2018 State Novice Singles
The 2018 men’s State Novice Singles final at State Champions Week promises to be a beauty as two of the State’s rising stars go head-to-head.
Mulgrave Country Club’s Max Goldsmith and Clayton’s Jono Watkins will meet in the final at Bendigo East BC in April after winning through the preliminaries held at Mulgrave Country Club in February.
Goldsmith, who is the Eastern Ranges Novice champion and recently won the Bowls Victoria Integrated Pairs title with Shepparton Park’s Ross Higgins, has emerged from barefoot bowls to become a serious competitor in the sport.
Goldsmith posted a 21-10 round of 16 win over Neville Billington (City Memorial Warrnambool BC/West Coast region), a 21-12 win over Leigh Doensen (Deer Park/Metro West) in the quarters, and a 21-7 semi-final win over Darren Wishart (Horsham Sunnyside/Wimmera).
Watkins also impressed with a 21-13 round of 16 win over John Cameron (Webbcona/Central Victoria), a 21-2 quarter-final win over Tim James (Yallourn/Strzelecki) and 21-15 win over Matthew Boeren (Eastern Park/Geelong) in his semi.
In the women’s State Novice Singles final, which will also be played at Bendigo during State Champions Week, Christine Vella (Deer Park/Metro West) will play Pauline Kempf (Narre Warren/Peninsula Casey).
Both scored thrilling semi-final victories to advance to the championship final – Vella 21-20 over Christine Ritchie (Moama/Bendigo Campaspe) and Kempf 21-19 over Amy Newman (Ballarat North/Central Victoria).
Men’s results
Women’s results
