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Top Seeds Take North Island Squash Junior Titles

Monday 6 July 2020, 6:49PM

By dave worsley

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It was straightforward on the scorelines in the finals of the North Island Junior Squash Championships at the Hamilton Squash and Tennis Club today as those with international experience rose to the fore.

The true potential of 17-year-old Elijah Thomas from Auckland was shown as he won the U19 title over Glenn Templeton from the Bay of Plenty in straight games. Templeton a year older than Thomas was in the points but couldn’t finish them today as the younger player who has a world senior ranking 237 won the match 11-6, 11-7, 11-8. It was a reverse of last year’s U19 National Champs which had Templeton as the winner.

They will no doubt get to meet again in the 2020 edition of the Nationals in Christchurch in October.

in the third and fourth playoff it was Northland’s Riley-Jack Vette-Blomquist beating Auckland’s Jack Conder 11-3, 11-4, 11-7.

As expected Auckland 15-year-old Natalie Sayes captured the women’s U19 title defeating local player Leah Hodges 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 for the championship. Brooke Reid from Central Districts beat Auckland’s Ruby Saies 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 for third.

In the hotly contested boys U17 draw it was Bay of Plenty’s Joe Smythe triumphing over Marlborough’s Paul Moran 11-4, 11-6 11-7 with Apa Fatialofa beating Luke Steyn for third.

Hamilton’s Sophie Hodges won the U17 girls title with a four game 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3 victory over Hawkes Bay Jena Gregory with Bay of Plenty’s Katie Templeton in third ahead of Dora Galloway.

A number of players will now take part in the senior Waikato Open featuring top 100 senior world ranked players such as Evan Williams (Wellington) and Abbie Palmer (Auckland) as well as other pro players like Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe.