Great showing for province at national championships

Newfoundland athletes had some impressive performances at the 2012 Canadian Handball Nationals, held recently in Montreal.

Michael Gaulton captured the 15-andunder boys’ title by defeating teammate Ben Delaney in the final (21-13, 6-21, 116). Gaulton and Delaney captured the 15and-under boys’ doubles ,defeating an Ontario team 21-10, 21-8

Tyler Mesh finished second in the 17and-under boys, losing to Edmonton’s Parker Dorothy 21-13, 7-21, 6-11.

Mesh teamed with Chris Simmons of St. John’s to capture the men’s B doubles title, 21-4, 21-8 over a Quebec duo.

In girls’ 15-and-under final, Abby Vanderkloet lost to Myra Koval of Calgary 2119, 21-6. Vanderkloet and Anna Carew came second in girls’ doubles in the division, losing to Saskatchewan 21-16, 9-21, 11-7 in the final.

In the boys’ 13-and-under doubles final, Alex Carew and Ian Pumphrey defeated Noah Cote of St. John's and Carter Rakochey of Calgary 21-8, 21-10.

Fifteen-year-old Leslie Amminson won her first match in the women’s open category, defeating Natasha Golding of Ontario 21-4, 21-17, then lost to tournament winner Samantha England of Rochester N.Y., 21-4, 21-6. In women’s open doubles, Amminson teamed up with Lavonah Madden of Nova Scotia, losing in the semifinals 21-16, 17-20, 11-5 to a team from Ontario.

Another highlights of the championships included Newfoundland and Labrador capturing the Richard Kearney Memorial award for top overall junior team. Other members of the team were Rhiannon Cooper, Moira Cooper and Jacob Vanderkloet.

Anna Carew won the Renee Hurley Memorial award, voted on by the junior female players, as the player displaying the most character on and off the court.

Next action for the provincial team is the 2012 world handball championships in Dublin, Ireland in October.