Wightman scores 15th Centre title, Robinson reigns in triples
The final of the Centre Open Men’s Triples between David Frame (Mangawhai) and Maungaturoto’s Kevin Robinson was a very tight match with both men keeping in touch throughout the first 15 ends.
At that point the score was 13-12 to Frame. He had kept his team in the match with some outstanding draw bowls. The last three ends of the match found Robinson getting the upper hand and scoring a one, two and three to win the match 18-13. The winning combination was Kevin Robinson, Brian Hagger and Wayne Wrack. The runner-up team was David Frame, Nefille Franks and Paul Freeman. Centre Open Men’s Triples results
Eight teams qualified from a field of 17. In round one Trevor Reader (Whangarei) beat Gordon Bond (Kensington) 16-4; David Frame (Mangawhai) bt Paul Wightman (Mangawhai) 16-11; John Duinn (One-
rahi) bt Paul Price (Whangarei) 20-3; Kevin Robinson (Maungaturoto) bt Joe Thorburn (Kensington) 21-20.
Round two saw Frame bt Reader 15-13; Robinson bt Dunn 18-8. Centre Women’s Singles
In the Women’s Singles 10 players qualified from a field of 26 players aiming to be the Centre Singles Champion for 2018-19.
Round one saw Sue Wightman (Mangawhai) bt junior bowler Karina Cooper (Kamo) 21-10; Diane Strawbridge (Kensington) bt junior bowler Janice Little (Mangawhai) 21-16.
Round two saw Joan Erceg (Kensington) bt Pauline Mumford (One Tree Pt) 21-14; Leanne Stewart (Hikurangi) bt Dawn Owens (Kensington) 17-15; Ann Muir (Kensington) bt Maureen Parker (Kensington) 21-17 and Wightman bt Strawbridge 19-13. In round three Stewart bt Erceg 19-15 and Wightman bt Muir 21-11 to reach the final.
The wind at the Onerahi greens got up as the match started and the difficult conditions were handled well by both players. Stewart got out to an early lead, up 6-1 after six ends. Four of the next six ends went to Wightman and she hit the front on the ninth end. A run of two shots on each of the 15 to 17th ends increased her lead to 19-10 and, although Stewart scored on the three of the next five ends, the result went the way of Wightman 21-14.
This was a 15th Centre title for Wightman and gave her her second bar to her gold star.
Centre Junior Pairs entries close today (Thursday). There are vacancies and you are all urged to enter. This event is scheduled to be played on Saturday and Sunday November 17-18. If not enough entries are received the event will be reduced to a one-day tournament. Enter on the website www.bowlsnorthland.com or email gwen.northbowls@slingshot.co.nz.
Northland’s section of the Bowls3five competition are also scheduled to close today. We still require another club to enter to be able to hold this competition. This tournament is a pathway to the event being shown on Sky Sport 2 as the winner of the New Zealand final will be invited to compete in the programme in 2019. This event is a new concept for this season, is run as an Inter Club tournament and should be a top priority for clubs. Even if your team has not yet been selected, please indicate to the Centre your intention to field a team.
A reminder also that entries for the Centre Sevens competition close next Thursday (November 15). This event is being run as a Men’s, Women’s and Mixed division this year. Maximum of two teams per club per division. Two clubs of fewer than 20 members may combine to form a team. The mixed division must have at least three members of the opposite gender. All divisions will be played as singles, pairs and fours (seven players per team).
Club Tournaments for next week are: Saturday November 10 — Kensington Women’s Triples; Saturday and Sunday Mangawhai Men’s Fours; Monday Mt Manaia Women’s Sixes; Tuesday Arapohue MX Triples; Maungakaramea MX Triples; Wednesday Whangarei AC Bowls3Five Triples; Thursday Dargaville Mx Triples Single entry; Waipu AC Triples; Friday Kamo AC Triples; Whangarei AC Triples 5.30pm.