Thrilling finale sees Queensland claim the Robert Middleton Overall Trophy at the Australian Under-18 Championships
Queensland claimed the Robert Middleton Overall Trophy at the Australian Under-18 Championships in a thrilling countback finish, while Victoria and South Australia claim Girls’ and Boys’ Overall Trophies. Story by Bowls Australia
Queensland have reigned supreme as the best overall side at the Australian Under-18 Championships after winning the Robert Middleton Trophy in a nail-biting count-back scenario.
The Kookaburras claimed the coveted overall silverware in a series of tiebreaker scenarios that could not have been any tighter, after both states were level on points and sectional wins, with the deciding factor being one additional finals win over a gallant South Australia.
Queensland were steered towards glory thanks to both winning gold in both of the pairs events, with Rebecca Rixon and Jessie Cottell consolidating gold in the Girls Pairs by four shots over South Australia after the duo of Jake Rynne and Indi Conlan snapped up the Boys’ Pairs crown earlier today. In today’s first finals session. The Maroons also finished up with silver in the Boys Triples (Kane Nelson, Shane White and Nick Cahill), Girls Fours (Isabella Lawson, Shervawn Wilson, Rebecca Rixon and Jessica Srisamruaybai) and bronze in the Girls Triples (Isabella Lawson, Shervawn and Jessica Srisamruaybai).
South Australia were awarded the title of Boys’ Overall Trophy with gold collected in the Boys Fours (Dylan Lewis, Michael Davies, Jack Trenorden, Jayden Zeller), silver in the Boys Pairs (Dylan Lewis and Joshua Studham) and bronze in the Boys Singles (Joshua Studham) and Boys Triples (Michael Davies, Jack Trenorden, Jayden Zeller).
However, a third-place finish in the Girls’ Overall Trophy placed the Croweaters level on 62 points a piece with Queensland, with one additional finals victory proving the difference in favour of a consistent Maroons side who finished second in both Girls’ and Boys’ trophies.
The accolade of Girls’ Overall Trophy was presented to Victoria, lead by dual gold medallist Kira Bourke who followed up her Girls Singles victory this morning by teaming with Sophie Kurzman and Emma Simmonds to comfortably triumph over Tasmania by 14 shots in the Girls’ Triples. The Big V also defeated Tasmania by a single shot in the Girls Pairs, handing bronze medals to Lisa Trewarne and Mikayla Long to add to the Girls’ Fours bronze secured in the earlier session by Sophie Kurzman, Lisa Trewarne, Emma Simmonds and Mikayla Long.
New South Wales maestro Jono Davis demonstrated why he has been the standout Boys’ Singles player for the past few years by defeating Western Australia’s Kaleb Walding by 10 shots in the gold medal final to add to the earlier gold in the Boys’ Triples to the trio of Zac Corr-Johnson, Lachlan Freeman and Jayden Gebbie. The Blues were also successful in gaining bronze in the Girls’ Singles.
Bowls Australia congratulates all players, officials and volunteers who participated at the 2017 Australian Under-18 Championships, as well as Bowls NSW, Women’s Bowls NSW and the Taren Point Bowling Club for their hospitality in hosting the event.
Full results (11:15am session):
Boys’ Singles
Gold Medal playoff: NSW (J Davis) def WA (K Walding) 21-12
Bronze Medal playoff: SA (J Studham) def VIC (Jarryd Davies) 21-20
5th/6th playoff: TAS (J Walker-Davis) def QLD (N Cahill) 21-20
7th/8th playoff: NT (John Davies) def ACT (L O’Shaughnessy) 21-18
Boys’ Fours
Gold Medal playoff: SA (D Lewis, M Davies, J Trenorden, J Zeller) def VIC (T Cromie, E Higgins, L Morison, C Wescombe) 24-4
Bronze Medal playoff: QLD (K Nelson, S White, J Rynne, I Conlan) def TAS (K Daly, I Maughan, P Oldham, L Sims) 14-12
5th/6th playoff: NSW (T Peters, Z Corr-Johnson, L Freeman, J Debbie) def WA (C Day, J East, M Simpson, P Quinlan) 24-13
Girls’ Pairs
Gold Medal playoff: QLD (R Rixon, J Cottell) def SA (G Moloney, S Clarke) 16-12
Bronze Medal playoff: VIC (L Trewarne, M Long) def TAS (L Banks, J Maughan) 19-18
5th/6th playoff: WA/NT (L Kingsley, G Cant) def NSW (B Smith, L Cronan) 16-14
Girls Triples
Gold Medal playoff: VIC (S Kurzman, E Simmonds, K Bourke) def TAS (L Curtis, C Cornish, E White) 26-12
Bronze Medal playoff: QLD (I Lawson, S Wilson, J Srisamruaybai) def SA (A Walker, K Williams, B Rafferty) 19-14
5th/6th playoff: WA/NT (O Rothwell, K Zavazal, K Ainsworth) def NSW (B Camp, H McDonnell, K Matthews) 17-14
Girls’ Overall Trophy
1st: Victoria, 36 points
2nd: Queensland, 32 points
3rd: South Australia, 28 points
Boys’ Overall Trophy
1st: South Australia, 34 points
2nd: Queensland, 30 points
3rd: New South Wales, 29 points
Robert Middleton Overall Trophy
1st: Queensland, 62 points (wins on count-back of finals wins)
2nd: South Australia, 62 points
3rd: Victoria, 58 points
Click here to view all the finals results from the Australian Under-18 Championships
