ST OLAVE'S School pupil Oliver Cohen has emulated his brother Nicholas by winning the Yorkshire Schools Boys' badminton Under-12s title.

York RI player Oliver, ten, beat Scott Thompson 21-17 to lift a trophy that his 15-year-old sibling won three years ago.

He then made it a double celebration by joining Easingwold's Chris Drinkwater to clinch the pairs title.

Yorkshire player Oliver is currently under assessment for the World Class Starter Programme and won the ESBA North-East of England under-11s title earlier this season, as well as finishing sixth in the National under-12s Championships.

He was also a member of the history-making Yorkshire under-12 side that became the first English county to win the Anglo-Scottish competition.

Oliver started playing badminton two years ago and, buoyed by his brother's success, St Peter's student Nicholas is considering returning to the sport after concentrating on rowing and squash recently.

The Cohens' father, Geoffrey, was also a local club player.

CROSS COUNTRY

North Yorkshire's best young cross country runners will be in action in the English Schools Cross Country Championships at Maidstone, Kent, on Saturday, March 13.

HOCKEY

SUB-ZERO temperatures brought a premature end to the York and District Schools Hockey tournament.

Finalists St Peter's and Queen Margaret's, Escrick, were locked at 1-1 at the end of normal time.

Because of the bitterly cold conditions the organisers ruled that no extra time would be played and the schools would share the trophy.

Heavy snow had already forced the organisers to switch section matches from Tadcaster to Huntington, while Queen Margaret's was used for the other section.

Queen Margaret's won their section at Escrick, while St Peter's won at Huntington.

FOOTBALL

YORK City Schools Under-12s entertain Derby on Saturday, at York RI's New Lane ground.

York U12s from: Aled Griffiths, Ryan Qualter, Nick Thompson, Joe Dale, Dean Lisles, Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Fowler, Mike Byram, Tom Hope, Sam Linguard, Tom Celin, Gareth Fisher, Joe Breedon, Oliver Box, Adam McMahon and Ben Johnson. Meet New Lane 9.45am. Bring £2 subs. Phone Chris Dale on 01904 339759 to confirm availability.

YORK Schools U11s game against Hull last Saturday fell foul of the weather and their scheduled opponents this week, Barnsley, have pulled out due to cup commitments.

If a replacement ficture cannot be arranged there will be a training session at York Sixth Form College from 10am to 11am on Saturday. Players shuld contact Ian Hutchinson to confirm arrangements.

RALPH Butterfield, Robert Wilkinson and Lakeside have progressed to the Primary Cup quarter-finals which have to be completed by Friday, March 19.

Updated: 11:24 Wednesday, March 03, 2004