With the first week of finals done and dusted, we start getting into the nitty gritty matches, with every dart thrown holding importance on the road to a premiership.
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The first preliminary final was between the Royal Rascals and the Kilmore Convicts, with the two going head-to-head on neutral ground at the Commercial Hotel in Broadford for a place in the B-grade final.
Unfortunately for the Convicts, their rising star Jackson Browne had work commitments so was unavailable, and with no other players qualified, the Kilmore team went into the match undermanned to attempt to pull off what is essentially an impossible mission to complete with only three team members.
The Convicts tried hard and pushed the Rascals in the opening few games, but the match unfolded as one would expect as the Rascals took full advantage of the Convicts' plight, booking their place in the grand final with a 6-1 victory.
The Rascals’ highlights included high scores of 145 for Stuart Crockett and Brendan Rogers firing in a 113 and a 117. Eoin Flynn top-scored for the Convicts, throwing a pair of 125s, while captain Peter Browne recorded their only win for the night as well as throwing a ton and a 120.
The A-grade preliminary final took place down the road in Broadford, with the Kings locking horns with the Pirates at the Broadford Hotel. The two teams went toe-to-toe three times throughout the regular season, and on all three occasions the final scoreline read 6-5, highlighting just how well these two teams match up, with the Kings holding a 2-1 advantage overall.
The Kings drew first blood in the quads game, but the Pirates hit back, winning both doubles to take a small lead heading into the singles.
The first two singles matches were nothing short of an arm wrestle, with both games going to a tiebreaker, but the Kings came out on top, flipping the game on its head to lead 3-2.
The Pirates hit back again with back-to-back wins to get back in front, only for the Kings to win a pair of their own to be just one more win away from booking a place in the grand final.
The Pirates won the 10th game of the night to once again level the scores and see yet another match between these two decided by the smallest margin, with the Pirates able to hold their nerve in the final game to snag a 6-5 win, earning the grand final berth.
The Kings’ Adam Lynch dominated the highlights, finishing the night with five finishes, which included a high peg of 92, while he also fired in four tons, a 122, 135 and a 140. Terran Crispin scored five tons and a 120, Rob Welsh hammered in two tons, a 120, 123 and a 140, and Anthony Bohlmann slotted high scores of 106 and 140.
Steve Kilroy was the saviour for the Pirates, holding his nerve in the final game of the night while smacking in four tons, a 118 and a 140, while Zane Kilroy scored two tons, a 125 and two 140s, Seth Kilroy nailed two tons, a 125 and a 140 and Dan Kilroy chucked a ton and a 140.
The grand final was played the next week, with both A and B-grade duking it out at the Broadford Golf Club.
The first game was the B-grade final between the Kilmore Cobras and the Royal Rascals.
After the Rascals went down to the Jacarandas in the 2023 summer C-grade final and then went down 6-5 to the Cobras in the 2023 winter B-grade prelim final, they were determined to make the most of their opportunity and came out swinging, celebrating a win in the team game to get their night off to a promising start.
But unfortunately, that’s where the celebrations stopped, as the Cobras demonstrated just how they managed to go through the entire season undefeated, not dropping a single leg for the remainder of the night and completing their perfect season to be crowned B-grade champions for the 2024 summer comp.
The Rascals highlights saw Allan Solomon slip in a team-high score of 104 and Brendan Rogers smacked in a ton.
The Cobras’ Rob Davon was once again the standout for the Kilmore side, smashing in two tons, a 121 and two 140s in his two legs in the singles, while Rohan Clancy also snagged two tons and a 120 in his match, and Cobras’ captain Crystal Bird slapped in a ton.
Congratulations to the Cobras on a stellar season. To go an entire season undefeated is no mean feat!
Over in the A-grade grand final, the Snipers were locked, loaded and had their sights firmly set on the Pirates and the premiership trophy.
The Snipers started the quads game with a flurry of high scores which the Pirates were unable to match, with the Snipers getting their first win for the night.
The Pirates fought back in the doubles, but the finishing power of the Snipers was too much as they took a 2-1 lead heading into the singles.
Both teams gave it their all, with all except one singles game being forced to a deciding third leg, but the Snipers were just too good on the night, winning the A-grade grand final 6-1.
Snipers captain Mark Robinson was a man on a mission, smacking in two tons, three 140s, a 180 and a high peg of 100, while fill-in turned new recruit Torin Helmore bolstered the Snipers team with three tons, a 125, 139, two 140s and a 180, Steve Ritchie scored two tons and a 140 and Jason Masters chipped in with a 123.
Pirates young gun Zane Kilroy left nothing in the tank after smacking in a ton, two 121s, two 140s and a 180, Andrew Harrison proved once again he is a big game player after churning out his best game of the year while slotting two tons and a 140 and Seth Kilroy chimed in with two tons.
Congratulations to the Snipers on their victory and being crowned the A-grade champions for the 2024 summer competition.
Thank you to the Kilmore Convicts and the Kings for officiating the games on the night when we know you would much rather be playing, and the S.D.D.A committee members for giving up their time (and sleep) to put this event together — fantastic work and a great spectacle as always.
A special thank you to the Broadford Golf Club for allowing us to use the venue and Leanne Paice and Evie Hastie for manning the bar and preparing all the food for the players and spectators, you are both incredible
Check out the latest SDDA news, results, fixture and ladder at www.seymourdistrictdarts.wixsite.com/home
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