Veterans & Junior Championships - Season 2004-2005 - 26&27/03/05

A large array of competitors bombarded Thurso Squash Club for the Junior & Veteran Annual Club Championships. With silverware to be won it proved to be an excellent weekend of squash.

When Scott Davidson and Martin Gunn managed to reach the final stages of the Under 14 competition, it had a 'Rumble in the Jungle' tag written all over it and the biggest crowd of the day new it, as they jostled for positions to watch a much awaited tie.

The two friends have played against each other for a number of years and it usually ends with Martin victorious, on the last few points. Martin lead the way by going 2 sets to 0 up and seemingly in full control - but, a determined Scott managed to pull everything back to all square and all to play for in the last set. Following shrieks, gasps and applause from the appreciative crowd on this excellent contest - everything went down to the final point in a tie-breaker. With nerves of steel and pure aggression it was Scott who struck the final blow to win the trophy by 3 sets 2, only for the two lads to drop their rackets, show great sportsmanship and hug each other in pure exhaustion and appreciation of a good match that they had taken part in.

This was the last season that Louis Morrill would be eligible to play in the Under 18 tournament and wished to retire from this age group with all guns blazing and a trophy in hand. Young, John Georgeson has a few years remaining and as he picked up the county championship, the previous weekend, his hopes were high to cause an upset. As the seedings predicted, though - it was Louis who provided the stronger game play, forcing John to chase, stretch and accumulate more errors, going onto win 3-0. The scoreline should not deflate, John in any way, as in the very near future he will be a force to be reckoned with, for any age of squash competitor.

Matthew 'Mash' Swanson and Jamie Spargo were the eventual finalists in a plate competition, setup for the Under 18 and 14's. This was a best of three encounter and Mash just pipped Jamie, winning 2 sets to 1.

Gareth Edwards was striving to retain his title and lift the Veterans' trophy (Over 45) for the second successive year. Unfortunately, his opponent was the county number one, James Henderson and he was in no mood to gift the prize to anyone, although, he had complained of a niggling sore head. After three t-shirt changes from Gareth and managing to pull one set back on a tie break, the Local Fire Officer ran out of ideas and James secured the title 3 sets to 1.

The Super-Veterans' (over 55) competition was a battle between the club's chairman, Sandy Stewart and Ian McElroy. It is an achievement in itself for any of the competitors to still be playing the game, competitively, and trophies should be given to all who take part. In this contest it was, Sandy - with 'wrapped up legs', who had the upper-hand but in Ian's defence he had played a number of games in the Over 45 tournament, which didn't help his cause in any way. After a hard fought three sets, Sandy conducted and controlled his way through the final points to lift the trophy for the second season in a row.

Results

• Under 14's - Scott Davidson beat Martin Gunn - 3-2
• Under 18's - Louis Morrill beat John Georgeson - 3-0
• Under 18 & 14 Plate - Matthew Swanson beat Jamie Spargo - 2-1
• Over 45 Veterans - James Henderson beat Gareth Edwards - 3-1
• Over 55 Super-Veterans - Sandy Stewart beat Ian McElroy - 3-0

Photos

ALL Winners and Runners-Up of the Veterans & Juniors' Thurso Club Championships

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