High School Tennis Team again Champions

The Hay War Memorial Girls High School Tennis team for the third consecutive year has progressed through the South- Western Riverina Zone to reach the 4th round of the state knockout competition. After receiving a bye in the first round the team met a strong confident Balranald team. After the Hay girls lost their first two doubles sets 2/6, 1/6 they climbed back to win three of the four singles with a cool determined No.1 Kate Stephens winning against the oppositions champion 6/4. It all came down to the last set with Bronwyn Hicks and Sophie Stephens displaying top maturity to win 6/5 and for Hay to advance to the next round. With Finley and Deniliquin eliminated the Hay girls faced Barham on their own turf . With the singles played first and Sam Oliver winning 6/0 it was the perfect start and lead for Hay to hang on and narrowly win the match by just three games after sets were even. It was a great effort by the girls playing on unaccustomed grass courts and now travelling to Albury for the next round.The Hay Tennis Club has offered practice sessions with adult opponents as well as reserve player Amelia Maynard to assist the team for their next match.

Womens -  The night competition is up to the semi-finals and playoffs in all grades with all teams playing this week. In last weeks (A) grade the top team Sportfirst had a draw with the Riv. Hotels Cheryl Hurst and Donna Wade yet despite thier draw the Riv. failed to make the semi,s by half a point to Elders who beat the defending champions Centrespot 4pts to 2. For her efforts Chris Huntly wins the Hay Services Club award. (B) grade saw the Treloars team of Leonie Booth and Sophie Stephens having a 6/2 6/0 win over the Bidgee motor Inn however both these teams clash in a semi with revenge in mind for Bidgee. In (C) grade last years runners up the Hay Jewellers lost their very important clash to the Radio 2 Hay FM team of Leonie and Alice Laracy for a semi final berth. Robos Bakery also qualified for a semi position with Georgia Booth receiving the O,Briens Fertilisers award for her play when the team beat Meggs Grain Handling 6/4 6/4. In (D) grade the Hydes Plumbing finished on equal top spot with a 6/0 3/6 win over last seasons runners up team Hay Newsagency comprising Ellie Jamieson and Daisy Pless. Other winners were Betta Electrical, Hay Services Club and the IGA team headed by Sue Parslow.

Mens  The  combined (B&C) grade as well as (D) grade (now comprising four teams) is up to the semi finals and playoffs involving all teams. In (A) grade Andrew Cronin has now moved to outright leader following Allen Dwyer and his doubles 6/3 6/4 6/5 win last week with Dwyer moving into 3rd. position one point ahead of Peter Marks and Anthony Slattery. In the(B&C)grade DY,s the defending champions finished on top of the ladder following their entertaining 6/2 6/3 (8/10) win over Country Energy whose team last week comprised handy fit players Kane Molloy and Col Fisher. The 92 computing team with Jasen Crighton filling in for Nick Maynard despite narrowly losing to Thompsons Smash still qualified for the semis to play DY,s. ShaneMcGufficke for Thompsons receives the Hay Furniture award for his role with Tex Davies  for the team to also qualify for semis to play Hydes Carpentry. The Hydes Carpentry player Paul McInnes for his continued consistency and winning 5pts to 0 with Andrew Schipp over Hay Shire receives the Foodworks award. In (D) grade the AndEarth team after losing the first set came home to win the match against the  Surprise team while the Mystery team had a strong win against Foodworks.

Juniors  - Despite the heat and mosquitos just about all the scheduled matches were played.In division (1) Amelia Maynard had a top 6/4 win over Damon Slattery while Hayden Deaton beat Lisa Cai. Division(2) matches were of a high standard with Stuart McLean beating Yolanda Miller 6/3 and Toby Crighton and Ryan Burgess playing a 6each draw. In Division (3) Joanne Canning continues her improvement this time with a victory over Tyler Clancy, while Liam headon went down to the great play of Tobye Deaton. Karinda Deaton had a 6/4 win over Chloe Deacon played in good spirit and similarly Ebony Howard over River Anderson. Brilliant tennis was again evident in division (4) with wins to Rupert Lilburne as well as Tim Zambon who won the Foodworks junior award. Good improvement is again noted in division (5) with wins to Will Barnes, Kynan Headon 3/2 over Sophie Cox, Isabella Tumol;ero 5/1 against Jock Crighton, Jim Ware 4/3 over Nathaniel Martin and Kelcey Anders