BOWLS
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It was billed the year Warilla would be a major threat in the NSW Grade 1 Finals, but the South Coast club now has a second team in Illawarra Grade 1 pennants, following the Gorillas' stunning victory in the Grade 2 finals.
Though there was dismay as Warilla's Grade 1 side struggled in the State Finals at neighbouring Dapto Citizens BC, the club's powerful Grade 2 team charged to the State Flag at Cabramatta BC.
They came from 19 shots down in the final on Monday to beat Dundas Sports 68-67.
Warilla skip Jared Hamilton, with Ryan Burgess (lead), Neil McCall (second) and the experienced Ted Clarke (third) as partners delivered a crucial 29-21 rink win over Dundas skip Joe Leo.
Warilla's Wilson Patuwai (skip) and partners Geoff Burke, Gary Taylor and Robbie Glen lost 21-15 to Simon Wooster, while Gorillas skip Rod Barrett - playing with Blake Hopper, Dallas Delatorre and Joel Mulholland - drew 24-24 with Michael Ingersoll.
Warilla trailed by five shots at 64-59 with five ends remaining, but with all the momentum their way, they stormed to victory.
The triumph is the fourth state flag in Warilla's 51 year history and second in Grade 2 after unfurling the flag in 1979.
The club also won the Grade 4 state flag in 1998 and Grade 1 crown in 2004.
The triumph means Warilla will have two teams in Illawarra Grade 1 pennants in 2016, with a state title team required to play at a higher pennant grade the following year.
Illawarra and Warilla officials were hoping not to have a second team from the one club in Grade 1, with Warilla winning the No2 State Flag, putting a wildcard into preparations for the new pennants season next February.
The grading of teams for 2016 will be discussed by the State Match Committee next Monday.
Meanwhile, Dapto Citizens are celebrating a slice of history after their Grade 4 side won the club's first state flag, after beating Asquith 53-46 at Nelson Bay BC.
While Dapto Citizens and Albion Park did a great job hosting the three-day Grade 1 finals, most Citos members were cheering on their Grade 4 team almost 300 kilometres away.
Citos won their three sectional Grade 4 games by a combined 64 shots, then thrashed Ganmain 65-39 in the semi-finals.
In the decider, Citos' won two rinks and drew the other match.
Doug Coleman, Garry Corkery, Ray Forrest and Gordon West (skip) won 18-11, and Maurie Hayne, Reuben Marshall, Ian Venables and Peter Smith (skip) edged out a 20-19 victory.
Rob Lawrence, George Brown, Ian Feltham and skip Cayne Ford drew their match 15-15.
"It's a special day in our history," Dapto Citizens chief executive Shaun Parnis said.
"Every club bowler's dream is to win a state flag and it doesn't get any better than winning the first for the club."
Windang's Grade 6 team went close to delivering a third State Flag to Zone 16 after being beaten 65-61 by Manildra in the decider at Northmead BC. It was 61-61 with two ends to play and, despite the loss, Windang had a great carnival, with three big sectional wins - and a massive +88-shot margin - plus a tight 61-58 win over Zone 3s Barraba in the semis.
In the other grades, Towradgi's Grade 3 side won one sectional match at Warners Bay, and Dapto Citizens won one sectional game in Grade 5 at Dubbo.
Illawarra Zone 16 Grade 7 champs Jamberoo won two games, but lost the section on countback to Cudgen Leagues at Orange City BC.
Warilla in Grade 1 were the major disappointment, beaten narrowly by Merrylands in round one, before thrashing Wagga Rules and then losing to Inverell in round three, in what was effectively a dead rubber with Merrylands having comfortably clinched the section.
It was the third straight year a first-up loss had effectively cost Warilla any chance of winning their section in the Grade 1 State Finals.
But with two state flags, plus Windang making the grand final, it was a tremendous result for Illawarra Zone 16.