ANC Review: Juniors Week

For the first time since 1990, Moonah, Tasmania hosted this year’s President’s Shield event with Zone Bowling Moonah the host venue of the 2021 Australian National Championship.

For the first time in the event history, the 2021 President’s Shield format utilised the international team event format. The structure saw teams bowl three events over three separate days awarding medals to the top three placegetters in each event.

• Singles
• Doubles
• Teams

Individual performances throughout the three events awarded points at the end of each of the division’s events. At the conclusion of the three-day event, three champion teams were crowned for the male division, female division, and combined division.

The teams in attendance for the 2021 event were North Queensland, South Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

Teams were welcomed with the opening ceremony of the event that saw Sarah Courtney MP, the Tasmanian Governments Minister for Hospitality and Events attend and welcome those in attendance. The opening ceremony also saw a number of news crews in attendance to capture the beginning of ANC2021.

Final Singles Results

The first task for teams was to compete in the singles event. Both Male and Female divisions would bowl together completing six games to find the first winners of ANC2021 and the President’s Shield competition.

National Training Squad (NTS) pair of Jordan Harrold (SQ) and Emily Hart (SA) took out the first gold medals of the event.

Staking his claim early with a 235 game one, Jordan led from the start and did not look back. Stringing 200+ games in his first four games, the Logan City bowler claimed gold and maximum points for his South Queensland (SQ) team on day one. Harrold would average 216.7 over the six games for a 1300 total pinfall.

Harrold was joined by SQ and NTS teammate Jack Colmer on the podium who finished 39 pins behind his counterpart to claim silver. North Queenslander Kohan Davis rounding out the placegetters with bronze.

For the female division, NTS and South Australian captain Emily Hart would claim the first gold medal on offer. The Bowland Salisbury bowler started slowly but caught up with impressive performances in games 3 (231) and 4 (225). Hart would average 198.5 over the six games. Joining Hart on the podium was SQ tandem Tahlia Corbett and Tamika Pettigrew. Both representative from SQ putting strong performances together finishing ten pins from each other for their respective medals.

One of the many highlights of the day belonged to North Queenslander Luke Doyle who threw the first 300 game of the championships in his third game. The 18-year-old from Mackay would finish in seventh place for the day.

Final Doubles Results

Teams returned to the lanes today to compete in the Doubles event on day two of the 2021 President’s Shield at ZONE BOWLING Moonah.

With the new format, a new day provided new opportunities to claim medals and points for their teams. The new day saw new champions rise to the occasion and claim the gold medals on offer.

South Australia’s Jayden Hathazi & Tarkyn Percy & North Queensland’s Lilly Wilson & Sophie Jones took out the gold medals at the President’s Shield doubles event.

The female division’s North Queensland gold medal-winning pair was a special one.

Lilly Wilson and Sophie Jones are sisters. Lilly is part of the Junior NTS, and both have an older sister, Chloe Jones, another well known NTS bowler for the adult women’s squad. Their mum Belinda, always at their side was the manager of the North Queensland shield team.

Lilly averaged 212.5 over the six with sister Sophie averaging 183.5. The pair providing a total pinfall of 2376 to claim gold ahead of SQ’s Tamika Pettigrew and Tahlia Corbett who added to their medal tally after claiming silver and bronze in singles. The host state Tasmania would claim their first medals of Shield. Junior NTS athlete Bridget Perkins and partner Abby George would do their state proud finishing with the bronze medals of the event.

For the boys, defending Australian Junior Master champion (2019) Tarkyn Percy and partner Jayden Hathazi would claim gold.

Both bowlers would perform strongly both averaging over 200 for the event (Percy- 207 and Hathazi 217.3). The pair from SA would do enough holding off a fast-finishing SQ pairing in Colin Renton and Hayden Rowe. The difference in medals would come down to 37 pins. Hinting at the strength of the SQ team, the other pairing of Jordan Harrold and Jack Colmer would claim bronze after their impressive performances in the singles division.

Final Teams Results

It was a big 24 hours for South Queensland. After finding out that Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games, the South Queensland Shield team cemented victory in the 2021 President’s Shield competition with a dominating performance on the last day of competition.

The question at the start of the day was if anyone could catch the team from SQ. As the four bowler team events commenced, SQ quickly put any doubt to rest.

For the boys, they would finish with a total pinfall of 5183 over the six games. Led by Hayden Rowe averaging 230.5 in his block, the SQ team had a gap of 483 pins from their nearest challenger.

