Ipswich School are celebrating an impressive hockey double.

The school’s under-18 boys’ hockey team is through to the national semi-finals of the England Hockey Schools Cup competition, while the under-16 boys are through to the national finals as East regional champions.

The under-18 boys will play Whitgift School in the national semi-finals today. To get through, Ipswich beat Framlingham College 7-2, Fested School 4-1, and Eltham College 4-1.

In the fourth round they drew 3-3 with Trinity School in Croydon, but won 6-5 on penalties. The Ipswich School boys played Sir William Borlase Grammar School last week, winning 3-2 to take them through to the semi-finals.

David Hacker, Director of Sport at the school and the under-18 team coach, said: “We are delighted to be through to the national semi-finals of the new-style Schools Cup competition.

“I am very proud of everything which the boys have achieved – they have worked very well together as a team.

“They’ve had to do it the hard way as well, by playing away from home for the last three rounds to the finals, but we are looking forward to the Whitgift challenge.”

Meanwhile, the under-16 boys’ team beat Woodbridge School 7-0 and drew 1-1 with Culford to win the county title.

They then won four matches out of four in the regional pool competition, beating Gresham’s 2-0, Stamford 3-0, Bishop’s Stortford 3-0 and The Leys 2-0, to reach the regional finals.

There they faced a three-way play-off with Culford and Felsted, who were the winners of the other two pool groups.

The Ipswich team beat Culford 5-0 and drew 1-1 with Felsted, to clinch the regional title. The team will play in the national finals in May.

Bill Williams, Acting Head of Hockey, said: “This is the third consecutive year that the U16 boys’ team has reached the national finals, which is a great achievement.

“We wish both teams well in the next stage of their competitions.”