QJC Showcases Exciting Emerging Talent
By Chris Rushton
Tenpin bowling’s Queensland Junior Cup continues to showcase the exciting talent emerging in the sport. Interstate rivalry in this year’s QJC was keen and the tournament highlighted the sport’s appeal as a game that requires skill, determination and consistency irrespective of age or gender.
The results speak for themselves. (Full scores are available at www.tenpinresults.com.au). The head-to-head format of the five-game match play that allocated 20 pins for a win and 10 for a draw ultimately had a significant impact on the outcome in both divisions. Final scores and placings were extremely close, with just 75 pins separating the top six boys’ match play scores, leading Tournament Director Nathan Stein to observe “Some of the games today have been just phenomenal … this year’s QJC is one of the closest tournaments I’ve ever seen – possibly in history!”
A colourful Opening ceremony saw the Hon. Mark Ryan, Minister for Police and local Queensland MP for Morayfield together with Cr. Adam Hain from Moreton Bay Regional Council welcome players and supporters from across the country to the region, and stress the benefits and values of sportsmanship, equality and inclusion in sport. Donning their bowling shoes, the two dignitaries then threw the ceremonial ‘first ball’ on adjoining lanes to declare the tournament officially open.
Earlier, the General Manager of Back Roads Touring Company, Dennis Basham, drew the prize-winning ticket for a fabulous BRT trip to Asia valued at more than $12,000 in a fund-raiser sweepstakes for the sport which was won by a lucky lady from Cairns, Jane Bentley.
Live-streamed across the entire weekend from Caboolture Bowl, local supporters and a huge online audience enjoyed the spectacle of 12 year-old Blake Walsh from Ballina seriously challenging 16 year-old Nixon Chan for the Boys’ trophy in a down-to-the-wire finish which saw the Sydney bowler win the impressive cash and SCOOT-travel prize by only 33 pins. Chan came out of the blocks on fire, shooting nine strikes in a row in the first game of match play to post the tournament High Game of 288 while the invaluable 20-pin bonus for a win proved elusive for young Walsh in the second game when he was beaten by Victoria’s Daniel Parrella by just two pins.
Another Sydney bowler, Jordan Dinham was a close third overall, and defending QJC champion, Kyle Annetts from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast was a single pin behind Dinham in fourth place. Toowoomba’s Cameron Stein led the field with a notable 213.8 average following Stage 2 on Sunday morning, but missed a podium finish after close games but without the benefit of bonus points for wins in match play.
In the Girls’ division, a mere two pin margin also clinched the title and prize line-up for Bendigo bowler, Grace Fahy over Ivy Dickinson from Cairns. Victoria’s Sophie Martin from Horsham finished third. 16 year-old Fahy posted the top average at the Junior Nationals President’s Shield interstate teams tournament earlier this year and Fahy, Dickinson and Martin are amongst several bowlers who competed in this year’s QJC and also recently selected to represent Australia at the Asian Schools Championships in Taichung, Chinese Taipei at the end of September.
The 2018 QJC offered an expanded range of trophies and prizes for players of all averages and abilities. The coveted Fletcher Family perpetual trophy for Sportsmanship and a STORM bowling ball were awarded to 10 year-old Julian Dinham, the youngest of three Dinham boys from Bankstown competing again this year, along with brothers Justin and Jordan.
In the Graded division, the winner of the new EUROPCAR trophy for High Game including handicap was local Caboolture bowler Cody Miles (pictured left) who shot a 256 in Game 6 of qualifying.
Two more exciting prizes – the STORM STAR SEARCH Awards donated by BDP Australia – were won by Blake Walsh and Ivy Dickinson (pictured left), and the proprietors of ANIMAL’S Pro Shop at Caboolture Bowl also generously donated bowling equipment prizes for fund-raising raffles across the weekend.
“Safe to say that the QJC is fast becoming the premier junior tournament in the country – if it isn’t already!” said Nathan Stein, Chairman of the South Queensland Junior Tenpin Association. The venue and dates for the 2019 Queensland Junior Cup will be announced shortly.
Photos courtesy Mick Brunhierl, Caboolture Bowl
