QJC Day 4

Northern Region’s Day 4 at the QJC

By Kim Schramm. Photos by Toni van der Kreek.

 

Northern Region has 6 Individual Champions after the 2018 Queensland Junior Individual Championships concluded today at Scottvale Park Squash Centre in Rockhampton.

Many of the finals went to five.  Obviously, that is a great indicator of the closeness of competition but more importantly the depth of talent Queensland has and will send to the Australian Team Championships as the Queensland Sharks aim to win the Overall National Team Title for a record 15^th consecutive time.

Of the 23 matches (12 finals and 11 3-4 Playoffs) 9 matches went to five, 2 went to four and 12 were over in three.  Of those 12 matches 8 were 3-4 Playoffs.

Congratulations to our Champions: Michael Lawrence, Wes Dyer, Payton Douglas, Hayley Hankinson, Courtney Mather and Summer Palmer.  You have achieved the ultimate prize.  You are all 2018 Queensland Junior Champions!  Congratulations.

Congratulations to our runners up: Kurstyn Mather (twice), Liam Fascetti and BJ MacDonald who all went desperately close to being the champions for 2018.  In fact, every final they contested went to five!

Finally, congratulations to Michael Lawrence, Brad Martin and debutant Hayley Menta who all kept on fighting to win the 3-4 playoff on the last day.  Many players find it hard to get over a semi final loss and bounce back the next day.  Finishing third displays great fortitude in bouncing back and striving to keep improving.

 

 

 

Michael Lawrence fought back from being 0-2 games down against Redbacks team mate Liam Fascetti before staging a sustained fightback.  13-11 in the fifth was a fitting finish to a quality match.

Lawrence also recorded a great result in the older age group (U13B) finishing third.  He had a good 3-0 victory over arch rival Nickolai Wolpers.

 

 

 

Wes Dyer is back to his very best.  In a high quality final Dyer rushed to two games to nil lead before Penfold staged a mini fightback.  In the end Dyer displayed the class that saw him win the Australian Junior Title in 2016 taking the 5^th game 11-5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payton Douglas was just a cut above the rest as she dominated the U13G competition.  She remained undefeated and didn’t drop a game across the 6 matches she played … she won 18 games to nil!

 

 

 

Welcome back Hayley Hankinson!  The “competition” caught up with you but you have now turned things around and emerged victorious.  The U17G event is highly competitive with nothing separating the semi-finalists.  Both semi-final matches went to five and the final was no different.  In fact, even the 3-4 Playoff went to five as well.  Hankinson is a worthy champion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courtney Mather was sensational winning the coveted U19 title.  It was back to back U19 titles for the Emerald Express!  Courtney travels to India later this month to compete in the World Junior Championships in Chennai, India.  We wish her well.

 

 

 

With only two girls competing in U21 it was decided to run an U21 Mixed.  Trophies were then awarded to the leading male and female.  Mackay’s Summer Palmer actually even got to play the other female in the final match … the 7-8 Playoff.  Palmer lost the first and then just snuck home 15-13 in the second before running away with the match.  Palmer also finished an agonising 4^th in the U19G losing the 3-4 Playoff 8-11 in the 5^th.

 

 

 

 

 

Special recognition must be made of Kurstyn Mather.  It was her best QJC in a long time and she must be commended on an outstanding overall performance.  She is the only NR player to reach two finals.  Despite giving it her absolute best, she lost both in five.  Her semi-final win against #1 seed Katie Davies in the U17G was absolutely full of merit.  Let’s hope Kurstyn only draws confidence from this experience and continues to work toward performing well at the AJC.

 

 

 

 

 

Eagle Awards:

Northern Region players scooped the pool winning all 4 Eagle Awards.  BJ MacDonald won the Peter Nance Achievement Award and Kurstyn Mather won the Rachael Grinham Achievement Award.

The Achievement Awards recognise a player’s consistent achievement and sportsmanship throughout the entire individual championship.

Youngsters Francis Morove won the Chris Robertson Encouragement Award and Sarah Brazier won the Rachael Grinham Encouragement Award.

