THE Bay Devils Squash Club wrapped up its Winter Pennant last Friday evening in a flurry of surprise results.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After the minor premiers had been dispatched in the elimination final, Drop Shots, which finished fourth, and Boasts, which finished second, lined up in the grand final.
Drop Shots had made a massive drive from near the bottom of the table in to contention late in the competition but being the veterans of the club, an average of 60-plus, they were outsiders entering the pressure cooker of the grand final arena.
The young, fit and talented Boasts suffered the loss of the number two, Julie Mead, prior to the night which made their plight a tad more difficult.
In the grand final the first to hit the court were the number threes.
Boasts’ left hander Aaron Dunne was against the experienced Rod Gray.
Dunne needed to play above himself as Gray was coming in off good form and the result was in the balance until the last seconds of play when Gray pulled away to 50-44, in front of a rowdy crowd which was on its feet.
The next match was between number fours with Boasts’ Zach Hurley against Drop Shots’ Cheryl Wallace.
Wallace improved from the previous match between the two a fortnight earlier and had a hefty 63-33 win, which gave the Drop Shots a handy two-rubber 36-point lead.
The early results meant that the match between the two captains and number one players had greater importance.
Drop Shots’ Ted Freeman lined up against Boasts’ Mick Scorer and a see-sawing match followed.
Both players displayed a vast array of shots and after 25 minutes it was Freeman who buried the ghosts of grand finals past to win 68-53.
The win sealed the Winter Pennant for Drop Shots who had a 3-rubber, 51-point lead, with one match to play.
Drop Shots’ number two Peter Ridell was not due to play as a result of a serious rear-end strain but got caught up in the adrenaline charged grand final and laced up his boots.
Aaron Dunne, who backed up for Mead, did not look fatigued despite an earlier match and covered the court, returning everything Ridell hit at him.
Even though it was a dead rubber the crowd would have believed it was for title as players kept spectators entertained.
Eventually, Dunne won 59-45.
After the game, Freeman said it was “about time” his team had won something.
“The last time that happened was in 2008, 10 Pennants ago,” Freeman said.
The consolation grand final produced a similar surprise result with Scobie Doobie Doo clean-sheeting Hurley Burley.
Scobie number one Stuart Scobie beat Paul Lanyon 46-43, at number two John Fulcher beat Linda Forbes 59-56, Kerrie Mars defeated Austin Hurley 73-43 and Mikey Birch beat Quinn Hurley 63-55.
The next competition will start in late January and the club welcomes new and old players to take part.