Mid-Gippsland Junior Badminton Association
THE association ran a singles tournament at Warragul courts, only due to lack of players.
In some grades, lack of a different genders and entries in the tournament made it difficult to have individual draws, but every player still managed to have at least three games each.
In A Grade, as there are only two girls, it was decided that they would play against the boys as well as each other. So after having a warm up game each, Jess Sanders and Katelyn Young had their final early in the evening. It was close all the way through the game with each girl working hard for every point, Katelyn attacking the sidelines and Jess being more aggressive in attack, the game ending with the closest of margins, Jess Sanders defeating Katelyn Young 21/20.
The boys’ games had some unexpected results. Hayden Young and Thomas Axnick won through their round robin draws without loss. Both players using their strengths throughout the final. Thomas with strength and deception, Hayden with steep drop shots and pushing the shuttle into open spaces to create opportunities. It was Thomas’s hardest game for the year and he emerged the winner with a score of 21/17
In B Grade there was only a boys’ draw and even then two players pulled out at the last minute. The game of the night was between Jacob Smeaton and Jonah Serong. Again it was a close game with Jacob consistency giving him the win.
In C Grade, there was a last minute change, again due to a withdrawal, so the boys and girls were combined. While Finn Grubb had tough games against Katie and Gillie Tucker, Jack Gadsden had it a bit easier against Ashlea Murdica and Ruthie Tucker. Then Finn played against Jack in the best game of the night in the final, Finn Grubb defeating Jack Gadsden 21/13.
In the girls, Ruthie Tucker had an ace win in her draw to play against her big sister Gillie Tucker. Again it was a close game, with lots of sisterly chat. Points went back and forth with the youngest of the three sisters finally winning, Ruthie Tucker defeating Gillie Tucker 21/20.
The D Grade was the only grade to have separate draws. In the boys’ section Tom Gadsden played well all night, not losing a game in his round robin, with Max Albert pushing him hard to take runner-up. In the girls, Ruby Kelly and Kylie Griggs won their sections to play into the final. Again it was a close game with points going back and forth and no-one showing any dominance until the end with Kylie Griggs defeating Ruby Kelly 21/19.
The Perry sisters, Ella and Kiara dominated in their E-Grade draws to play off in the final. It was a tough game for Kiara who was not as consistent as Ella. Ella Perry defeating Kiara Perry 21/10. While Aiden Olsson won by forfeit for the boy’s trophy.
A Big thanks go to all the helpers on the evening, without who night would have been difficult.
