School Sport Australia Bowls Championships
The National School Sports Championship kicked off with the South Australian contingent joining their peers from Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland at the City of Geelong Bowling Club. Like the night before Christmas, Tuesday’s practice day was equal parts nerves and anticipation, concluding with a High-Performance session hosted by Bowls Australia featuring Tyson Cromie, Matthew Flapper and Sophie Kurzman. A great opportunity for the players to learn from past and perhaps future Australian Jackaroo representatives.
Following the official Opening Ceremony on Wednesday morning, round 1 saw SA1 tackle VIC2 in pairs & triples, with SA2 taking on WA2 in singles & fours.
A nervy start across the board for the Reds, for many this was their first major bowls tournament or games outside of SA! A quality matchup in the Pairs for SA1 with Skye Wilson and Samuel Milkins, who after an early lead would fall to the Victorian combination of Brighton & Randell 9-17. SA2 singles rep Zane Block featured on the livestream in round 1 overcoming a 0-10 start to show some phenomenal resilience, dropping game 1 8-21 to WA’s Alberti.
SA1 triples 8-22
SA2 fours 6-20
Before round 2, magnets were well and truly moved in both sides, but we would see red on the board with singles wins for both SA1 & SA2! Leading the way was Captain Sam (hurriedly appointed before the Opening Ceremony) with a dominating victory over VIC1’s Coleman 21-10 and a rebounding Zane who pipped QLD2’s Mason 14-13 after the bell. Perhaps sweeter, was the overall victory for SA1, with Cameron Jamison piloting his four of Riley Crisp, Tahlia Stringer & Skye Wilson to a 8-15 loss which kept a close eye on the ’big board’ in the dying ends.
SA2 fours 7-16
After a fantastic lunch supplied by City of Geelong’s catering, SA1 ventured out to wilderness of B Green for round 3, while SA2 stayed under the dome. SA2 was undone by a game WA1 outfit losing both disciplines, but spirits remained high as both states shared laughs throughout. Braving a wind that would make Marion and West Lakes blush, SA1 put more red on the board through Skye & Sammy’s last end heroics 15-14 over QLD2’s Gerick & Mason, while the triples found conditions tough going.
SA1 triples 7-20
SA2 pairs 8-15
SA2 triples 7-20
The final round of day 1 action saw SA2 return to the livestream, as the magnets were moved once again, to see Callan Shepherd take the skipper’s hotseat with Darcy Jones, Ashlee Gilgen & Mia Crisp against NSW2 in fours action. An electric first end from Callan would claim two, but the match up would prove too tough with the Blues combination running out winners 8-19. Next door in the singles, Zane took the contest to NSW2’s Moran falling short 17-21 in a bright performance.
Still braving the gale of B green, SA1 would fall to NSW1 in fours and singles action. Skip Cameron would play some big bowls for ultimately no scoreboard reward.
SA1 singles 2-21
SA1 fours 7-12
Thursday’s day 2 greeted players with a cold, windy Geelong morning, which SA2 found themselves caught in the worst of for rounds 5 & 6 out on B green. Against skilled opposition in QLD1 & VIC1, the Reds would go down in all disciplines searching for answers to the tough conditions.
SA2 pairs 6-21
SA2 triples 9-16
SA2 pairs 8-22
SA2 triples 7-30
Under cover and facing the Western Australia outfits back to back, SA1 would score two overall victories, Round 5’s powered by the pairs combination of Skye & Sammy’s 20-10 victory to balance out the triples going down 13-14, while for Round 6 the four of Cameron, Tahlia, Riley and Skye took the chocolates 14-9 to prove the difference after Sammy’s 18 all singles draw.
Round 7 had the feel of a test match as it was South Australia v New South Wales on rinks 1-4. Both sides started well and vocally, with SA1 square for most of the match with NSW2 until a pair of unfortunate ends on both rinks. Riley Crisp was a standout coming into his own on the mat in the triples. Next door NSW1 held off the new pairing of Callan & Darcy while Zane, Ashlee & Mia plied their trade in the triples. While both SA sides went down, it was the best quality bowls all ten players had played throughout the Championships and well supported by watching families.
SA1 pairs 11-16
SA1 triples 11-16
SA2 pairs 8-23
SA2 triples 13-14
The final non-medal rounds saw SA1 go down to QLD1 by heavy margins. Despite some encouraging bowls building off their prior round, the Kookaburras who fielded their Nationals outfit, were too strong for the Reds. Remaining under the roof of A green, SA2 unsuccessfully tried to hold off a VIC2 side desperate to book places in Fridays medal games.
SA1 singles 2-21
SA1 fours 4-19
SA2 singles 10-21
SA2 fours 6-18
Finals Friday opened with pairs and triples action, SA1 pairs playing off for 5th, SA2 for 9th while triples action for 9th was an all South Australian affair with sibling bragging rights on the line between Mia and Riley. Ultimately Skye and Sammy could not overcome a strong NSW’s pair, Darcy and Callan fell to a rampant WA pairing and SA1 took out the all red showdown.
SA1 pairs 9-14
SA2 pairs 7-18
SA1 d SA2 triples 22-11
Singles and fours brought the Championship to its conclusion, in singles SA1 playing off for 7th against QLD and SA2 for 9th against WA. Fours action had both line ups facing Western Australian outfits, who brought the championships to a fine end with both fours lineups taking a win home after some exceptional bowls demonstrating the growth of players from playing and being around such high level players.
SA1 singles 10-21
SA2 singles 17-21
SA1 fours 16-9
SA2 fours 13-5
From a results standpoint it was a tough championship for our South Australian teams, but we are immensely proud of their resilience, skill development, comradery as they wore the South Australian colours with pride.
Schools Sport Sportsmanship Award – Zane Block
SA Male Player of the series – Samuel Milkins
SA Female Player of the series – Skye Wilson
All-Australian team – Samuel Milkins
On behalf of the Coach and Manager, thank you to School Sport SA, Bowls SA and Bowls Australia for supporting our first time entry into this event. Thank you to Playford Bowling Club, for hosting our School Sports SA and Bowls SA Inter-School Challenge and lead up trainings and thank you to the City of Geelong Bowling club for their standout hospitality.
Finally, a special thanks to the players and their families who made this team possible.
Author: Alex Smith
To view all the results please CLICK HERE
