Finals Day at the Under 18 National Championships
Played Thursday 2nd October 2014 Just as it started, the Under 18 National Championships at the
Nightcliff Bowls Club in Darwin concluded under the bright sun.
Girls’
singles play-offs
Gold/silver medal match: Elizabeth Allan (WA) v Connie-Leigh
Rixon (QLD)
Lizzy Allan started the day as the defending girls singles
champion and finished the day as a two time and still current National Girls
Singles Champion. After an unusually slow start, where Rixon had our champ
under plenty of pressure, it was a second half exhibition of bowling that the
best players in the world would have been proud of. When the score of 5-10 was
in favour of the Queenslander, it looked like Allan had a huge fight on her
hands to retain her crown. While it wasn’t a sudden change that came over the
game as Rixon continued to play well, it was becoming obvious that Allan had
found her range and everybody who has seen her play before knew she doesn’t lose it easily. From 5-10 and finding her range at 7-10, hitting the front at
11-10, moving onto 13-10, in cruise mode to get to 15-10 and then flying to
20-10, it was a devastating 30 minutes of bowling. Every move that Rixon made
was countered by Allan when finally with only one needed to end the game Rixon finally
got the shot to get off the number ten. The very next end Allan again sits on
the jack and this time Rixon does not have the answer to save the game. A spirited
showing by runner up Connie-Leigh Rixon but an amazing performance by WA’s
National Girls Singles Champion, Elizabeth Allan.
Boys’
singles play-offs
7th/8th: David Downey (WA) v Brendan Spaven (ACT)
It is certain that David Downey had not had the performances he
would have hoped for and playing for 7th and 8th was at
the opposite end that he had hoped for. However, as you would expect of a former
National Boys Singles champion, Downey continued to put everything he had into
every performance. A game that was played at a rapid pace as both players
looked to take the advantage at every opportunity. At 13-12, Downey needed to
put the pressure on and pressure is what he provided. Using the pain of the
past couple of days, Downey slowly moved away and was not going to let this one
slip. A 21-15 victory put Downey into 7th position, not a place he
hoped to be but still nothing can be taken away from his commitment to the team
and his efforts over the week.
Boys’
pairs play-offs
5th/6th: Ryan Philpott & Joshua Hamilton (WA) v Joshua
Studham & Isaac Trenorden (SA)
Philpott and Hamilton went into this game having lost only the
one game of pairs in the sectional play and while slightly disappointed to lose
out on shots up, determined to make the best of the situation. Trailing
slightly early in the game, the WA boys were still playing very well together
and finally their consistency won the day. Drawing level with the South
Australian at the halfway mark of the game, they slowly started to pull away
the longer the game went on. From eight all, to a final score of 20-11, Philpott
and Hamilton continued their fine week of pairs and finished in an unlucky 5th
position.
Girls’
pairs play-offs
5th/6th: Meghan Philpott & Elizabeth Allan (WA) v Jessica
Hogan & Jaime Locke (ACT)
It had been an up and down week for the WA girls pairs team. A
big loss, a fighting win and a loss when they got a good start but finished
poorly. In this game Philpott and Allan again got a great start and led 8-1
after six ends. But as they did the previous day, they couldn’t hold onto the
lead and found themselves level at 14 all with two ends to play. A dropped two
on the 17th end put the girls under pressure and when Allan barely
missed a trail of the jack with her last bowl to win the game, the girls had to
settle for 6th position.
Boys’
triples play-offs
Bronze/4th: William Hyatt, Dan Nicholls & David Downey (WA)
v Jake Rynne, Jesse Turnbull & Hayden Vogler (QLD)
The WA boys started this game very well and picked up singles on
the first three ends, however it quickly evened up as the Queenslanders hit their
stride. After six ends, it was four all and that was the last time WA would have a
share of the lead. For the next six ends the Queensland team slowly edged away
and built a 10-6 lead after 12 ends. The WA boys rallied and continued to put
the pressure on and at 9-11 it was anybody’s game. Four singles in row put Queensland five shots up
going into the last end and although the WA boys set up a good head to get the
numbers required, they were countered when it mattered and couldn’t pull off
the extremely hard conversion. The WA boys had to settle for 4th
position with a 10-14 loss but had a very good week and could quite easily gone
home with a medal.
Girls’
triples play-offs
5th/6th: Kellie Ainsworth, Georgia Cant (sub) & Amelia Axford
(WA) v Chloe Morrison, Jessica Blunden & Tracey Swift (ACT)
The WA girls team went into the game a player down when skip
Dayna Cant was unable to take her place due to injury. Luckily on the sidelines
was the reserve and a very good player in her own right, Georgia Cant. With Axford
taking the skip’s role the girls fought hard the whole game but for much of the
game couldn’t close the small gap the ACT had. Three shots behind after six ends,
four shots behind after ten ends and three shots behind after 16 ends, they were
always within range but just out of reach. A single on the last two ends put
the gallant WA girls so close but so far and they had to settle for 6th
place with a 17-18 loss.
Boys’
fours play-offs
Bronze/4th: William Hyatt, Ryan Philpott, Dan Nicholls &
Josh Hamilton (WA) v Josh Walker-Davis, Josh Appleyard, Lachlan Sims & Jack
Ellis (TAS)
The boys fours had combined well all week with skip Josh Hamilton
playing exceptionally well. So confidence was high as they went into this game
and when they started so well to lead 10-3 after six ends, it was going to take
something special to run them down. The Tasmanian boys put in a brave fight and
never gave up to close the gap to three shots with two ends to play. A three to
the WA boys on the second last ended the fight back and with a controlled last
end giving the opposition no opportunities to pick up the six shots needed, the
WA boys won a well earned bronze medal with a 17-14 win.
Girls’
fours play-offs
5th/6th: Kellie Ainsworth, Meghan Philpott, Amelia Axford &
Dayna Cant (WA) v Chloe Morrison, Jessica Blunden, Tracey Swift & Jaime
Locke (ACT)
Unfortunately the WA girls had a bad start and were never able
to recover. Down 0-10 after six ends and the opposition playing very well, the
girls just had to push on and do the best they could. Never giving up but not
able to get enough bowls close enough to put the pressure on, the ACT team
continued to build a match winning lead. While the girls did not perform in the
final game as they would have liked, they have had a solid week and were worthy
Western Australian representatives and took 6th placing.
