Mikayla Long (Sunbury)

Youth shine in final day of play

by Team BV

It was an exciting final day at the Steller Victorian Open with the future of Australian bowls in good hands at Shepparton Park Bowls Club.

The Men’s and Women’s Pairs and Singles were played and won with a number of young guns in the mix on the last day.

In the Men’s Pairs Jarryd Davies (Essendon) and Cooper Wescombe (Glenroy) proved victorious over family duo Curtis and Cain Hanley (Melbourne) in a tight tussle 15-14

In the Women’s Pairs, Dawn Hayman (St John’s Park NSW) and Lisa Phillips (Brighton) took the win over Mary Tragardh (Yackandandah) and Maryanne Spizer (Moama) 18-8

After the Men’s and Women’s Singles Semi-Finals were decided in the morning, many touted the Women’s Final as the “Long Haul” – the game did not disappoint, with Mikayla Long (Sunbury) and Alison Hall (Seymour) playing a great contest with Long claiming victory 21-17.

To conclude the day’s finals schedule, the Men’s Singles had Lee Schraner (Rosny Park TAS) defeating Mark Foster (MCC), 21-11.

The Vic Medal, which is awarded to the player who accumulates the most amount points and is the most consistent across the event’s four disciplines, went to Essendon’s Jarryd Davies.

To add to his Men’s Pairs win, Jarryd Davies made the last 32 of the Men’s Singles, the Semi-Finals of the Mixed Pairs with partner Amity Bickley (Mulgrave CC) and the Semi-Finals of the Men’s Triples with pairs teammate, Wescombe and U18 Coach Matt Flapper (Ocean Grove).

Bowls Victoria would like to thank the Greater Shepparton City Council, major sponsor Steller, the 20 venues including the host venue Shepparton Park Bowls Club & the countless volunteers including Umpires, Markers and Technical Officials.

The Steller Victorian Open will return to Shepparton Park Bowls Club in 2019 from November 15-22.