Galloway, Matson Take North Island Titles

Wellington’s Scott Galloway and Northland’s Jacinta Matson have taken out the under 19 North Island titles this weekend.

After three days of matches spread over the Harcourts Eden Epsom and Royal Oak Clubs, the 177 entrants were whittled down to 20 players still in with a shot to win their age group title on Sunday.

Top seed Scott Galloway comfortably won the boys title 11-3, 11-8, 11-8 over second seed Sion Wiggin (Auckland).  At just 15 years of age, Galloway’s win in the under 19 division is a remarkable one, and one he could yet repeat three times.

The under 19 girls’ final was also contested by the top two seeds, but in this case second seed Jacinta Matson upset Sophie O’Connell 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 to take the title (and deny O’Connell a North Island/South Island double).

Max Trimble added the North Island under 17 title to the South Island title he won last week, and made it a second title for Northland District, in beating top seed Luke Cooper (BOP) in a tightly contested boys’ under 17 final.  This high quality match see-sawed for more than an hour before Trimble emerged victorious 13-15, 15-12, 15-17, 15-12, 15-10.

Juee Bhide was victorious on her home courts in the girls’ under 17 decider, beating SquashGym Palmerston North’s Emily Nash 15-8, 10-15, 15-8, 15-6.

The under 15 boys’ title was won by Corbin Faint of SquashGym Palmerston North, over Sam Haydon of the South Australian contingent 15-7, 15-12, 15-9.

Anna Hughes was another player to enjoy home court advantage over the weekend, and made it count in the under 15 girls’ final against Nadia Hubbard, winning12-15, 15-8, 15-10, 15-7.

Matthew Yam and Kaitlyn Watts – both top seeds – won their respective under 13 titles.  Yam was made to work extremely hard before edging Canterbury’s Temwa Chileshe 12-15, 15-6, 16-14, 15-9.  Kaitlyn Watts was able to defeat Eastern’s Rhiarne Tapaia in straight sets 15-6, 15-8, 15-4.

Leo Fatialofa was impressive in winning the under 11 boys’ title.  The Henderson local beat Eden Epsom’s Elijah Thomas 15-3, 16-14, 15-6.

The under 11 girls’ draw produced a surprise winner in Ariata Kutia.  The third seed won a close five set battle against South Island under 11 champion Alani Dalrymple-Mortleman to progress to the final, where she beat Renee Dudson of Rotorua in straight games 15-10, 15-9, 15-11.

Thank you to Harcourts Eden Epsom for hosting a well organised tournament, and good luck to all of the players planning to travel to Hawkes Bay SRC for the Junior National Age Group Championships from 3-6 October.