That nearest challenger was Tasmania. The state claiming their second lot of medals for the event with Josh Peck (221.5 avg) and Liam George (214.3) leading the way for the state. South Australia would round out the medals with Jayden Hathazi continuing his hot form into the teams’ event averaging 204.5 for the day.

For the girls, Queensland dominated proceedings with SQ and NQ finishing first and second. The bowler from Mt Warren Lanes, Tamika Pettigrew would continue her outstanding performance in the event leading the way for SQ averaging 205 for the day. SQ would claim gold with a 4506 total pinfall for the day, 279 pins ahead of their neighbours NQ.

The Doubles event gold medallists in Lilly Wilson and Sophie Jones would help steer the NQ team to silver, edging out South Australia who claimed bronze. Emily Hart once again performing well averaging 200 for the event.

Final Overall Results

South Queensland would clean sweep the final overall tables. Male, Female and Combined President’s Shield champions for 2021.

It would be South Queensland, eleventh overall shield victory. Their first since 2012’s overall victory at Tenpin City.

For the male and female divisions, it would also be both their eleventh time that they would be crowned champions. For the males, their first since 2018’s Zone Bowling Frankston victory, and for the girls the victory was their first since 2012 that helped claim that last overall title.

Overall

1. South Queensland
2. North Queensland
3. South Australia

Male

1. South Queensland
2. South Australia
3. Tasmania

Female

1. South Queensland
2. North Queensland
3. South Australia

Final All Events Results

Hayden Rowe (SQ) and Emily Hart (SA) would top the All Events standings for each gender.

Hayden Rowe would bowl outstanding all event. Averaging an incredible 220.5 over the 18 games, the kid from Toowoomba would win the gold medal in the All events section for the males. Closely following Rowe would be his SQ teammates Jordan Harrold and Jack Colmer.

For the girls, Emily Hart would perform consistently throughout the entire event. Averaging 201.4 over the 18 games, the girl from Bowland Salisbury would add to her gold medal collection after winning the singles event. Tamika Pettigrew from SQ would claim silver averaging 200.3 for the event with Lilly Wilson (NQ) claiming the bronze.

The top five bowlers for each gender in the All Events will be named All-Stars of the 2021 President’s Shield competition. The first four receiving automatic qualification into the upcoming Australian Junior Masters with their performances over the 18 games of Shield.

Coach of South Queensland, Gail Torrens:

I feel it is an honour to take future stars to Nationals – in all Sports just to participate in the Nationals and compete is the step up from State competition. Our teams bowled competently at a standard that won them the triple gold.

What you do on the lanes is the determining factor – how many teams you bowl is not relevant as it is still the nationals and did not lessen the standard attained with the boys team bowling 950 and a 920 (team of 4) and the girls bowling 800 series with individuals, earning their place in all stars on ability and that is the way it has always been.

Covid took away the opportunity for many juniors to take this step this year and it was Russian roulette day to day for us leading up to our departure and I missed catching up with some colleagues from other States but I need to say as a sport we need to have this event locked in every year as nationals prep starts months and months earlier than the event itself.  Thank you TBA and Strike 3 for keeping the nationals going.

President’s Shield combined winning bowler and All-Events Gold Medalist, Hayden Rowe:

I feel like I have lifted a great weight off my shoulders – the team lifted me and the scores came. This was my first President Shield and I wanted to make a difference and I think I did that. This is the best I have bowled since the Tritton memorial this year when I averaged 216 and finished 11th so to finish in a 220 plus average felt really great. I was proud to represent my State and finish on top of all-stars this year – a dream come true!

South Queensland Manager, Nathan Stein:

We didn’t really know what we were getting into at the start as it was obviously a very different format to previous years. Particularly there was a lot of uncertainty leading into the event with who will be there.

We made the decision if we can get there, we will go. We just wanted to get the kids bowling. 2020 was cancelled, we just wanted to be there if we could.

Despite the challenging leadup, they turned up with the right preparations, the right attitude, and we are proud of how we created the right environment for all that to occur.

Six weeks prior to the event, we had a two-day camp leading into the event to focus on bonding for the team. We had to reduce training sessions due to some uncertainty with COVID, so the real focus was on the camp. The coaches did a great job working with them and providing resources for them to work on with their individual coaches in between their other commitments. 80% of the camp was away from the lanes as it was just focused on team building.

It all worked well in the end as while here they gelled so well on and off the lanes and are such a solid unit. They got on so well and that’s rolled onto the lanes on how they performed.

That’s the best some of those kids have ever performed in their bowling careers. We created the right environment, they came with the right attitude, and they delivered.

