GREAT Sankey High School’s year 10 boys’ rugby league team were beaten in the final of the national Champion Schools tournament on Friday.

Great Sankey were defeated 28-10 by Airedale High School, of Wakefield, at RAF Uxbridge before both sides joined a parade at Wembley on Challenge Cup Final day.

Airedale’s high speed brand of rugby league put Great Sankey on the back foot for most of Friday’s clash.

Great Sankey, who are coached by Jonathan Caslake, were far from disgraced in their attempt to follow their year 11 side’s national triumph.

But handling errors ruined three try-scoring opportunities in the first half and Airedale crossed three times to lead 16-0 at half time.

The West Yorkshire side then added another try after the interval thanks to a ball steal near the Great Sankey line and moved 28-0 in front with a further effort before Great Sankey grabbed two late tries.

Hard-working prop Ben Evans, who moved to Warrington from south Wales with brother Rhys last year and is now an England under 15s international, scored from Matthew Dowman’s break before Marcus Baines added the conversion.

Great Sankey’s other prop, Feme Adepetun, then surged over before a second Baines conversion hit the post.

Great Sankey: George Unsworth; Ryan Muldoon, Rhys Evans, Mike Hesketh, Adam Thompson; Marcus Baines, Matthew Whitehead-Wilson; Feme Adepetun, Ryan Singleton, Ben Evans, Matthew Dowman, George Smart, Ben Hardman. Subs: Tom Snooks, Robert Campbell, Philip Davies, Ryan Lippitt.