Wee Waa Bowling Club’s 2021 season finally wrapping up with finals action

Wee Waa Bowling Club’s synthetic Laurie Hoad Green has played host to several matches already this year as the 2021 season nears its conclusion.

Last year’s campaign was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and wild, wet weather, which meant several competitions would be required to be completed in 2022. Those included the B-grade Singles, the C-grade Singles, the B-grade Pairs and the B-grade Triples.

The B-grade Singles season wrapped up on Saturday, January 22, when Jay Hall was crowned champion after a 31-3 victory in the final against Todd Cowan.

Hall got off to a flying start in that match as he claimed the first three ends to establish an early eight shots to nothing lead.

Cowan hit back by winning the next two ends to reduce his deficit to five. However, a one on the fifth end would be the last that Cowan would score as Hall dominated the rest of the match.

He eventually won the match in 16 ends after winning nine of the next 11 a combined 23 shots to none.

The other two ends were killed.

Hall went on to win another final eight days later when he teamed up with Cowan and Cody Booby to win the B-grade Triples competition.

The trio took on Peter Hennessy, Kerry Sadler and Trevor Keys in the decider, which was played on Sunday, January 30.

Hall, Booby and Cowan won that 25-end match by one shot as they held on in a nail-biting finish to prevail 26-25.

Hall, Booby and Cowan won the first three ends to go ahead five shots to nothing early in the match before Hennessy, Sadler and Keys reduced their deficit to one after winning the next three ends.

Hennessy, Sadler and Keys won three of the following five ends, however, they were still outscored six shots to five by their opponents as Hall, Booby and Cowan led 11-9 after 11 ends.

They extended that lead to 14-9 after 13 ends before Hennessy, Sadler and Keys scored six shots across the next two ends to take the lead for the first time in the match as they went ahead 15-14 at the completion of the 15th end.

Hall, Booby and Cowan were able to quickly regain the lead as they outscored their opponents seven shots to two across the next three ends to go ahead 21 shots to 17 after 18 ends of play.

However, Hennessy, Sadler and Keys won four of the next five ends to lead 23-22 at the completion of the 23rd end.

The match was both sides’ to win with just two ends left, and it was Hall, Booby and Cowan who put themselves in the drivers’ seat with a four on the 24th end to take a 26-23 lead into the final end.

Hennessy, Sadler and Keys were holding two shots on that last end and had the final bowl of the match with a chance to tie the game and force an extra end.

However, that shot fell short and they had to settle for two shots as Hall, Booby and Cowan held on to win the match 26-25.

Wee Waa Bowling Club’s C-grade decider was an all-Allen affair as brothers Dustyn and Kyne faced off against one another in the decider on Sunday, January 23.

16-year-old Dustyn was triumphant 31-12 against his 13-year-old brother Kyne in that match.

Dustyn won four of the first six ends to establish an early 7-2 lead before Kyne hit back with seven shots across the next three ends to go ahead nine shots to seven.

The score was locked at 10 shots apiece at the completion of the 12th end before Dustyn went on a match-winning run.

The oldest of the two brothers won the next seven ends to establish a 23-10 lead.

Kyne then scored two shots to none during the following two ends to make the score 23-12 after 21 ends.

But Dustyn went on to claim the next four ends, a combined eight shots to nothing, to win the match 31-12 after 25 ends.

The B-grade Pairs competition semi-final matches were played across the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23.

On the Saturday, Gary Nolan and Trevor Keys advanced to the final of that competition after downing Peter and Dustyn Allen 25-14.

The Allens won four of the first six ends to take an 8-2 lead before they extended that advantage to a comfortable eight shots when they led 11-3 at the completion of the eighth end.

Nolan and Keys claimed the next four ends to move within one shot of their opponents, but the Allens scored three more shots across the next two ends to make the score 14-10 after 14 ends.

Nolan and Keys dominated the rest of the match as they won the next six ends a combined 15 shots to nothing to secure a 25-14 victory after 20 ends of play.

On the Sunday, Todd Cowan and Cody Booby downed Peter Hennessy and Hunter Doring 24-14 to join Nolan and Keys in the decider.

The score was locked at four shots apiece after six ends in that second semi-final before Cowan and Booby won five of the following six ends, a combined eight shots to one, to lead 12-5 after 12 ends.

However, Hennessy and Doring fought back to win the next three ends eight shots to nothing to edge in front 13-12 after 15 ends of play.

Cowan and Booby regained their lead with a two on the 14th end to lead 14-13 with five ends left to play. They then won four of those five ends, a combined 10 shots to one, to defeat Hennessy and Doring 24-14.

The final of the B-grade Pairs comp between Cowan and Booby and Nolan and Keys will be contested at the Wee Waa Bowling Club at 9.30am this Saturday, February 12.