It’s finals time at Tuggeranong!
Each state and territory will be represented in a medal match tomorrow on the last day of the Australian Under-18 Championships; whilst those who have missed out this year will still play tomorrow to decide 5th to 8th positions in each discipline. The stage is set for a terrific day of finals when the best of the best junior bowlers from around the country do battle on the final day of the Australian Under-18 Championships.
Dual Youth Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jono Davis will start favourite in tomorrow’s boys singles final when he takes on Queensland’s Dale McWhinney-Shillington in what is surely to be a high quality singles encounter.
Both boys have progressed to tomorrow’s singles final without dropping a sectional match and as both are unable to collect gold in the boys pairs, this is their one and only chance to claim national honours at this event.
The bronze medal play-off will see Tasmania’s Mitchell Banks come up against Victoria’s Jayden Christie, a current Australian Junior Squad member, in the boys singles.
The boys fours is set to be a cracking game between Queensland and New South Wales; Queensland’s team of Mitchell Mears, Hayden Vogler and Jacob Nelson, who have also qualified for the triples final, skipped by 2014 Australian Junior Squad member Nic Gosley will be strong contenders under the guidance of former Australian representative Bill Cornehls as the QLD Coach.
Jesse Herbert, 2014 Australian Under-18 pairs champion Isaac Rayner, current Australian Junior Squad Member Dylan Skinner and Jordan Taylor were one game and four shots behind South Australia going into the final match and won 15-9 to steal top spot.
The Northern Territory qualified for their second medal play-off in the boys fours with their composite team of Tristan Chambers, Jackson Harding, Jono Davies and Tristan Griffith playing off for bronze against the strong Victorian outfit of Todd Trewarne, Jordan Yates, Curtis Hanley and Australian representative Joshua Corless.
In the girls pairs the New South Wales’ combination of Madeline Goncalves and Molly Wilton will meet giant killers the Northern Territory; Kerri-Ann Zavazal and Shae Smith cruised into tomorrow’s final with victories over Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Zavazal and Smith will have the whole of the Northern Territory behind them as they contest the first junior girls’ gold medal match in the history of the event.
In the girls triples Victorians Amelia Bruggy, Tiffany Brodie and Natasha Russell have proven how important it is to never give up; they came back from third position and an almost 30 shot deficit between them and top spot to qualify for tomorrow’s final and will now meet Queenslanders Brittany Wiley, Michaela Bailey-Nelson and Taleah Putney.
NSW was defeated by South Australia in the final match of the day 11-17 which opened the door for Victoria who claimed a 28 shot victory over ACT; Victoria moved into top position four shots clear of NSW.
In the bronze medal matches Queensland will take on Victoria in the girls pairs and Western Australia will verse New South Wales in the girls triples tomorrow at 11:15am.
Queensland is a clear front runner for the overall trophy having now qualified for six gold medal and two bronze medal play-offs with the battle for second wide open.
Each state and territory will be represented in a medal match; whilst those who have missed out this year will still play tomorrow to decide 5th to 8th positions in each discipline.
Play will get underway earlier tomorrow with an 8:30am start for the girls singles, girls fours, boys pairs and boys triples followed by an 11:15am start for the boys singles, boys fours, girls pairs and girls triples.
At the medal presentation tomorrow, National Coach Steve Glasson OAM, on behalf of the National Selection Panel, will announce the five girls and five boys selected as part of 2015 Australian Junior Squad.
To find all the results from today’s matches follow this link to the Australian Under-18 webpage.
