Towradgi claimed its second Grade 5 state pennant title in three years, while Jamberoo won the Grade 7 flag to complete a double triumph for Zone 16 at the prestigious State Finals.
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Towradgi made the short trip to Warilla for the Grade 5 Finals and followed up their victory in the same grade in 2016 by beating South West Rocks Country Club 56-47 in the Grade 5 flag final.
Just a few minutes later and almost 200kms north at The Greens The Entrance BC, Jamberoo bowlers celebrated winning the club’s maiden Grade 7 state flag following a hard-fought 60-57 win over Taree West in the final.
There were emotional scenes for both clubs with Towradgi again stamping themselves among the state’s elite and Jamberoo celebrating their greatest triumph and a first state title since forming in 1956.
Towradgi Park Grade 5 pennants manager Diane Waldron said it was a special effort from the team to win the state flag.
‘’Everyone involved has put their heart and soul into this success,’’ she said.
‘’It’s a great achievement to be back here again in the final after the success we had in 2016.
“I believe we only lost the one match during the ten rounds of the zone season and we’ve continued to play well at state.’’
And given the club’s state champion players in Grade 5 from 2016 moved up a grade or two, this Grade 5 team has been rebuilt.
The team includes ex-Helensburgh bowlers Paul Brett, Peter Briz and Ron Duffy who joined Towradgi following the closure of the bowls club at Helensburgh.
‘’They had no bowls club and transferred to our club and it has been great for both parties,’’ Waldron said.
Meanwhile, Fairy Meadow in Grade 2 and Warilla in Grade 1 also made the state semi-finals.
In the blue-ribbon Grade 1 Finals at Engadine, Warilla ended the hopes of Zone 16 rival Wiseman Park in the sectional round, with the Gorillas winning their section comfortably.
But Warilla’s bid for a second state Grade 1 flag in three years ended with a 60-46 loss to St Johns Park in the semi-finals.
Cabramatta went on to make it back-to-back Grade 1 flags with a thrilling 58-57 win over St Johns Park in the final.
In the Grade 2 Finals at Club Mount Lewis, Fairy Meadow looked good after winning their three sectional matches but were beaten 66-47 by NBC Sports in the semi-finals.
In the Grade 3 Finals at Dubbo, Warilla went out in the sectional round, while in Grade 4, Shoalhaven Heads won two sectional games but also missed out on the semi-finals.
Tathra Beach won the pennant flag.
Figgy Bowlo won two sectional games in Grade 6 but lost the section after a tough defeat to finals host club Nelson Bay.
But with two state champion team and another two grades making the semi-finals the State Finals proved a massive success for Zone 16.
For the top players in Zone 16 the focus now shifts to next month’s State Inter-Zone titles at Wagga Wagga and the State Championships at Ettalong BC.