ST MARY’S Junior School’s table tennis boys team have made it to the area zone finals for the first time in the school’s history after winning the county finals.

The girls’ team just missed out on making it a winning double for the Old Basing school as they finished runners-up.

Both teams travelled to Testwood Sports College in Totton after winning the qualifying event, which was held at Costello School.

They played superbly well against teams from right across Hampshire, winning the majority of their matches.

The boys’ team, made up of Jamie Frazer, Henry Marks, Edward Marks and Joseph Woodhouse, met Abbotswood Junior School from Totton in the final.

It proved to be a nail-biting match and could not have been closer as the outcome was decided by individual points, with St Mary’s coming out on top to book their first-ever trip to the Area Zone Final, which will be played in London on Saturday.

Anaya Patel, Isobel Reid, Hannah Crowdy and Katie Mills made up the girls’ team who came up against Portsmouth’s Northern Parade Junior School in their final.

It proved to be a close encounter, but the St Mary’s team was narrowly beaten.

Table tennis organiser at the school Alison Berglin said: “Although we have reached the county finals on numerous occasions before, this is the first time we have won.

“This is a huge achievement and one that the children should be incredibly proud of.”

St Mary’s Junior School head teacher Caroline Welch added: “We are so proud of both teams, especially the amount of extra training the children put in by themselves. We wish the boys all the best at the area finals.”