History Made in COCC Singles

by bwilson on October 24, 2025

The penultimate event for this years Champion of Club Champions. A hotly contested title with a vast array of players.

Women’s Singles

After a long and successful week, Nicole Williams of Boonooroo – Sandy Straits was able to make light work of her sectional games to book her ticket to the Women’s Gold Medal match. Winning her games 25-12 against Sue Clarke from Tugun Bowls Club, followed by two emphatic 25-5 victories over Gill Pudney from Northern Beaches Mackay, and Janice Aldridge from Surat Bowls Club.

West Toowoomba Bowls Club’s Julia Brownie would earn her way to another Gold medal playoff, after already competing for the gold in the Mixed Pairs. Her campaign saw three wins in her sectional games, 25-8 against Jacinta Weier from Hamilton Bowls Club, 25-15 against Nola Costabeber from The Waves Bundaberg, and a huge comeback saw her win the last sectional game against Carmen Mugica from Noorla 25-20. This would set the stage for a show stopping final.

Throughout the game the crowd present at North Mackay Bowls Club was treated to elite level bowling. Every end, and nearly every bowl, shot was exchanged between Williams and Brownie. Williams gained some ascendency and was leading 13-8, but Brownie clicked into gear and took the lead 14-13. The game started to seperate when Brownie was able to string together multiple counts and build up an 8 shot lead, 21-13 and then it was a matter of ticking away those final 4 shots to win her second COCC Singles title 25-16.

In the Bronze medal playoff, Jacinta Weier looked in full control early. She had extended herself out to lead 9-3 before region local Gill Pudney clawed her way back and then took the lead 13-12. From this point Pudney put the foot down and didn’t look back, consistently peppering the jack and putting herself in the box seat at 20-12. Weier put in a final big push, giving it her best effort but Pudney was just to good and took home the bronze with a final score of 25-20.

Men’s Singles

This year’s men’s singles didn’t feature the usual big names, but it more than delivered on quality. The field was tightly matched, with every player suffering at least one defeat in sectional play, making progression wide open until the final round.

The group featured Mt Isa’s Damien McGee, David Schofield (Hervey Bay), Angus Young (Toowoomba City) and Ben Harrison (Paradise Point). Results were shared around with McGee defeating Harrison, Young beating Schofield, Schofield overcoming McGee, and Harrison toppling Young. By the last round, the equation was simple – win and stay alive, lose and bow out.

Harrison and Schofield produced a classic, going shot-for-shot until both players sat locked at 24-all. Harrison held his nerve to clinch the final point and book his place in the gold medal match. McGee’s victory over Young pushed him into the bronze medal playoff.

The second section followed a similar script, with all players picking up a win and a loss. In round one, North Dalby’s 14-year-old talent Joshua Steffens defeated Phillip Blackburn (West Tigers Mackay), while Keith Walley (Burnett) narrowly fell 25-23 to Shane Hinsch (Everton Park). Round two saw Steffens edge Walley 25-23 in another thriller, while Blackburn bounced back to defeat Hinsch 25-19.

The final round came down to margins. Steffens needed to score at least 17 shots to progress to the gold medal match. Hinsch, however, could still leapfrog him if he won and kept Steffens under 16, provided Blackburn didn’t win. For much of the match, it looked like that scenario might play out. Hinsch led 24-16 and was holding game, but Steffens produced a timely forehand runner to cut the deficit and eventually finish with 19 shots in defeat. That narrow tally secured his passage to the gold medal playoff, while Hinsch’s win gave him the bronze medal opportunity.

The bronze medal playoff between McGee and Hinsch was played at a cracking standard. Hinsch led early 11-6 before McGee fought back to edge ahead 15-13. Both players lifted again in front of an appreciative crowd, but McGee’s consistency proved telling as he pulled away to lead 20-14. Hinsch refused to fade, scoring four shots to close the gap, but McGee held on to seal a 25-21 victory.

The gold medal final between Harrison and Steffens was a fitting climax. Steffens started strongly to lead 14-7, but Harrison, showing composure beyond his years, stayed in the fight. Trailing 15-10, he scored a full count of four to spark a stunning run, collecting 10 unanswered shots across six ends to move ahead 20-15. Steffens steadied and clawed his way back, levelling at 20-all and again at 23-all.

With the final poised on a knife-edge, Steffens fired a runner while holding one shot, only to miss narrowly. That left Harrison with the chance to draw for victory – and he did so superbly, nestling within six inches of the jack to score the final two points and seal a 25-23 triumph.

At just 14 years of age, Ben Harrison wrote his name into the record books as the youngest ever winner of a State Champion of Club Champions event.

Congratulations to all players who qualified for the state finals, and thank you to the event sponsors – BioScapes Group, North Mackay Bowls Club, Goosies Sport & Recreation Club, and Daly Bay – for their vital support in making this event possible.

For full results CLICK HERE.