ANOTHER pennant season of Mildura Squash has come to a close.
While the colder weather kept some players away from the courts across the past 12 weeks, the grand finals of the Division 2 and Division 1 pennants provided fierce contests.
On Wednesday night, this season’s most formidable Division 2 side Absolute BS came in as the favourites against an unpredictable Stroke Sloths.
Phil Baudewyns managed his most complete win of the season, beating rival Gloria Jago 1-3-45 to 0-0-22 to give Absolute BS the lead.
Having none of that, Carl Richter stepped up for Stroke Sloths, putting together his own straight sets win, beating Grace Sparks 1-3-45 to 0-0-17.
The season’s aggregate winner, Luka Baudewyns, needed to withstand the pressure of a grand final to round off a brilliant winter campaign, and was largely in control in his 1-3-45 to 0-0-23 win over Kane Woolfrey.
Absolute BS claimed the Division 2 winter pennant, beating Stroke Sloths 2-6-107 to 1-3-90.
On Thursday, the Division 1 decider again featured the strongest teams of the season, however one was made up of fill-in players.
Spring Chickens went in as the in-form side, while Wise Old Heads was missing three of its original line-up.
Easily the most entertaining match of the night saw Spring Chickens’ Zac Sparks take on Wise Old Heads’ Chris Tassone.
The see-sawing affair saw a deciding point played when scores were locked at 16-all in game five, as Sparks and Tassone both squandered two match points each.
Sparks won the final rally, claiming an important 1-3-70 to 0-2-69 win over Tassone.
On a rival side, Zac’s father Wayne sought redemption for Wise Old Heads, and took down a hard-hitting Daniel Harberger 1-3-45 to 0-0-24.
With games tied at one a piece, Spring Chickens’ Doug Garsed had to deal with a fast improving Aaron Willis, who held him to account.
Garsed eventually won 1-3-45 to 0-0-32.
Super-sub Adam Stephens had a mountain to climb against aggregate winner Ben McMillan, needing to win at least two games to square the ledger, and have the final decided by points.
McMillan had other ideas, and craftily wore down Stephens to claim victory 1-3-45 to 0-0-22.
Spring Chickens were named the Division 1 winter pennant champions, beating Wise Old Heads 3-9-184 to 1-5-168.
Mildura Squash will now take a week off, before launching into their spring pennants.
People interested in joining are urged to attend a come-and-try session tonight at Mildura Sporting Precinct, from 6-7.30pm.
