ZONE 16 CHAMPIONSHIPS
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Aaron Teys was taken to the brink in the final but claimed a second Illawarra zone 16 championship for 2015 after winning the Champion of Club Champions Singles at Figgy Bowlo.
Warilla singles champion Teys beat Albion Park's Roger Duggan 31-29 in a high quality final last Sunday.
Teys is the first player to win two championships this season after also claiming the prestigious zone 16 major singles crown last month.
Last year Warilla's Jeremy Henry won three zone 16 titles - the fours, triples and pairs - in a record-setting achievement for an individual player in one season.
Teys is having his best year in bowls after winning Australia's biggest tournament, the Australian Open Singles at Broadbeach Bowling Club in June.
But he had to be at his best in the Champion of Club Champion Singles, surviving a 31-29 dogfight against defending zone 16 champion Wes Falconer in round two and then edging to a tight win in the final.
Teys beat Scarborough-Wombarra's Jason Gale 31-10 in their semi-final after Gale beat Kembla Heights' Mathew Ritchie 31-17 in round two.
The tournament featured 14 club singles champions, with Duggan beating Oak Flats' Alan Bramble 31-17 in round one last Saturday, then overcoming Kiama's Russell Campbell 31-30 in a desperate last-end thriller in round two.
Duggan advanced to the final with a 31-26 win over Dapto Citizens champion Brian Harriott in the semi-finals.
Harriott was coming off winning the zone 16 senior pairs with clubmate Trevor Gillis, and knocked out Corrimal's Brett Pieper 31-17 in round two.
Teys will represent Illawarra zone 16 in the State Champion of Club Champion finals later this year.
Already one of the region's best bowlers at age 21, Teys will also spearhead Warilla's defence of the Champions League tournament.
Warilla will have a strong side and will be especially keen to do well after again playing below par in the recent grade one State Pennant finals at neighbouring Dapto Citizens BC.
The zone 16 championship season continues on Saturday with Oak Flats hosting the Champion of Club Champion Pairs title.
Fifteen Illawarra pairs champions have nominated including Trevor Gillis and Brian Harriott (Dapto Citizens), Windang's Paul Hart and his partner Greg Stevens, and Towradgi's Damien Lateo and David Wakeling.
Oak Flats' John Noble and partner Bill Wray take on Scarborough Wombarra champions Mal Spencer and Jason Gale, while in another first round match, Dapto's Paul Kendall and Brian Suckley face Wiseman Park's Mick McIntyre and Dylan Skinner.
The semi-final and final is at headquarters Oak Flats on Sunday.
Scott's Oak Flats triumph
Australian star Natasha Scott has claimed the NSW Women’s Champion of Club Champions singles at Oak Flats Bowling Club.
The Raymond Terrace club singles champion beat Mona Vale’s Genevieve Delves 22-10 in the final with the event running for four days and featuring 81 women’s club singles winners for 2015.
A host of Illawarra club champions had a good run in the round-robin event, including Corrimal champion Robyn Buhagiar, who won three matches to make the quarter-finals.
Buhagiar was beaten 25-16 by Angela Tindall (Northmead), who was beaten by Scott 25-16 in the semi-finals. Warilla singles champion Julea Morgan also won three matches and was beaten 25-20 by finalist Delves in their quarter-final.
In the semi-finals, Delves beat Sharon Farrell (Cabramatta) 25-14.
Oak Flats singles champion Leanne Smith won two games before losing a thriller 25-21 to Buhagiar.
The event has been a regular at Oak Flats BC and will return again in 2016.
Natasha Scott is part of the Australian Jackaroos squad. She combined with Warilla juniors, twins Samantha and Natalie Noronha, plus Carla Odger to win the Australian Open women’s fours title on the Gold Coast in June.