1 at the interval.

Nottingham took charge in the second period and with Rushby contributing another goal and two more assists and Theo Thomas scoring three times, the period ended with the Lions 8-3 in front. The third period saw just one more goal scored by Thomas with assists from Birchnall and Rushby for Nottingham to book their place in the final the next day against local rivals Leeds Junior Knights who had overcome Southern Division 1 winners Haringey Hounds by 10 goals to four. Theo Thomas was named as Man of the Match.

Although Nottingham had beaten Leeds two weeks previously in the League the Junior Knights came prepared and went ahead in the 14th minute to lead 1-0 at the period break. Lions turned the game around three minutes into the second period with goals from Rushby and Ewan Woodward and further goals from Luke Birchnall assisted by Rushby gave Lions a 4.1 lead at the end of period. Woodward claimed his second goal in the third period and Lions saw out the game to end the season unbeaten and claim the National Under 18 title. Netminder Harvey Kemberry who had an outstanding game between the pipes was named Man of the Match.