WILLIAM Ransom Primary School in Hitchin can testify that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The school have become the national lacrosse champions after being sponsored by The Novotel hotel at Stevenage for the second year running. This inv

WILLIAM Ransom Primary School in Hitchin can testify that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

The school have become the national lacrosse champions after being sponsored by The Novotel hotel at Stevenage for the second year running.

This involved the team meeting there for breakfast before setting off - just like an FA Cup final team would!

Teacher Steve Mills said: "We want to thank The Novotel and in particular Sue Williams, conference manager, and Ludovic Verzi, general manager, for their hospitality in the morning.

"They made the squad feel very special and nothing was too much trouble. It was the perfect start to the day."

In the morning group stage of the national finals, they were drawn against five other teams, including the last two winners.

They beat Lydgate School from Sheffield 13-5 for a perfect start and another win saw them in good heart to play defending champions Greenmount School from Bury.

This victory and two more wins, including one against the Scottish champions, meant they went into the afternoon's knockout stages seeded first.

The quarter-final was testament to the fighting spirit of the team as Anglia Television arrived to film the school and to report on their success.

A bad start saw them 6-2 down after two minutes before team captain Alastair Munn calmed the team down and was the driving force behind their comeback which saw them win by eight goals to six.

The semi-final was against last year's losing finalists, The Downs School from Bristol.

This was another close game but goals from Sam Draper, Gabriel Brooker and Claire McQue led to a win and a place in the final.

The final was against the 2004 winners Bowden School.

Outstanding defending from Munn and three goals from Draper put them in the driving seat and Munn's late goal put the icing on the cake.

Their whole squad was Alastair Munn (captain), Gabriel Brooker, Sam Draper, Ben Smith, Georgina Mumford, Claire McQue, Anna Hall and Gaia Brooker.

Mills added: "I was so proud of the team for the way they stuck at it and played some outstanding lacrosse.

"I am sure they will remember this day for the rest of their lives. I know I will!