A-grade runners-up Hello Kitty, Jen Fang and Stephen Hope, and winners The Dukes, Hank Doller and Div Mallya. Photos: Matthew Kappos
The final Echuca Table Tennis Association competition for the year concluded on Wednesday, with champions crowned in A-, B-, and C-grades.
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The Dukes took out the title in A-grade, overcoming Hello Kitty 3-2.
The sides had split the two regular season meetings, both match-ups decided by the doubles result, and the final followed a similar path.
The singles matches were reasonably routine, both sides winning two matches 3-0.
The Dukes established a 3-1 edge in the vital doubles, putting them on the brink of what would likely be a title securing win, but Hello Kitty wasn’t going down easily.
Having recovered from a deficit the first time the side’s played, Hello Kitty almost sparked another comeback, pushing game five to a tiebreaker before going down 12-10, resulting in a victory for The Dukes.
Div Mallya retained her undefeated status in singles matches throughout the competition, while Hank Doller provided able support in the deciding doubles.
Jen Fang and Stephen Hope weren’t able to secure the championship, but can take heart from an impressive season that saw them secure the minor premiership after suffering only one loss going into the decider.
B-grade
B-grade winners Double P, Pete Retallick and Phil Higgins, and runners-up Tornado, Troy Mackrell and Rob Russell.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
It would have taken an almighty effort from Tornados to dethrone presumptive champions Double P, and the undefeated leaders sealed their championship win 4-1.
The first round of singles indicated a balanced contest, Double P’s Phil Higgins and Tornado’s Troy Mackrell picking up wins for their side.
The doubles could have swung the tide in either side’s favour, but Double P proved too strong once again, taking it 4-1 and putting the title within reach.
Higgins and Mackrell faced off in a tight battle, Higgins edging it 3-2 to confirm the championship, before Pete Retallick put the finishing touches on the win with a matching 3-2 victory over Rob Russell.
C-grade
C-grade runners-up Cuddly Kittens, Andrea Barry and Nathan Mackrell, and winners Flaming Monkeys, Brayden Pike and Isaac Hope.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Four teams remained in the hunt in C-grade, with the semi-finals and final played on the same night.
Both semis were hard fought, but neither lasted the full five games.
Isaac Hope’s undefeated streak continued, helping Flaming Monkeys to overcome Rockabilly.
The two sides had just matched up the week before and Rockabilly’s Harvey Griffiths and Keith Price weren’t able to overturn any of their losses from seven days earlier.
A tight doubles could have proved the difference, but Flaming Monkeys held their nerve to take the win 4-3, eventually progressing to the final 3-1.
Cuddly Kittens finished below Mad Dogs on the ladder but showed no indications of their underdog status as they blitzed into the final 3-1.
Jesse Edwards kicked off the tie on the front foot for Mad Dogs, winning 3-2 over Nathan Mackrell, but there was no further joy for his side.
Cuddly Kittens didn’t drop a game through the next three matches to set up a final with Flaming Monkeys.
The final could have gone either way and again hinged on a vital doubles tie.
The first game was a stalemate throughout, and saw Flaming Monkeys take it 15-13 in what would become a defining moment in their eventual title win.
The sides traded games across the rest of the doubles, Isaac Hope and Brayden Pike holding their nerve in the seventh to take it 4-3.
Kittens Nathan Mackrell and Andrea Barry each snatched a singles win, but the title went to Flaming Monkeys 3-2.
The club will now go into hiatus until the New Year, with competition expected to resume in February.
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