Looking Forward, Looking Back

As we prepare fo the first tournament of the new year, lets first take a look back at the championships of 2011.
The year started with the district fours hosted by Coffs Ex Services. Laurie Morris skippered his Park Beach side to victory over Brett McDonnell's Urunga team in a close final. The side played well in the zone final however couldn't overcome Shane Globits Westport team.
Next was the pairs hosted by Woolgoolga where Sawtell's David Miles and Ben Proctor reached their first final but faced an in form local side being Dave Valentine and Shane Dodd, both also looking for their first ditrict title. The Woopi duo wouldn't be denied at home and took out the final. The pair also fell in the zone final at the hands of Globits, but not before giving the former Australian open champion one hell of a scare!
At West Coffs, it was Sawtell's Noel Stahlut and Paul Bartholomew who dominated the senior pairs, and continued their success by winning the zone pairs as well.
Rob Goodsir and Don Gambrill picked up Woolgoolga's second district title for the year in the presidents pairs with success at the Sawtell club. Unfortunately the were pipped at the post in the zone final.
Sawtell also hosted the open singles were reigning champion Cory Daley survived an early scare to claim his third crown in four years, Daley backed his efforts up in the zone final, defeating Globits for a place at state.
Phil Toy proved top of seniors at Woolgoolga, winning an event dominated by Park Beach bowlers. Phil also performed well at zone advancing to the state finals.
Woolgoolga's Hans Katala claimed the presidents singles hosted by Coffs Ex Services, and went to post the best result of any district champion by winning the zone final and reaching the final four at the state championships. Well done Hans!!
Scotts Head hosted the triples where Daley made it a double for the year, when his side defeated clubmate Don Wood's side with a run of ends in the middle of the match taking it out of Wood's reach.
The side then inflicted the first loss on Globits at the zone championships.

Johnny Bain claimed his second title for the year when he took out the district C/CC singles. He also went on to claim the zone title, and continues to build a rep as a formidable singles player.
In the C/CC pairs, father and son combination Paul and Matthew Ward stopped Dave Valentine and Shane Dodd from grabbing a rare open and C/CC double with a convincing victory.

District Records

The district championship records go back to the early eighties and reads like a who's who of MNC bowlers. The names that seem to repeat have a strong link with those names who have gone on to higher representative honours.
For a number of the above in the year in review, these victories provided them with their first district titles, bringing the total of bowlers on the coast with titles to their name to 140.
These bowlers to claim maiden victories were Mark Menzies, Shane Dodd, Matthew Ward, Dave Valentine and Neil Williams.
The overall titles have been compiled based on the records available. As some results are missing the records are as accurate as they can be...
In compiling the overall totals, senior and presidents titles havn't been included as they are restricted events, not open to all bowlers.

Based on the winners of 2011, there has been some changes to the top twenty title winners. Laurie Morris and Paul Ward have moved into equal 16th with their successes this year whilst Johnny Bain's double success has moved him up to equal 11th. Cory Daley has maintained outright ninth place but has closed the gap on Keith McAnally with his two victories. Nothing else has changed at the top of the overall winners list, with Jim Swan still holding court over Kent Price. it should be noted that Swan may also have titles that are not documented from the eighties, which would have him even further ahead of everyone else in the district.
The top twenty and their number of titles are as follows:
1. Jim Swan                    15
2. Kent Price                   14
3. Dallas Cole                  12
3. Jim Howard                 12
3. Greg Randell                12
6. Alan Carver                 11
6. Laurence Williams        11
8. Keith McAnally            10
9. Cory Daley                   9
10. Don Wood                  6
11. John Bain                    5
11. Geoff Peake                 5
11. Graham Purvis             5
11. Ric Southam                5
11. Noel Waite                   5
16. S Milsted                     4
16. Keith Moore                 4
16. Laurie Morris               4
16. Aden Pike                    4
16. Paul Ward                    4
16. Allan Watkins               4
16. Peter Woodsell             4


It should be noted that of the top ten, Swan, Price, Cole, Daley and Wood are all more than capable of claiming more titles, whilst in the next ten only three are unable to win more titles as they have left the area or no longer play. Realistically of the players left, Bain, Southam and Ward would be the most likely to add to their respective tallies.

Four titles may not seem like much to make the top twenty, however what this show is just how hard it is to win any district title, let alone multiples. So hats off to all winners and in particular those who can lay claim to a place in the top twenty.

Finally, good luck to all who have entered the Alan Buchan Fours at Park Beach this weekend. Although down on numbers this year (thirty entrants last count) the tournament is definitely not short on quality with a number of top teams entering with even a side from Queensland. Results will be posted as they come to hand.

Cheers, and Happy New Year!

Chippy