Snooker: Bay champ Jackson unbeaten on path to quarter-finals

Hawke's Bay's Bayden Jackson in action during his last 16 win against Whanganui's Mike Watson. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay's national champion Bayden Jackson reached today's quarter-finals of the North Island snooker championships in convincing fashion at the Havelock North Club during the weekend.

Jackson, the top seed, is unbeaten and hasn't dropped a frame. He beat Whanganui's Mike Watson in his last-16 match last night.

When Hawke's Bay Today went to press last night Jackson was the only Bay player to have reached the quarter-finals.

"I'm pretty happy with my form. Hopefully I can keep it up on the final day," Jackson said.

Fellow Bay player and Jackson's co-organiser of the 28-player event, Dave Judd, had to beat Palmerston North's Craven Teua last night to become Jackson's quarter-final opponent this morning. Hawke's Bay's Paul Temple missed out on a quarter-final spot when beaten 3-0 by Auckland's 2016 national champion Louis Chand in their last-16 match.

Another former national champion, Taranaki's Steve Robertson, beat the Bay's Sam Travis 3-0 in his last-16 match. Robertson, who has the highest break of the tournament to date with 81, will take on the winner of last night's match between Capital City's Mark Hannan and Auckland's former national champion Henry Killian in his quarter-final.

Travis did well to be the top qualifier from his section. Hawke's Bay's sole New Zealand under-21 rep Michaela Spencer didn't win a match in section play and 9-year-old Wellingtonian Riley James, a New Zealand under-18 rep, had one win in section play.

The final is scheduled to be played from 2pm today.