DYF win thrilling pennant decider

Hedland Squash Club’s summer pennant season final was a face-off between Always Ready and Double Yellow Fever and what an absolute cracker it was, going down to the wire.

In the opening match DYF’s No. 4 Mason Woods and AR’s Corbyn Scott faced off, with Woods dominating the first two games 11-5 11-5.

In the third game Scott held game point but couldn’t capitalise, Woods prevailing 13-11 to take the match.

With DYF’s No. 2 Nick Enzor unable to play, Woods returned to the court against Gary Bowyer.

In the first game AR’s Bowyer was down game point, however, he turned the tables on Woods winning the next four points and the game 13-10.

Points were traded with regularity in the next two games, but Bowyer ultimately triumphed in both 11-9 11-8 to draw the team score at 1-1.

DYF’s Latham Adamson played AR’s Terry Horne with the opening match a whitewash to Horne 11-2.

The following two games also went Horne’s way, not least because of some scintillating double backhanded drop shots, 11-6 11-7, giving Always Ready a 2-1 match score lead.

The No. 5 battle drew Stephen Love from DYF against AR captain Megan Stacy.

Despite her best efforts Stacy was unable to take a game off Love, going down 7-11 6-11 4-11 and drawing the match score 2-2.

Regular season results between No. 3s Joel Reeve (DYF) and Mark Haynes (AR) were tight, with Reeve winning one match 3-0, Haynes prevailing in the other two.

This close rivalry continued in the final with each game going to a tie breaker, however Haynes sweeping to a 3-0 victory (13-11, 13-10,13-10).

This left it all to play for with the final match between No.1s Tony Zelencic (AR) and Eion Simmons (DYF’s captain) set to decide the pennant.

Zelencic needed a game or if he lost 3-0, 28 points or more to carry his team to the pennant on countback.

Zelencic started the first game well gaining a 5-7 lead before Simmons rattled off six points in a row to win 11-7.

In the next two games Zelencic, who returned to squash this season after an 18-month break, tapered off with Simmons triumphing 11-4 11-2 to win the match and secure the pennant for Double Yellow Fever on points countback.

The finals, and whole season, were played in a great spirit, with a wind-up held at the South Hedland Bowls and Tennis club seeing awards presented to payers of both finals teams.

Mason Woods took out the season’s MVP and Mark Haynes the MIP.

The thrilling summer pennant final set the scene for what should be a great season for the club, with grading for the autumn pennants season starting on Tuesday April 12, a new juniors program running on Friday afternoons from 3.30pm in term 2, and the club hosting the inaugural 2016 Walkabout Hotel Pilbara Regional Championships over the WA Day long weekend in June.

For more details of the club’s activities, or if you need squash equipment search Hedland Squash Club on Facebook or contact club president Eion Simmons on 0408 951 415.