Kamo squash tournament a winner

The 2011 Stirling Sports B grade and below squash tournament was played at Kamo over the weekend, alongside the popular Ivan Pohe Memorial Doubles tournament.
With squash players from Wellsford to Kaitaia making up the 80 participants in the singles, and 30 pairs in the doubles the tournament was filled beyond capacity, necessitating a Wednesday night start for some locals, and games spilling over to the Whangarei Club courts as well.
The Ivan Pohe Memorial Doubles trophy was presented by Ivan's wife Margaret, to Whangarei club players and 2008 champions Devon Cameron and Mike Hebditch, who won the final over Mangakahia combination Ryan Chestnut and James Green. The second division went to regular entrants Bryce Phillips and John Stenson. A very competitive 'Serious Fun' division was won by Kamo's Paul Chapman and Sheryl Edlington. Persistence paid off for 'Strictly Social' winners, Kamo Stalwarts Tina (Finlayson) Jones and Mel Matheson who have teamed up each year since the tournament began in 2004. The most inventive playing uniform was worn by Kaitaia entrants Alex Jones and Nirelle McDonald with a rainbow effect on day one, and a specially created towelling ensemble on day two.
In the mens singles, the first division result was anyone's guess, with little difference in grades between all eight B graded men. Sure enough the seedings were upset in the first round, with top seed Daniel Notton outlasted by Kaitaia's Bruce Clay in a five set battle. Clay again required five sets to overcome another Kamo player Kelvin Moselen in the semifinal, before the tough path to the final saw him succumbing in three sets to second seed Ryan Chestnut, who had looked classy all weekend. Although Clay was threatening in the second set, only losing that game 17-15, the match went to Chestnut in three sets.
With B1 graded Sacha Pou-Tito competing in the mens second division (and placing third), it was left to Kamo's Shontelle Goodhew and Mangakahia's Jacinta Matson to battle for the top ladies title. Having taken a break from squash for the earlier part of the season Goodhew's form was pleasing, but Matson's match sharpness carried her through to a four set win 15-10, 12-15, 15-6, 15-9.
With eleven divisions all closely fought, finals day on Sunday ran well overtime. One marathon game, although in four sets, was the Mens second division final won by David Croucher over Rhett Matson 15-12, 11-15, 15-12, 19-17; another was the Ladies division five final which went to 20-18 in the fourth set before sixth seeded Catherine Powdrell overcame fourth seeded Kamo clubmate Mackenzie Johnson.
A monumental five set battle for the mens sixth division took place between Whangarei clubmates Liam Seeley and James Elliot, with Seeley just holding on to take the victory 15-13, 10-15, 15-9, 6-15, 15-12.
Manaia's Nicola Pryor outmuscled local Janine Whitelaw for the ladies second division two title, while similarly Wellsford's Paula McGahan was too strong for her third division rivals.
Other division winners were Bridget Johnson (Kamo) over Olivia Brookland (Whangarei) in ladies division four, Vincent Robson (Kerikeri) over Glen Wynyard (Kamo) in mens division 3, Ben Sweeney (Kamo) over Dylan Williams (Kaitaia) in mens division four, and Jerrie Coetzee (Kaitaia) over Sam Dykzeul (Whangarei) in mens division five.
With the scoring system being altered this year to require a game to be won by two clear points, there were a number of games which went beyond the usual 15 points, but in what has to be at least a Northland record for the season, Marie Notton and Haidee Jacobson's second round game got as far as 21 all before Jacobson was able to win two points in a row, taking the game 23-21, and eventually the match in four sets!
The singles tournament was part of the Northland Player Series, currently led by Jared Gravatt. The next tournament in the series is the Kaitaia Queens Birthday Open.
Full Results:
Ladies Div 1
Winner Jacinta Matson (Mgka) R/up Shontelle Goodhew (Kamo), Sp Plate Miranda Jex-Blake (Mgka) Plate Sheryl Edlington (Kamo) Consolation Liz Davies (Kamo)
Ladies Div 2
Winner Nicola Pryor (Manaia) R/up Janine Whitelaw (Kamo) Sp Plate Tracey James (Mgto) Plate Haidee Jacobson (MW) Consolation Marie Notton (Kamo)
Ladies Div 3
Winner Paula McGahan R/up Kirsty Howie Third Robyn Hamman
Ladies Div 4
Winner Bridget Johnson (Kamo) R/up Olivia Brookland (Whg) Sp Plate Jo Smith (Kamo) Plate Reanna Watson (Kamo) Consolation Rochelle Bekker (Manaia)
Ladies Div 5
Winner Catherine Powdrell R/up Mackenzie Johnson (Kamo) Sp Plate Penny Wilson (Kamo) Plate Megan Turner (Kamo) Consolation Sonia Stuart (Kamo)
Mens Div 1
Winner Ryan Chestnut (Mgka) R/up Bruce Clay (Kta) Sp Plate Kelvin Moselen (Kamo) Plate Daniel Notton (Kamo) Consolation Gordon Pryor (Waipu)
Mens Div 2
Winner David Croucher (Kamo) R/up Rhett Matson (Mgka) Sp Plate Sacha Pou Tito (Mgka) Plate Gavin Turketo (Kamo) Consolation Bryce Phillips (Whg)
Mens Div 3
Winner Vincent Robson (KK) R/up Glen Wynyard (Kamo) Consolation Mark West (Mgka)
Mens Div 4
Winner Ben Sweeney (Kamo) R/up Dylan Williams (Kta) Sp Plate Finn Trimble (Whg) Plate Cliff Notton (Kamo) Consolation Nicol Bekker (Manaia)
Mens Div 5
Winner Jerry Coetzee (Kta) R/up Sam Dykzeul (Whg) Sp Plate Frank Robson (KK) Plate Ashish Thakkar (Whg) Consolation Warrick Thirkell (Whg)
Mens Div 6
Winner Liam Seeley (Whg) R/up James Elliot (Whg) Sp Plate Michael Grbin (Kamo) Plate Ben Van Veen (Kamo) Consolation Johann Kroese (Kamo)