Singles kings and queens
Queensland’s showstopping junior singles champs are U15 Girls Jessie Cottell, U18 Boys Jesse Turnbull, U18 Girls Sophie Young and U15 Boys Nicky Cahill. Queensland’s U18 Girls Singles champ Sophie Young will be defending her state title in 2016 at her home club.
Bowls Queensland chairman John Dawson announced today the host club for State Juniors 2016 is Capalaba, with assistance from nearby clubs if required.
Sophie Young has been building towards a state title since she started playing four years ago.
She is a genuinely nice person, as well as focused and driven to improve.
“My hardest game was against Taleah Putney in Round 2 of sectionals, then I played really well in the post sectionals, and “respectably” in the final, to win against Jacinta (Weier),” Sophie said.
Sophie’s grandmother Diane Kricker convinced Sophie to get involved in bowls, and they play together at Capalaba.
Sophie enjoys the social aspect of bowls, and the competition.
“You need patience, persistence and the right head space during a game to succeed,” Sophie said.
U18 Girls Singles runner up Jacinta Weier, 16, from Urangan was delighted to make it to her first state final.
She’s in her final year of high school and took up bowls six years ago through a primary school development programme.
“I’ll be back next year, I’ll need to get more practise in windy conditions,” Jacinta said.
U18 Boys Singles champ is Hamilton’s Jesse Turnbull.
“It’s my first…and last..U18 state title,” Jesse said, on the cusp of his 18th brithday.
“I just hope the U25 programme ramps up in Queensland, I think it’s really important as a transition stage betweeen juniors and Open.”
Jesse beat Everton Park’s Bradley Lawson 21-6 in the final.
Bradley was rapt to make it into his first state final.
He started playing bowls six years ago when his friend Nathan Casey invited him for a roll up at Everton Park.
He said Jesse was great to play against and he had enjoyed the State titles because of the friendship aspect.
After finishing year 12 last year, Bradley is looking for a job, hopefully an apprenticeship “something with my hands” and he hopes to keep up his bowls too.
Bradley was supported at State Juniors by his proud mum Sarina and dad Rodney.
UNDER 15
Queensland Bowler magazine February 2015 cover girl Jessie Cottell has rocketed through junior bowls since she started playing about 18 months ago.
She won the two U15 titles up for grabs at State Juniors, the Combined Pairs with Jake Rynne and the Girls Singles.
“It feels amazing, it’s my last year in U15s and I really wanted to win at State’s,” Jessie said.
“I had an awesome time, I really played out of my skin!”
Jessie is looking forward to playing Open Pairs at the upcoming Queensland State Championships on the Sunshine Coast, with her fellow U15 Girls Singles finalist and close friend Rebecca Rixon, who is also good friends with Jessie’s brother Jayden.
U15 Boys Singles champ is Bargara’s Nicky Cahill, whose energetic 96-year-old gran Margaret came up from her Albany Creek retirement village to see what Nicky might achieve.
“I wanted to see him finish on top, it’s very exciting and satisfying,” Margaret said.
Nicky, 12, is a Year 7 student at Shalom College, not a name on the state bowls scene until this year, when he trumped defending champ Kane Nelson, the talented Flegler brothers Carl and Bradley from North Dalby, and Helensvale’s junior protegy Shane White.
“He started playing bowls before he was three, with a Goodna bowler called Cassie Briscoe, but he’s started playing more seriously when he was nine, three years ago,” dad Greg said.
Nicky said he was “stoked” to win his first state title, and he believes he won “because I concentrated”, Nicky said.
“I focused on getting points and if I lost, only going down by one shot, it’s been an awesome tournament.”
Nicky defeated Helensvale’s Shane White in the final 21-14.
Shane moved to the Gold Coast from Tasmania only in July last year, and he was quickly talent spotted by the Hawks for their junior development academy.
“I’ve been playing for about seven years, I got into bowls through my dad Adam, and it’s been a lot to learn since coming to Queensland, the standards are so much higher, and the amount of juniors playing here, compared to in Tasmania, is amazing,” Shane said.
“This is my first Queensland State Titles but hopefully it won’t be my last, I played ordinary up to the Singles, and then I played well, so I’m happy.”
STATE JUNIORS 2015 – SINGLES FINALS RESULTS – U18
BOYS: Jesse Turnbull def Bradley Lawson 21-6
GIRLS: Sophie Young def Jacinta Weier 21-10
STATE JUNIORS 2015 – SINGLES FINALS RESULTS – U15
BOYS: Nicky Cahill def Shane White 21-14
GIRLS: Jessie Cottell def Rebecca Rixon 21-14
