Mangawhai bowlers again to the fore

It was a junior pairs clean sweep for Mangawhai men and women at the Ruawai greens last Sunday.

Six mens teams and three womens teams qualified for post section.

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

The semi-finals saw Wayne Williams/Murray Heaton (Mangawhai) beat Mark Brown/Grant McLean (Waipu) 21-4, and Vaughn Tito/Rob Anderson (Mangawhai) beat Don Cameron/Kelvin Bint on an extra end which was replayed twice.

The final was a close affair with Williams/Heaton defeating Tito/Anderson 14-12.

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 6th end to take a 9-5 lead. It was 9 all on the 8th, 11 all on the 11th, and 12 all on the 13th. 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.

Outstanding bowls were played by all of the junior bowlers competing in this event. Mangawhai Club therefore ended with first and second in this event for the first time.

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 scoreline 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). Once again a Mangawhai first and second placing.

This event was the first Junior title for Robinson and Epsom.

From Gwen Lawson