Jay Casey ended a streak of runner-up finishes when he and daughter Quaylahn Casey won the Poverty Bay-East Coast indoor bowls open pairs.
They beat father-and-son Mike and Dylan Foster 10-9 in a final that featured brilliant bowls and dramatic changes in fortune.
Fourteen teams played in the Gisborne ReseneColorShop-sponsored tournament at the Cosmopolitan Club last Sunday.
After four preliminary rounds, five pairs made it to the post-qualification rounds. Three teams had a bye while Matthew Foster and Jaykwan Casey played Jay Casey and daughter Quaylahn to decide the fourth semifinal team.
It was 7-7 going into the ninth and last end. Foster had the last bowl but was unable to gain the shot, and Jay and Quaylahn Casey took the win, 8-7.
In the semifinal round, last year’s winners, Dylan Foster and his father Mike, were too strong for veteran bowler Doc Tipene and newcomer Jacob Yates. The Fosters led all the way to win 13-3.
In the other semifinal, Adam Rickard and Leighton Shanks played the Casey pair. Rickard and Shanks started strongly and led 6-1 after five ends.
A turning point came when Jay Casey delivered a great bowl to replace the shot bowl and prevent a further three-shot deficit in the sixth end.
The Casey pair continued to peg back the deficit and finished with an 8-6 win.
The final – between the Caseys and the Foster father and son pair – was also close.
After three ends, the Caseys were 4-0 up. In the fourth, Jay Casey played a great shot to drag the kitty and hold four shots on the end. Dylan Foster managed to cut out two shots with his final bowl, and the Fosters trailed 6-0.
Great draw bowls by both Mike and Dylan Foster in the fifth end reduced the deficit to three. They then gained two more points to trail 6-5 after the sixth end.
Quaylahn Casey played phenomenal draw bowls to give the Caseys a 7-5 lead after the seventh end.
Fortunes changed in the eighth end. A great replacement shot, followed by another drawn shot from Dylan Foster, meant the Fosters earned four points and led 9-7 going into the last end.
However, the Caseys kept their cool and played brilliantly to gain three points in the last end to win the game 10-9.
This was Jay’s fourth centre title. It has been a bit of a wait – following his third centre success, he had had several runner-up finishes. It was the second centre title for promising junior bowler Quaylahn Casey.
PBEC handicap singles champion Sean Haskin (left) and runner-up Jason Trowill.
Haskin wins PBEC handicap singles
Sean Haskin topped a 15-strong field to win the PBEC handicap singles played recently.
Bowlers were assigned handicaps from zero to 13, based on their skill level.
Six bowlers survived the four preliminary rounds to move into post-qualification play.
Mike Foster and Jason Trowill had quarter-final byes while Jakeb Te Kani-Brown outplayed Steve Goldsbury 20-9, and Sean had a great tussle with sister Sophie before pipping her 17-16.
In the semifinals, Trowill made the most of his 13-handicap to beat Foster 18-12. Haskin had another tight match against Te Kani-Brown - getting home 14-13.
In the final, Haskin’s precision bowls easily overcame an eight-point difference in handicaps to beat Trowill 20-14 and claim his second singles title this year.
Kudos also to first-year bowler Trowill for finishing runner-up.
