Seven junior triples gathered at Whitnash for the last of the PE Junior Championships of the year, and it was nothing short of spectacular.
The teams faced off in a round-robin format, with one triple enjoying a bye each round. Matches were timed at 50 minutes, with an additional end, and another if tied. The morning session delivered unexpected twists and nail-biting finishes. Connor, Alex R, and Matthew were stunned in their first match, losing to Ayva, Sasha, and George 13-7. In round two, Alex M, Nathan, and Amy G edged out newcomers Ronnie, Alfie W, and Ruby 9-7 when a passing boule’s vibration pushed the jack over the line for a dead end.
By lunchtime, after three matches, both Alex M’s and Nathan’s team and Alex W, Cole, and James R’s team remained unbeaten and in top form.
In round four, Alex W, Cole, and James R tasted their first defeat in a time-limited match against Ethan, Megan, and Alfie T. They bounced back in the next round, narrowly defeating the unbeaten trio of Alex M, Nathan, and Amy G, 10-9.
Round six saw Connor, Alex R, and Matthew triumph over Alex W, Cole, and James R with a decisive 13-6 victory. With one match remaining, Alex M’s team led with four wins and cemented their dominance by defeating Ayva’s team 13-0.
The battle for second place was fierce. Alex W’s team, with three wins, faced winless Alfie W, Ronnie, and Ruby. Meanwhile, Connor’s team, also with three wins but a worse points difference, went up against a strong trio of Charlie, Issy, and Jayden. Connor’s team found their stride, winning 13-3. Alex W’s team struggled against Alfie W’s team, needing a clutch shot from Alex W to tie the game in the extra end. They secured three points for victory in the final end but fell short of retaining second place.
Alex M shone throughout the tournament with impeccable shooting and reliable pointing, leading his team to a well-deserved championship.
Connor, Alex R, and Matthew earned the runners-up medals by a single point,
much to the disappointment of Alex W, Cole, and James.
Ethan, Megan, and Alfie T ended with three wins and a points difference of minus 3,
while Ayva, Sasha, and George finished with minus 16.
The highlight of the day was Alex M’s stellar performance – truly a Player of the Day effort.
James Rudden’s dedication was also noteworthy, traveling from Kent at 6 AM and returning home at 11:30 PM to participate in the championship.
Next year, Alex M and Charlie W will move on to the Espoirs, but with the rising talent in PE Juniors, the future looks bright. The camaraderie and mutual support among the young players were heartwarming to witness.
A big thank you to Whitnash P.C. Carol, and Glen Woodward for hosting and organizing the tournament and donating the beautiful silver salver as a perpetual trophy.
We were fortunate to have John Edmondson as our umpire for the day. The vibrant crowd of supporters, joined by PE President Colin Roper, added to the excitement, witnessing the next generation of PE champions in the making.
Well done to our winners and thank you to all the juniors that attended.
This is our Las competition for the year but keep close to the Facebook page & Juniors webpage as we still have the Inter-Regional Competition & European Championships later in the year.
For those keen to stay updated on junior petanque activities, be sure to follow @PEJuniors on Facebook. Additionally, for information on upcoming events, visit the juniors webpage at Juniors (petanque-england.uk).