Junior State Championships Day 6 – Big Brother Claims Gold!

by jgrey on January 20, 2023

BUNDABERG – Day 6, January 20

The 2023 State Junior Championships concluded in Bundaberg today with remarkable finals contested between our state’s brightest young stars.

Before Bowls Queensland selectors made their final deliberations over the State Squads for upcoming representative events, they witnessed finals of the State U18 Boys and Girls Singles, State U15 Boys and Girls Singles and the inaugural U12 Open Singles.

After the fours and triples had been played earlier this week there were a few clear-cut favourites to reign supreme in the U18 singles categories, and they were all from the same family!

The Gerick family had already created history these championships and it was a fitting end for Cody Gerick, the oldest of the siblings to walk away with the coveted U18 Boys Singles gold, his third gold medal of the week. He triumphed over Kandanga’s Hayden Oster in a whirlwind final, 21 shots to 17.

Perhaps the most memorable victory will be the semi-final where Cody defeated his younger brother Riley by just one shot. Now that’s some bragging rights!

In the girls U18 Singles Roma’s Stella Palmer defeated Dakota Brindle from Hamilton 21-15. In the playoff for bronze Sophie Allan got the better of her Helensvale team-mate Sophie Kiepe 21-19.

Another name that kept popping up these championships was our eventual winner of the Boys U15 Singles Thomas Brehmer; and the best thing about the U15 event is we get to watch these future champions get better and better over the next three years or more!

What a big day it was for all the supporters back in Roma watching Stella take out gold in the U18 Girls Singles, whilst their other charge, Mia Haylock was busy winning gold in the U15s. She had a battle with Tilah Mason, winning in a nail biter 21-20.

The inaugural U12 Open Singles was a huge success with the smallest of superstars taking to the greens in what would be the most exciting event in their bowls journeys to-date.

Gold medallist Steven Bird-Monk has grown up around the bowling green and is the number one supporter of the Burleigh Waterdragons in the Queensland Premier League. The little pocket rocket literally jumped for joy when he drew a toucher to win the game, a brilliant moment from across the six days of competition.

Joshua Smith took home a silver medal and Keala Nukunuku from Beenleigh won bronze.

Singles Winners:

U18 Girls Singles Champions: Stella Palmer (gold), Dekota Brindle (silver) & Sophie Allan (bronze)

U18 Boys Singles Champions: Cody Gerick (gold), Hayden Oster (silver) & Riley Gerick (bronze)

U15 Girls Singles Champions: Mia Haylock (gold), Tilah Mason (silver) & Phoebie Russell (bronze)

U15 Boys Singles Champions: Thomas Brehmer (gold), Ben Harrison (silver) & Cooper Sutton (bronze)

U12 Open Singles Champions: Steven Bird-Monk (gold), Joshua Smith (silver) & Keala Nukunuku (bronze)

Bowls Queensland would like to congratulate all the competitors and thank each and everyone of them for their entertaining bowls, but more importantly for their wonderful sportsmanship shown toward each other.

Results

U12 Open

Gold/Silver: Steven Bird-Monk def Joshua Smith 21-14

Bronze: Keala Nukunuku def Dallas Brown 21-6

U15 Boys

Gold/Silver: Thomas Brehmer def Ben Harrison 21-8

Bronze: Cooper Sutton def Xavier Parkinson 21-18

U15 Girls

Gold/Silver: Mia Haylock def Tilah Mason 21-20

Bronze: Phoebie Russell def Logan Hughes 21-18

U18 Girls

Gold/Silver: Stella Palmer def Dekota Brindle 21-15

Bronze: Sophie Allan def Sophie Kiepe 21-19

U18 Boys

Gold/Silver: Cody Gerick def Hayden Oster 21-17

Bronze: Riley Gerick def Lachlan Moore 21-6

Thank you to Sue Busch for the photos.

2023 Junior State Championships proudly supported by: