U16 Junior Grand Prix #4 Review (28th February and 1st March 2026)

The U16 Boys' Tier 1 was made up of three cup divisions - Gold, Silver, Bronze. 

The Gold Cup was staged at Coventry & Warwick Riga, hosting eight teams in total, with matches played to best of three sets. 

Top ranked team, Monkseaton, faced eighth ranked, Dartford, in the first match, with the number one team winning 2-0 (25-16, 25-17). 

Third ranked Bristol beat sixth ranked South Bucks A in straight sets (25-16, 25-21). 

London Lynx, fourth ranked, faced fifth ranked Newcastle Staffs and, in a close match that went the distance,the Potteries side won the deciding set 15-5. 

In the final match of the first round, second ranked Richmond Hawks beat seventh ranked Sevenoaks School 2-1 in a thrilling match, with the first set going to 30-28. 

Second round matches were then played to determine final standings, as well as gold and bronze matches. 

The bronze match was between Newcastle Staffs and Richmond Hawks, where, after a nail-biting first set, Newcastle Staffs claimed the win 2-1 (31-29, 16-25, 15-12). 

The gold match was between Monkseaton and Bristol, where the North East side won comfortably 2-0 (25-17, 25-19). 

As such, final standings were: Monkseaton (first), Bristol (second), Newcastle Staffs (third), Richmond Hawks (fourth), South Bucks A (fifth), London Lynx (sixth), Sevenoaks School (seventh), Dartford (eighth). 

The Silver Cup was hosted by Ashcombe, consisting of eight teams. 

In the first round of matches, top-ranked London Giants met eighth-ranked Worthing Lions and prevailed 2-0 (25-23, 25-20). 

Third ranked AST Academy tackled sixth ranked, MK City B, winning 25-15, 25-20. 

Team Medway, ranked fourth, were upstaged by fifth-ranked Wapping Wildcats A 2-0 (25-13, 25-18). 

Second ranked Willesden Knights experienced a close match against seventh-ranked, Thames Valley, fighting back after losing the first set to win 2-1 (27-29, 25-22, 15-12). 

After second round matches were played, the bronze match was between London Giants and Willesden Knights. 

Despite being the top-ranked team London Giants didn't performed as well as they hoped, losing 2-0 (25-21, 25-15). 

The gold match was between Wapping Wildcats A and AST Academy and, after both teams defeated the top two-ranked teams, they were raring to go in the final.

Two close sets ensued, with AST Academy running out victorious, winning 25-19, 25-23. 

The final standings for the Silver Cup were: AST Academy (first), Wapping Wildcats A (second), Willesden Knights (third), London Giants (fourth), Thames Valley (fifth), Team Medway (sixth), MK City B (seventh), Worthing Lions (eighth). 

The Bronze Cup was hosted by MK City, featuring five teams playing in a round-robin format of three sets. 

MK City A clinched first after winning all four of their matches, having only lost one set to South Hants (25-15, 24-26, 26-14). 

Nottingham Rockets came second after winning three of their matches, beaten 2-0 by the Buckinghamshire side. 

Third place went to South Hants, who lost 2-1 to the table toppers and 2-0 to Nottingham, but winning their remaining two matches 2-0. 

Winchester Eagles came fourth after facing some tough matches, but beat fifth place, Deep Dish Crystal Palace, in a close three setter to determine the final standings (23-25, 25-15, 15-7). 

---

The U16 Girls' Tier 1 was also made up of three cups, with the Gold Cup hosted by Ashcombe, featuring eight teams. 

In the first round matches, top-ranked Sevenoaks School faced eighth ranked Thames Valley and the top-ranked team dominated to win 2-0 (25-7, 25-18)

Third ranked Malory Eagles went head to head with sixth-ranked, Ashfield Vipers and came out on top in straight sets (25-16, 26-24). 

Fourth ranked Ashcombe Dorking met fifth ranked, MK City winning 2-0 in a very close match, where the second set could have gone to either team (25-20, 30-28). 

Bristol, ranked second, triumphed 2-0 against seventh-ranked South Hants (25-19, 25-22). 

Second round matches were then played to help determine final matches. 

The bronze match was between Sevenoaks School and Bristol, where both teams fought hard to claim third place, but ultimately the Kent-based team clinched a 2-1 win (19-25, 25-19, 15-12). 

The gold match was between Ashcombe Dorking and Malory Eagles, who had earlier edged out the two ranked teams. 

After a close first set, which Malory edged 27-25, the London club retained their composure to take gold in two sets (27-25, 25-19). 

The final standings were: Malory Eagles (first), Ashcombe Dorking (second), Sevenoaks School (third), Bristol (fourth), South Hants (fifth), MK City (sixth), Ashfield Vipers (7th), Thames Valley (8th).

