Queensland on the brink of a gold rush
Perennial powerhouse Queensland could be gearing up for a gold rush at the Australian Under-18 Championships, after securing passage in two of the initial three gold medal deciders this morning.
The Maroons will roll for gold in the blue-ribbon girls’ singles and the boy’s pairs after both claimed their third straight victory against the ACT to top the standings.
Kawana young-gun Connie-Leigh Rixon was the first player through the coveted singles ultimate decider, earning a berth courtesy of a hard fought 21-20 last rubber match against the ACT’s Jessica Hogan, who as a result, will now play for bronze.
Rixon’s opponent for the big match of her short life will be Western Australia’s Elizabeth Allan, who also progressed through undefeated to finish a game clear of NSW’s Jamie-Lee Worsnop, who in August became the youngest ever winner of the Australian Indoor Championships at the tender age of 17.
Queensland also boast chances in the remaining sectional matches this afternoon, particularly in the boys’ singles and fours, and girls’ triples and fours, where they a sitting pretty on top of the leaderboard, and are not completely out of contention in the girls’ pairs, but are precariously placed in third on a count back of shots.
NSW, Victoria and South Australia also each boast an opportunity to strike gold, but will be attempting to add to their fortunes in the remaining five disciplines this afternoon.
The Blues are pinning their hopes on Isaac Rayner & Jono Davis getting the better of Queensland’s Jacob Nelson & Nic Gosley in the boys’ pairs, while the Croweaters and Big V are set for a titanic tussle, with South’s Gerrin Jenke, Tyson Wilson and James Bodnar clashing with Victoria’s Curtis Hanley, Ben Cotter and Jay Bye-Norris.
The boys’ singles, and girls’ pairs and triples have taken to the green from 12.00pm ACST, with both genders fours commencing their last sectional rubbers from 2.45pm.
Girls’ singles play-offs
Gold/silver medal match: Elizabeth Allan (WA) v Connie-Leigh Rixon (QLD)
Bronze/4th: Jamie-Lee Worsnop (NSW) v Jessica Hogan (ACT)
5th/6th: Amelia Bruggy (VIC) v Makayla Gibson (TAS)
7th/8th: Shae Smith (NT) v Rianne Reiger (SA)
Boys’ pairs play-offs
Gold/silver medal match: Isaac Rayner & Jono Davis (NSW) v Jacob Nelson & Nic Gosley (QLD)
Bronze/4th: Jayden Christie & Joshua Corless (VIC) v Josh Walker-Davis & Joe Thomas (TAS)
5th/6th: Ryan Philpott & Joshua Hamilton (WA) v Joshua Studham & Isaac Trenorden (SA)
7th/8th: Tristan Chambers & Marcus Simpson (NT) v Michael Mcqueen & Trent Britton (ACT)
Boys’ triples play-offs
Gold/silver medal match: Curtis Hanley, Ben Cotter & Jay Bye-Norris (VIC) v Gerrin Jenke, Tyson Wilson & James Bodnar (SA)
Bronze/4th: William Hyatt, Dan Nicholls & David Downey (WA) v Jake Rynne, Jesse Turnbull & Hayden Vogler (QLD)
5th/6th: Jay Breust, Sam Hatch-Caccamo & Dylan Skinner (NSW) v Josh Appleyard, Lachlan Sims & Jack Ellis (TAS)
7th/8th: Jackson Harding, Jackson Clayfield & Jack Hateley (NT) v Jaidyn Cartledge, Jacob Macfarlane & Brendan Spaven (ACT)
Click here for full results from the 2014 Australian Under-18 Championships in Nightcliff, Darwin.