The recipients of the Encouragement Award will be from Under 13 or below. The Encouragement Awards are during the individual championship based on a person’s attitude, determination and heart in a LOSING situation.

Northern Region QJC Individual Champions:

U11B Final [1] Michael Lawrence def [3] Liam Fascetti
9-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11
U17B Final [2] Wes Dyer def [1] Josh Penfold
11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 3-11, 11-5
U13G RR Final Playoff [1] Payton Douglas def [2] Elaine Cheung
11-9, 11-9, 11-6
U17G Final [2] Hayley Hankinson def [5] Kurstyn Mather
12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7
U19G Final [1] Courtney Mather def [2] Katie Davies
11-4, 11-8, 7-11, 11-4
U21M [7] Summer Palmer def [8] Tasmin Swan
3-11, 15-13, 11-6, 11-8

Runners Up:

U11B Final [3] Liam Fascetti lost to [1] Michael Lawrence
11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 6-11, 11-13
U15B Final [1] BJ MacDonald lost to [3] Kijan Sultana
11-8, 7-11, 4-11, 11-9, 5-11
U15G Final [2] Kurstyn Mather lost to [1] Ella Burge
11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 6-11, 3-11
U17G Final [5] Kurstyn Mather lost to Hayley Hankinson
10-12, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11

Third Place:

U13B [4] Michael Lawrence def [6] Nickolai Wolpers
11-2, 11-5, 11-5
U21Mixed [4] Brad Martin def [3] Kobe Weder
11-9, 11-3, 11-8
U11G [5] Hayley Menta def [3] Alexandra Millan
11-7, 11-8, 11-6
In summary the 2018 State Champions are:

• U9 Girls: Lakeisha Weder
• U11 Girls: Orla Clarke
• U13 Girls: Payton Douglas
• U15 Girls: Ella Burge
• U17 Girls: Hayley Hankinson
• U19 Girls: Courtney Mather
• U21 Girls: Summer Palmer
• U9 Boys: Eric Chiang
• U11 Boys: Michael Lawrence
• U13 Boys: Jack Hansen
• U15 Boys: Kijan Sultana
• U17 Boys: Wes Dyer
• U19 Boys: Nicholas Calvert
• U21 Boys: Riley John Steffen

The Eagle Award winners were:

• Peter Nance Achievement Award: BJ MacDonald
• Rachael Grinham Achievement Award: Kurstyn Mather
• Chris Robertson Encouragement Award: Francis Morove
• Rachael Grinham Encouragement Award: Sarah Brazier

Girls Under 11

1. Orla Clarke [1]
2. Sarbani Maitra [2]
3. Hayley Menta [5]

Girls Under 13

1. Payton Douglas [1]
2. Elaine Cheung [2]
3. Caitlin Clarke [6]

Girls Under 15

1. Ella Burge [1]
2. Kurstyn Mather [2]
3. Ariel Lyon [4]

Girls Under 17

1. Hayley Hankinson [2]
2. Kurstyn Mather [5]
3. Katie Davies [1]

Girls Under 19

1. Courtney Mather [1]
2. Katie Davies [2]
3. JLauren Luck [4]

Girls Under 21

1. Summer Palmer [1]
2. Tasmin Swan [2]

Boys Under 11

1. Michael Lawrence (1)
2. Liam Fascetti (3)
3. Nickolai Wolpers (2)

Boys Under 13

1. Jack Hansen [2]
2. Zane Wolpers [1]
3. Michael Lawrence [4]

Boys Under 15

1. Kijan Sultana (Malta) [3]
2. BJ MacDonald [1]
3. Luke Eyles [2]

Boys Under 17

1. Wes Dyer [2]
2. Joshua Penfold [1]
3. Declan Cashman [3]

Boys Under 19

1. Nicholas Calvert [1]
2. Joel Arscott [2]
3. David Turner [3]

Boys Under 21

1. Riley John Steffen [1]
2. David Turner [2]
3. Bradley Martin [4]

View Draws and Results