Young pairs winners spring a surprise
The men’s post section was cutthroat, particularly with the first round pitting clubmate against clubmate.
The picturesque Hokowhitu club hosted the Manawatu¯ bowls finals day on Waitangi Day and it was an enthralling day’s bowls.
The women’s pairs had been cut to a final in Sunday’s post section and Terrace End’s Mere Fryer, at lead, and Sheryn Blake had been in ominous touch as they beat clubmate Vanessa Giblett 18-9, then got past a willing composite side of Tania Harris, Johnston Park, and Northern’s Julianne Mills to book their final spot.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the draw, skip Joan Ware and Robyn Mcgregor, from Palmerston North, had beaten Christina Bryan, Northern, 18-4 and then eased past the irrepressible Bev Budd to claim their spot in the final.
Smart money said Blake/fryer would take the final out, as they were the winner and runner-up in the recent centre singles. The early stages were tight and scores were even at 5-5 and 7-7, before the Terrace End team drew out to a 15-9 lead and looked to be home. But, the Ware combo had other ideas and the game took a dramatic turn on the 17th end when they scored a four, so went into the last end only two behind.
Blake managed to keep the score to a single, so she brought up her 21st title, and it was a big moment for Fryer, scoring her 20th and quadruple gold star.
The men’s post section was cutthroat, particularly with the first round pitting clubmate against clubmate. Pat Horgan beat Steve Toms and Brian Little beat Graeme Cooley, all Palmerston North, and Johnston Park were similarly matched.
Tony Jensen beat Simon Westby and Stephen Love saw off Colin Commerford. Pundits rated yours truly and Bruce Harris little chance against Pat Horgan and Dean Gilshnan, Palmerston North, and at 14-7 their minds had probably turned to the next round. A four, two and single to Johnston Park changed all that, forcing an extra end Johnston Park won in dramatic circumstances with a bare jack driven to the ditch.
Meanwhile, it was two teams from Johnston Park battling it out again when Adam Johnston and Jason Hawe dispatched Love and his lead Mike Sinclair 18-7 in a onesided contest. Little and lead Ross Ellery had a big win over Foxton and Beach to book their semi-final place and, as if it was pre-ordained, it was two Johnston Park teams again when Jensen beat Johnston in a game that went down to the wire.
On the other side of the draw, people were starting to take notice of another Johnston Park team in the form of youngsters Darren Wright, skip, a third-year bowler, and his lead Bryan Gibson, also pretty raw in his sixth year in the game. They had beaten Brent Mason, Takaro, 23-12 and then beat Mike Ryan, Northern, 26-16 to advance to the semi-final against the Curtis brothers, Terry and Glenn, on Waitangi Day.
This was some match. Four ends from home, Wright cooly drew shot with his last bowl when five down and on the 17th, the Takaro combo scored a three to take a 17-14 lead into the last end. Wright and Gibson dug deep and after Terry Curtis’ last bowl held three. Wright nonchalantly stepped up to add the fourth and gain a place in the final.
Meanwhile, the Jensen team led throughout against Little and with an 18-11 win, it was once again a Johnston Park derby.
I raised a few eyebrows when I selected Wright for the Manawatu¯ senior representative team a fortnight ago and I took a lot of satisfaction in watching his and Gibson’s performance in the final from the best possible vantage point.
Whatever we did they more than countered. Centre president Vern Sixtus, who was playing bowls long before either player was born, could not remember any team so young in bowls years winning the open pairs and my check of the records confirms that. It was the first title for both and Harris will have to wait for another day to challenge for his gold star again.
The men’s triples final was a one-sided affair, with Graeme Cooley, Dean Gilshnan and Ray Boffa, Palmerston North, defeating Tom Palmer, Des Meyer and Derek Mckee, from Northern.
■ Northern lost a great stalwart of the club at the weekend with the passing of Bevan Hyde. A better than average bowler, Hyde’s best days were back in the days of Phil Skoglund, Vic Sellars and Peter Shaw, but he did manage to win the 1989 champion of champion fours. He was a tireless worker on the grounds at Northern and a most likeable character.
■ The Manawatu¯ Men’s Masters representative team to play in the annual hexagonal tournament at Palmerston North on March 12 and 13 is as follows: Fours: Brian Little, skip (Palmerston North), Terry Curtis (Takaro), John Tiddy (Woodville), Derek Mckee (Northern); Triples: Tony Jensen, skip, (Johnston Park), Eric Cairncross and Paul Rowe (Palmerston North); Pairs: Neil Gordon, skip (Terrace End); Mike Sinclair (Johnston Park); Singles: Graeme Cooley (Palmerston North).
■ If you’re not involved in club championships this Sunday, get an entry into the Rescue Helicopter tournament at Palmerston North. And don’t forget the Hospice tournament is coming up as well on March 10, at Northern.
■ A weekend at Hokowhitu reminded many bowlers what a splendid venue that club is and other clubs pondering their futures would do well to consider a shift there.
There’s no reason multiple clubs couldn’t operate from one location and share costs and expertise. There is no nicer setting for bowls than Hokowhitu.