ALL SAINTS School, York have marched into the national finals of the Schools Under 15 Basketball Competition.

The finals will take place at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, on Saturday and Sunday, February 2 and 3.

The All Saints boys have stormed their way through five tough rounds to earn a crack at the best in the country.

So far they have beaten Newsome School, (Huddersfield) 65-41, Thirsk School 59-39, Withernsea School 71-39, Holy Trinity (Halifax) 82-51 and Thorncliffe School, Barrow Won 68-44.

CROSS-COUNTRY

YORK won three girls' age group in the North Yorkshire Schools' Cross-Country Championships at Skipton.

With eight to score good strength in-depth gave the year seven, junior and intermediate girls' team victories.

The seniors also had the first two individuals in Nine Griffith (York College) and Susanna Dale (Fulford).

For the intermediates, Lara Gibbs (St Peter's) was a fine second, while Karen Espiner (Sherburn) and Liz Hodgkinson (Queen Margaret's) excelled themselves to finish fifth and sixth, and gain places in the English Schools' Championships.

In the junior race, Emma Macalister-Hall (St Olave's) and Nicola Lampard (Tadcaster) achieved English Schools selection. Sophia Cuthbertson (St Olave's) achieved a real breakthrough in finishing eighth.

The year seven team showed great determination and were led home by promising performances by Victoria Graves (Archbishops), Vicki Needham (Canon Lee) and Joanna Mason (Mount).

In the boys events, Carlton's Michael Williams won the year seven boys race with Liam Simnpson (Millthorpe) finishing third.

Phil Graves, of Archbishops, was the leading York runner in the junior boys event, finishing fourth.

Sherburn's David MacQuarrie, who has been a dominate county runner in his age group, swept to victory in the inter noys while Joel Riley (Tadcaster) was third in the senior boys event.

Senior Girls: 1 Nina Griffith (YC); 2 Susanna Dale (Ful); 6 Aimee Collett (Tad); 13 Katie Boden (YCO) - 16 ran.

Inter Girls: 2 Lara Gibbs (St P); 5 Karen Espiner (Sher); 6 Liz Hodgkinson (QM); 8 Ruth Tilsley (Sel); 13 Mary Gore-Booth (QM); 18 Chloe Curry (AS); 19 Lara Turner (St P); 29 Laura Lancaster (Mo); 32 Jenna Strain (Oak); 34 Alice Bean (Ma) - 44 ran.

Junior Girls: 2 Emma Macalister-Hall (St O); 6 Nicola Lampard (Tad); 8 Sophie Cuthbertson (St O); 13 Emma Hammill (St P); 14 Nina Batt (Tad); 16 Charlotte Maxted (Tad); 21 Rachel Hemblade (Mill); 22 Laura Hunter (Mill); 23 Hannah Punnett (St O); 32 Pippa Hetherton (Mo); 33 Helen Webster (Tad); 35 Katie Mellor (St P); 36 Helen Hemblade (Mill); 49 Rosie Evans (Mo) - 54 ran.

Year 7 Girls: 4 Victoria Graves (Arch); 5 Vicki Needham (CL); 6 Joanna Mason (Mo); 8 Alice Law (QM); 12 Georgina Phillips (Mo); 15 Emma Phillips (Mo); 17 Lauren England (St O); 23 Jessica Osborne (QM) - 43 ran.

Year 7 Boys: 1 Michael Williams (Carl); 3 Liam Simpson (Mill); 18 Luke Dale (Mill); 27 Daniel Burke (Arch); 40 Joe Tinsley (Arch); 42 Sean Dunning (Bray); 47 Jordan McGuigan (JR); 48 Stephen Fenton (Ful); 49 Chris Ruisling (Ma).

Junior Boys: 4 Phil Graves (Arch); 10 John McGrory (Carl); 20 Atala Okamura (Ful); 23 Chris Whincup (Bo); 29 Tom Bean (Ma); 30 Alistair Smith (Ma); 32 Michael Williams (Bray).

Inter Boys: 1 David MacQuarrie (Sher); 9 Michael Holmes (Mill); 12 Shane Murphy (AS); 19 Joe Davis (Tad); 22 Gavin Husband (Ma).

Senior Boys: 3 Joel Riley (Tad).

Key: Arch = Archbishop's; AS = All Saints; Bo = Bootham; Bray = Brayton; Carl - Carlton; CL = Canon Lee; Ful = Fulford; JR = Joseph Rowntree; Ma = Manor; Mill = Millthorpe; Mo = The Mount; Oak = Oaklands; Sel = Selby; Sher = Sherburn; St O = Saint Olave's; St P = Saint Peter's; Tad = Tadcaster; YC = York College.

Updated: 13:08 Wednesday, January 23, 2002