Dylan Skinner has dedicated his South Pacific carnival to his late father after knocking out reigning back-to-back champion Corey Wedlock to storm into Friday’s Singles final at Dapto Citizens Bowling Club.
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Skinner ended the two-year, 24-match unbeaten run of Wedlock with a 31-11 triumph in their semi-final, after earlier in the day beating Towradgi’s Pete Bonsor 25-8.
Narooma’s Jay Breust put a stop to the impressive run of 14-year- old Warilla junior Toby Peters with a 31-19 semi-final victory.
Peters produced the boilover of the carnival in coming from 17-8 down to beat 2014 singles champion and Warilla clubmate Aaron Teys 25-22 in their quarter-final. All four semi-finalists are aged 21 or under, with 19-year- old Skinner the youngest bowls co-ordinator in Australia, after switching from being a greenkeeper at Wiseman Park to take on the new role at Citos in mid-2017.
A Singles semi-finalist in 2014, Skinner says he’s inspired to play well at Illawarra’s oldest and grandest carnival for the memory of his father Dennis, who passed away almost 12 months ago.
‘’This event I am playing for my dad,’’ Skinner said.
‘’Last January he passed away and a lot has happened in that time and I want to play well here, at an event I grew up playing in and one he would take me to each year.
‘’To get past two very good players in Pete and Corey and make the final is huge.’’
Wedlock beat Towradgi’s Dave Roberts 25-19 in their quarter-final but was out of sorts against a rampant Skinner.
Skinner and Wedlock had two wins apiece in previous singles meetings. It was of no surprise to see the Illawarra representative bowler play so confidently on his home green.
The performance of the day belonged to Toby Peters who left a beaten Aaron Teys full of praise for a rising star of Illawarra bowls. ‘’Hats off to Toby, he was too good,’’ Teys said.
‘’I didn’t play bad, he was in a different level and showed what a talent he is.’’
Peters wasn’t able to back up his quarter-final win against Breust, with the Narooma-based reigning NSW under 25s Singles champion too consistent.
Meanwhile composite teams skipped by Brett Duprez and Guy Vozza will face off in Friday’s Fours Final after semi-final wins on Wednesday afternoon.
Triple Singles champion Duprez and partners John Green, Barry Martin and Wes Falconer beat Brendan Aquilina (skip), Chris Green, Zac Gabrielson and Rick Malley 21-13. Vozza, playing with Jack Forbes, Mick Ugarenko and Aaron Spears beat the Woonona defending champions Jared Hamilton, his father Warren, Wayne Toomey and Paul Robertson 24-19.
- SOUTH PACIFIC
Thursday: Pairs quarter-finals (9.45am) and semis (1pm).
Quarter-final draw: Glenn Taylor-Jordan Taylor (Wiseman Park) v Matthew Cooper-Brian Jackson (Berkeley); Anthony Moran-Craig Scott (Composite) v Shane Leonard-Shane Garvey; Robin Smith-Peter Hughes v Aaron Teys-Ray Pearse; Zac Gabrielson-Brendan Aquilina v Gerard Harkins-Steve Sobolewski.
