Sez James and Mark Malogorski win 2021 NT Singles Titles
In the Mens Semi it was a Nightcliff showdown of Mark Malogorski, Lee Farrell and Marty Miller with Trystan Smallacombe being the only player from Darwin.
In the Womens Semi Finals it was a Darwin showdown Sez James, Siobhan Tootell, and Jodie Reichstein, with Bronwyn Hagger from Katherine making up the four.
In one of the biggest Northern Territory Lawn bowls singles fields for over 10 years Mark Malogorski was able to continue his good form at State level in defeating Trystan Smallacombe 25/12 in the final of the Men’s Northern Territory State Single Championship held at the Nightcliff bowls club over the weekend.
Although Smallacombe was arguably the favourite going into the match, Malogorski jumped out to a 20/4 lead in the Final of first to 25. Malogorski’s deadly drawing put Smallacombe under immense pressure right from the start and it was at this stage that Smallacombe swapped to the wider drawing hand and started to get back into the game but it was too little too late.
In the Semi Final, last years 2020 and 2019 winner, Lee Farrell was defeated by Trystan 21/6 and in the other Semi Marty Miller was defeated by Mark 21/13
This is Mark Malogorski’s second NT singles title having won this event in 2018. Trystan continues to achieve runner up status having been runner up in 2016 & 2020 whilst winning this event in 2017.
On Mark Malogorski road to glory he had to defeat NT State players in Peter deGreenlaw 21/5, Barry Orr 21/18 and then accounting for Chris Buchholz 21/16 in the quarter final and Martin Miller 21/13 in the semi-final before defeating Trystan Smallacombe 25/12 in the final.
The Mens singles produced some amazing bowls and the round to get into the Quarter Final saw of the eight matches played six of them were won by 4 or less shots. Notable performances in this round from Jade Groenewege, Jason Wholohan, Scott Hollingworth, Ian Smith, Dennis Sloane and Barry Orr.
A fantastic effort from up and coming Nightcliff junior 16 year old Dominque Sloane to win a spot in Quarter Final beating his Dad (Dennis) 21/19. New to the Territory Alan Vallance and Chris Buchholz both made the Quarter Finals as did newly returned to Nightcliff, Marty Miller.
In Trystan Smallacombe’s road to the final he defeated two time Queensland pairs champion Jade Groenewege 21/20 , in the quarter final Alan Vallance 21/17 and in the semi-final last year’s NT singles winner Lee Farrell 21/6.
These two final players have dominated the 2021 NT Lawn Bowls State events this year with Mark and Trystan combining together with Ian Smith to win the NT Men’s Triples championships. Mark also played with Kathy McGowan to win the 2021 NT State Mixed Pairs. Trystan last week also took out the 2020 Australian Champion of Champions event held at Dandenong Bowls Club – Victoria to become the first male Territorian to win this National title.
Womens
Sez James from Darwin Bowls and Social Club continued her winning form, defeating Bronwyn Hagger 25/19 in the Final of the 2021 State Singles. James recently defeated Colleen Orr to win the 2021 Darwin Bowls Club Singles.
The Ladies played day One at the Darwin Bowls and Social Club where Sez James on her way to the Final defeated last year’s winner Elisa Rigoni 21/9, and last years Runner up Colleen Orr 21/16. In the Semi Final James defeated Jodie Reichstein 21/7.
On the other side of the draw Bronwyn Hagger, who recently returned from Melbourne where she represented the NT in 2020 Champ of Champs, defeated Catherine Farrell 21/8, Jill Tiller 21/12. In the Semi final Hagger had a match that could have gone either way against Darwin’s own Siobhan Tootell, Hagger getting up 21/19.
Notable performance in this event was Jodie Reichstein who is the newest member of the State Squad who defeated Darwin Champion Jen Sullivan 21/14 in the quarter finals to make her first ever opportunity to play in a State Singles event.
Big thankyou to all the Umpires, Markers, Organisers and the Nightcliff and Darwin Clubs for the use of their facilities.
This weekend sees the start of the NT State Men’s and Ladies Fours event to be held at the Nightcliff Bowls club. The first games begin at 8:30am on Saturday morning.
