Last Saturday Woodham Warriors American Football team from Woodham Academy beat an American High School for the first time. Although the Warriors have enjoyed unprecedented success in Britain over the past 10 years, they have only just began to play Americans at their own sport.
Last year, Woodham were invited to play in the American High School League of Europe against American schools based at US military bases across Europe. During last academic year, the Warriors played three games in the league including an away trip to Sicily at the Sigonella US Air base. This year they play six games, three at home and three away including a trip to Brussels.
Saturday saw the first ever home game against American opposition and the Warriors marked it in style with a convincing win against RAF Lakenheath. With a big crowd at Darlington Rugby Club to witness the event, the Warriors turned on the style and ran out winners to the tune of a 52-21 scoreline. Team MVP’s for Woodham went to Ricky Mannion on defense, Chris Armstrong on offense and Liam Wood for overall performance.
Jon Tait, assistant head teacher at Woodham Academy said “We would have been laughed at 10 years ago for even suggesting that a team from Woodham would be playing American High Schools at American Football – today we have beaten one!”
Seeing local students from Newton Aycliffe beating the American’s at their own sport really does bring home the progress that these students are making and the impact that the Woodham Sports Academy is having.
Woodham play their 2nd home game at Darlington Rugby Club this Friday night under the floodlights against RAF Menwith Hill starting at 7pm. Entrance is free.
