Wee Waa Bowling Club crowned 2021 Zone 3 Bowls State Fours champions

Wee Waa Bowling Club was crowned the Zone 3 Bowls State Fours champions for the third time in four years on Sunday when Justin Knight, Ty and Kevin Baker and Todd Cowan prevailed 26-12 in the final at Armidale City Bowling Club.

They downed South Tamworth’s Mick Tarbert, Ken Trow, Phil O’Reilly and Mat McIntyre in the decider.

The Wee Waa men qualified for the Zone 3 finals after winning the sectional final against Narrabri’s David Dewar, Norm Walford, Paul Crutcher and Trinity Kelly at the Wee Waa Bowling Club on Saturday, February 6.

They played a quarter-final against Lightning Ridge’s David Webb (sub), Jeff Hewton, Anthony Kelly and Adam Webb on Saturday, February 13, which they won 29-21.

That afternoon, they met Gunnedah’s Tim Thorning, Sam Pryor, Dylan Eather and Scott Thorning in a semi-final which they won 24-16.

The following morning they got the job done with a comfortable 14-shot victory in the decider to book a spot in the state finals in Ettalong in August.

It also saw Wee Waa Bowling Club reclaim the title it won in 2018 and 2019.

In 2018 it was Justin Knight, Ty Baker, Steve Berger and Peter Doring who were victorious, then the following year Knight and Baker teamed up with Bruce Cowan and Kevin Baker to win it.

Meanwhile, a Wee Waa Bowling Club side was in action in the Zone 3 Bowls State President’s Reserve Fours finals in Armidale on Saturday.

That included Charles Thompson, Gary Nolan, Graham Amos and Dustyn Allen which were drawn the quarter-final bye, before being eliminated by the eventual winners, Gunnedah’s Joanne Briggs, Ella Cameron, John Pryor and Caleb Cameron, in a 33-8 semi-final loss.

Wee Waa bowlers will now turn their attention to the 2021 pennants season which begins on Saturday, February 27.

Wee Waa Bowling Club will compete in grade four in 2021, in the first of three sections.

Playing against Wee Waa in that section are Inverell RSM and Moree.

In round one, Wee Waa will play an away game against Inverell, then the following day on Sunday, February 28, it has the round two bye.

Wee Waa’s round three game will be played away against Moree on Saturday, March 6.

The club’s first home game will be contested in round four against Inverell on Saturday, March 13.

In round five on Saturday, March 20, the Wee Waa men will challenge Moree at home, then they will have the bye in round six on Sunday, March 21.

Manilla, South Tamworth and West Tamworth will compete in section two, and North Tamworth, Guyra and Armidale Ex-Services make up section three.

The three sectional winners will go on to face off in a round robin on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28, to determine which team wins grade four for Zone 3 Bowls and progresses to the state finals later in the year.

Wee Waa Bowling Club will play a trial on Friday evening from 6.30pm to prepare for its round one fixture.