The Silver Cup was hosted by Hull Thunder, featuring four teams, and was therefore played in a round-robin format. 

Leeds Gorse placed top of the pool, winning their three matches, having only dropped one set to ENVC (24-26, 25-18, 17-15). 

Newcastle Staffs B were second, having lost to the West Yorkshire side 2-0 but staying cool in their other two matches to come through in three sets. 

Third place went to ENVC, who lost two of their matches 2-1, but managed to beat fourth place, Hull Thunder, 2-0 (25-23, 25-16). 

Frodsham hosted the Bronze Cup, which consisted of five teams, playing two set matches. 

Nottingham Rockets pfinished at the summit, winning three of their matches, and drawing with the hosts 25-27, 15-25. 

Frodsham came second after beating Stockport and Urmston Grammar B 2-0, and then finishing level with both the Rockets and Black Country.

Third place went to Black Country who beat Stockport 2-0, drew with Frodsham and Urmston Grammar B, and went down to Nottingham Rockets in straight sets (25-18, 25-23).

Urmston Grammar B came fourth after beating fifth place Stockport 2-0, drawing with Black Country, and losing to Frodsham and Nottingham Rockets.  

The Girls' U16 Tier 1 also featured three non-cup pools. 

Pool D was hosted by London Giants, made up of three teams.

Future Stars came out on top, beating both teams 2-0, with Deep Dish Crystal Palace placing second after losing to the top team 25-11, 25-20, but beat London Giants in a close three set battle to guarentee their second place stance (22-25, 25-21, 15-7). 

Worthing hosted Pool E, who came first after some thrilling matches, where ranking came down to 'set difference'.

Worthing Lions beat Winchester Eagles and Wessex 2-0, and lost to Weymouth 2-1 (25-16, 25-27, 15-11). 

Wessex placed second having beat Weymouth and Winchester Eagles 2-0, losing to Worthing Lions 2-0. 

Weymouth came third despite beating the top team as well as Winchester Eagles 2-1, but lost to Wessex 2-0. 

Winchester Eagles came a respectable fourth place after facing some tough oppositions. 

Pool F was hosted by Willesden, made up of five teams, playing timed best of three sets. 

Westminster and Richmond B were on top form, both winning three and losing one match, where final standings came down to 'set difference', with Westminster claiming first, and Richmond B second. 

Team Sideout came third after beating Willesden Divets 2-1 and AST Academy 2-0 (21-15, 21-12).

Willesden Divets placed fourth having beat AST Academy 2-0 (22-20, 21-15). 

AST Academy came fifth despite beating Richmond B 2-1 (13-21, 21-15, 10-4), but losing their other three matches 2-0. 

The Girls' U16 Tier 2 was made up of five pools with four teams in each. Pool A was hosted by Portsmouth Phoenix, who faced some tough teams in their pool. 

VBDC came first after dominating their pool, winning all their matches without dropping a set. 

South Hants B were runners-up after losing to the top team 2-0, but prevailing against the remaining three teams. 

Third place went to Wessex who beat Portsmouth (25-10, 25-20), only to lose to the top two teams. 

Portsmouth Phoenix came fourth after some challenging matches, losing a compelling three setter to South Hants B (25-15, 25-27, 15-11). 

Sheffield hosted Pool B, with Newcastle Panthers coming first, winning all three of their matches. 

Hosts, Sheffield, came second after beating Newcastle Staffs C and Warrington 2-0. 

Third place went to Newcastle Staffs C who beat fourth place, Warrington, 2-0 (25-22, 27-25). 

Pool C was hosted by Coventry and Warwick Riga, where matches were based on time, with Bristol coming first with another three matches won to claim six pool points. 

The hosts came second after losing 3-0 to the winning team, but beating Welwyn and Hatfield 2-0 and Leicester Athena 3-0. 

Leicester Athena came third after beating fourth place Welwyn  and Hatfield 2-0 (25-20, 25-20). 

Team Medway hosted Pool D, with matches played to best of three sets. 

Team Sideout came first after winning all their matches, followed by Team Medway, who only lost one match, to the winning team, 2-1 (23-25, 25-18, 15-7). 

Richmond D came third having been defeated by the top two teams, but seeing off the challenge of fourth place, Dartford, 2-0 (25-16, 25-17). 

Lastly, Pool E was hosted by Wapping Wildcats, with Richmond C dominating the pool, winning all their matches 2-0. 

Tonbridge placed second after losing to Richmond, but overcoming the hosts and Onyx 2-0. 

Wapping Wildcats finished third having lost to the top two teams 2-0, but beating fourth place Onyx 2-0 (25-20, 25-20). 

---

For all the Junior Grand Prix results and fixxtures, click here.