Full results.

Final qualifying scores

Tasmanian Jasmine Walker and New Zealander Ben Pettit were crowned the inaugural under 14 Australian Junior Master champions at Zone Bowling Moonah on Friday night.

New Zealander Ben Pettit finished as the top qualifier for the boy’s division with a 616 pinfall in his three-game qualifier squad (200, 161, 255). The New Zealander made headlines back home when he became the NZ Open Men’s Tenpin Bowling Champion at only 13 years old. Read more here.

For the girls, Caboolture Bowl’s Katy Melton finished top qualifier with a 583-qualifying score (226, 185, 172). The South Queenslander continuing her productive week at the nationals after playing part in the SQ Shield sweep.

Following the top 15 match play section, the top three bowlers for each division progressed to the stepladder finals. The top three bowlers for each division that progressed to the stepladder finals were:

Male

– Ben Pettit (NZ) – 1,701

– Lachlan Hembrow (NQ) – 1,653

– Kohan Davis (NQ) – 1,482

Female

– Katy Melton (SQ) – 1,424

– Emily Hinspeter (NQ) – 1,346

– Jasmine Walker (TAS) – 1,337

Ben and Katy both finished the number one ranked bowlers heading into the stepladder finals.

North Queensland was well represented in the semis with both boys and one girl making the stepladder. For the boys, Kohan Davis defeated friend Lachlan Hembrow 199-115 whilst Emily Hinspeter went down to Jasmine Walker 188-156.

The title match for the boys saw the number one ranked Ben Pettit overcome Kohan Davis 228-198 while Jasmine Walker continued her climb on the stepladder defeating the number one ranked Katy Melton 189-156.

Male

• 1st – Ben Pettit (NZ)
• 2nd- Kohan Davis (NQ)
• 3rd- Lachlan Hembrow (NQ)

Female

• 1st- Jasmine Walker (TAS)
• 2nd- Katy Melton (SQ)
• 3rd- Emily Hinspeter (NQ)

Congratulations to all bowlers who competed in the first Un/14 Australian Junior Masters event.

Final results

South Australian Emily Hart and South Queenslander Jack Colmer were crowned the 2021 Australian Junior Master champions at Zone Bowling Moonah on Saturday afternoon.

The two winners are both in the Junior National Training Squad and the victories top off quite the week for both.

Following a successful President’s Shield competition where gold medals were collected in both the singles and all events divisions, Hart entered the stepladder finals as the number one ranked bowler after navigating the previous stages. The South Australian would claim 6 of 7 victories in the match play section to cement the number one spot on the stepladder final.

The first stepladder for the girls would be between South Queensland’s Kayla Piffero and Western Australian NTS member Ashlyn Mohr. Piffero who bowls at Logan City Tenpin would defeat Mohr 223-194 advancing to the title game against Emily Hart.

The title match would see Hart survive a nail-biting finish and claim a 197-169 victory to cement her first Australian Junior Master title. The South Australian finishing her junior week with gold in singles and all-events, bronze in teams, bronze overall point score, bronze in the female division and now Australian Junior Master champion.

For the boys, defending Australian Junior Master champion Tarkyn Percy turned it on today. After a gap year due to COVID, the South Australian reminded all he was still keen to make a run for back to back titles.

In match play a last-ditch seventh game score of 236 plus 30 bonus provided Percy with a chance to enter the stepladder final sneaking past Shield All Events gold medal winner Hayden Rowe.

The NTS junior would meet highly fancied New Zealander and newly under 14 Australian Junior Master – Ben Pettit in the first stepladder. Both two-handers battled throughout with Percy claiming victory 213-198.

Percy’s run would end in the title game facing the number one ranked bowler for the event, Jack Colmer. The South Australian would fall short in a high scoring match with Colmer victorious in a 247-221 match.  Colmer’s title victory adds to his impressive medal haul during the President’s Shield. Colmer walked away with silver in the singles, bronze in the doubles, gold in teams, gold in the male division, overall division, bronze in the all-events and now Australian Junior Master champion.

For the first time, both winners would receive the same prizes. Strike 3 Bowling guaranteeing advertised prize money and ensuring both genders get the same prize saw the two winners collecting their $1000 first-place cheques and become the 50^th winners of the Australian Junior Masters.

Congratulations to both winners and all bowlers in this year’s event. That concludes junior’s week at ANC2021. Youth week begins tomorrow with qualifying for the TBA21 Masters scheduled for Monday, followed by the TBA21 challenge on Tuesday.