The Seniors finished their league campaign with an excellent 85-42 success over Bainfield at the Alex Marshall Arena last Wednesday to win the section with all the other teams still having a game to play. There were three winning rinks with Willie Wood, Dougie Berwick and Andy Burt winning 22-5, 26-7 and 23-12 respectively while Tommy Young narrowly lost out 14-18. The Garden County Auld Yins now move forward to a Quarter Final against Alloa at Bainfield at Noon on Wednesday 16th January.
On Saturday East Lothian youths sent two teams to compete in the Abbeyview Top Five tournament in Dunfermline. Team A consisted of Lewis Betts, Beth Riva, Daryl Grieve, Ethan Gillies and Cameron Pryde with B being made up with Danny Stevenson, Kieran Dodds, Callum Henderson, Luke Cowan and Lennon Rafferty. In the morning the only East Lothian players to progress were Beth and Lewis in the pairs, after coming through the section they then beat Stirling 9-1 in the semis to set up a final against Ryan Hunter and Aaron Miller of Abbeyview. A four at the first end set East Lothian up nicely and they never looked back, 9-2 up playing the last end where they carded a three to win 12-2. In the afternoon Lewis in the singles and Luke, Lennon, Callum and Kieran in the fours qualified from the sections to reach the semis. Lewis comfortably defeated last year’s singles winner, Lee Gorrie of East Fife but the fours lost out in an extra end against Stirling. In the final Lewis played Sophie McGrouther of the host club. At the first end Lewis lay three but Sophie ditched the white to lie four, however Lewis drew the shot with the last bowl to card a single. This set him up and he never looked back and won the final 15-1. The overall team trophy went to Abbeyview and not surprisingly Lewis was chosen as player of the tournament.
This Sunday (30th) East Lothian youths have two rinks entered at Stirling in the East Of Scotland Fours, they are Beth Riva, Cameron Pryde, Kieran Dodds and Aaron Betts (skip) and Callum Henderson, Lennon Rafferty, Melissa Penman and Danny Stevenson(skip). There is no youth session on Saturday and they resume after the Christmas break on 5th January.
Also on the youth front it’s congratulations to Danny Stevenson, Lewis Betts, Aaron Betts and Keiran Dodds on making it to a second trial for the SYIBA under 17 team which takes place on Sunday 13th January 2019 at Abbeyview IBC.
As mentioned last week the J&J Carpets League Division One pre-Christmas title was won by the squad of Robbie Shields, Megan Kivlin, Lewis Betts, Dean Riva, Derek Oliver and Billy Mellors. The relegation battle went to the wire with Emma Logan’s rink defeating Peter Fallen’s to consign them to the drop alongside Derek Stein and Steven Greenan. The play-off for Division One status is between the rinks of David McGlynn and John Hamilton and was scheduled for 27th December at 6.30pm.
Meanwhile in Division Two the final game was due to be played on Thursday 27th with the rinks of Angus Blair, David Currie and Janet Fairnie all within one point of each other with a chance of capturing the title.
Several pre-christmas and team championship finals have been played and the results were as follows:
Team Championship Singles – Stuart Thomson v Mark Yuill 21-16
Gents Senior Pairs – Gordon Gray and Andy Burt 14 v Jim McLeod and Jimmy Neilson 6
Gents Senior Triples – Lessel Middler, Dougie Berwick & Tommy Young defeated Ali Mckenna, Ross Maguire & Andy Burt 9-8
Gents Senior Fours – Lessel Middler, Andy Burt, Dougie Berwick & Tommy Young defeated BJ Smith, Davie Pryde, Alan Morgan & Peter Fallen 14-10
The following finals were still to be played at the time of writing:
Gents Fours – Jamie Higgins, Scott Kennedy, Billy Mellors & Derek Oliver v Colin Penman, Andy Burt, Dougie Berwick & Tommy Young (December 27th at 4pm)
Gents Triples – Andy Jeffrey, Scott Kennedy & Billy Mellors v Ali McKenna, Gordon Gray & Andy Burt (Date TBC)
Team Championship Pairs – Jacky McFarlane & Steven Clark v Kim Hoggan & Stuart Thomson (6th January at 6pm)
Team Championship Triples – Jacky McFarlane, Lessel Middler & Stuart Thomson v Arlene Berwick, Dougie Berwick & Tommy Young (30th December 6pm)
Team Championship Fours – Lesley Harris, Muriel Hamilton, Kevin Cunningham & Stuart Thomson v Anne Barclay, Margaret Murray, Gordon Gray & Andy Burt (December 28th 630pm)