Junior pairs clean sweep for Mangawhai

The Junior Pairs event was completed at the Ruawai greens on Sunday. Six men's teams and three women's teams qualified for post section.

In the men's section, Mark Brown (Waipu) and Wayne Williams (Mangawhai) had the bye. Don Cameron/Kelvin Bint (Hikurangi) defeated Ray Wright/Ken Rozell (Mt Manaia) 11-9; Rob Anderson/Vaughne Tito (Mangawhai) defeated Patrick Lewis/Jason Webb (Arapohue) 16-4.

In the semifinals, Wayne Williams/Murray Heaton (Mangawhai) defeated Mark Brown/Grant McLean (Waipu) 21-4; Vaughne Tito/Rob Anderson (Mangawhai) defeated Don Cameron/Kelvin Bint on an extra end which was replayed twice.

In the final, Williams/Heaton defeated Tito/Anderson 14-12. The final was a close affair, Williams dropped a five on the first end and then after scrambling back with one shot on the next four ends recovered by scoring a five on the sixth end to take a 9-5 lead. It was 9-all on the eighth 11-all on the 11th end and 12-all on the 13th end. Williams was three down on the 15th end and with his last bowl picked up the jack in a meter trail and was holding three shots. Tito then with his last bowl drew the second shot to go one down and the game was over.

This was a second junior title for Heaton and first for Williams.

In the women's event, Jane Walker/Jan Hollingsworth (Mangawhai) received the first bye and Diane Robinson/Sue Epsom (Mangawhai) played Laurel Jones/Verna Clyde (composite). Robinson went out to a 9-3 and 14-5 lead by the 12th end and were never in danger of losing this match. A four to Jones on the 14th end helped the score line but it was a 16-9 win to the Mangawhai team with one end to play.

In the final, Walker/Hollingsworth got out to a handy lead over Robinson/Epsom leading 7-4 after 7 ends and 10-6 after 12. Unfortunately on the 13th end movement of the jack by Walker meant a two shot advantage to Robinson to close the gap. The 15th end saw three shots to Robinson and an extra end was required to get a result.

Epsom drew a close shot with her first bowl which the Walker/Hollingsworth combination was unable to shift and the win went to Diane Robinson and Sue Epsom (Mangawhai).

This event was a first junior title for Robinson and Epsom.

Combo seal winThe Kensington combination of Ann Muir (skip) Maureen Parker (three) Janice McLean (two) and Pam Brewster (lead) travelled to Taranaki last week to play in their Annual Open Tournament and after a week of great bowls and windy conditions came out the winners when they defeated the local combination of Val McEldowney, Yvonne Hardy, Ann Brophy, Margie Carey 20-19.

The measure had to come out to ensure that the Kensington crew only dropped one shot on the last end of play to win the event. I am sure that there was relief all round as had the scores been tied at the completion of the allotted ends they would have had to play an extra five ends to find a winner.

In the quarter-finals former Northlander Girl Reweti with sister Betty Mitchell playing in her team was beaten by Gale Fache of Vogeltown. Fache went on to play Muir in the semifinal where Muir was the victor.

In the other quarter-final the Muir combination defeated the strong Frankton Railway combination skipped by Leanne Curry 25-23. The final victory to Muir and her team was just reward for the loss that they suffered at the hands of the McEldowney combination in qualifying. Well done to you all.

Teams head southThis weekend we have many teams from Northland competing in the annual Maori Bowls Tournament in Hamilton. Northland teams have had a lot of success at this event and we wish you all good bowling.

Reminders Champion of Champion entry forms should have been returned to the Centre Office by now. Entries closed last Friday. If you have not forwarded your entry form, please do it without delay, today is the final day that we can accept entries.

Next Centre event is the Champion of Champion Fours at Dargaville and Arapohue greens on February 15. Reporting time is 8.15am when the draw will be completed.