Ranger and Watts Upset Higher Seeds to Make Under 19 Finals 

Pictured Right - New Zealand Junior Nationals 2016 - Under 19 Boys Semi-Final - Sam Sayes (Left) and Tyler Ranger (Right)

Tyler Ranger and Kaitlyn Watts have both upset their higher seeded opponents in the Boys and Girls Under 19 Finals to reach the Under 19 Finals for the first time. The other age groups saw some enthralling matches with Kobe Fleming upsetting the top seed Leo Fatialofa in the Under 15 Boys making his way to the final.

The Under 11 Boys saw top seed Freddie Jameson and 2nd seed Charlie Prince claim wins in 3 over Oliver Dunbar and Chris Hebberd respectively. The Under 11 Girls final will see Maia Smales and Alyssa Davies battling it out in their round robin for the top spot and glory in the youngest divisions.

The Under 13 Boys saw Mason Smales and Apa Fatialofa look comfortable in their wins. Both players took their wins in 3 against Noah Thomas and Luke Steyn respectively. In the Under 13 Girls top seed Natalie Sayes took a win in 4 against Manaia Jade Peeti, whilst Sophie Hodges and Dileesia Henare played squash well beyond their years with level heads and great shots, it was Hodges day as she claimed the win in 5 in a great game for all to watch as the gallery was packed out.

The Under 15 Boys saw Glenn Templeton take his win in 3 against Elijah Thomas whilst Kobe Fleming overpowered Leo Fatialofa moving him around the court and taking the win in 3. Anika Jackson and Annaleise Faint proved to be another level in the Under 15 Girls, placing the ball away from their players and keeping them on the back foot both claiming their wins in 3.

In the Under 17 Boys Matthew Lucente and Gabe Yam had to work hard against Caleb Madden and Temwa Chileshe but they took their wins in 3 and will progress to the final. In the Under 17 Girls Nadia Hubbard made Winona-Jo Joyce work hard on court whilst Rhiarne Taiapa had to place some excellent shots and move Zoe Dykzeul around the court to claim this classy battle in 4.

In the Under 19 Girls Ellie Epke worked the ball away from Mackenzie Johnson and Johnson was not able to answer Epke’s movement of the ball. Kaitlyn Watts and Abbie Palmer played a great match of squash but it was not meant to be Palmer’s day as Watts played hard low shots turning Palmer away from the ball and Watts claimed the match in 3. In the Under 19 Boys whilst Finn Trimble was able to reach and pick up Scott Galloways great shots Galloway moved the ball and performed top shots and sealed the win in 3. Tyler Ranger and Sam Sayes had a top battle for the final spot in the Under 19 Boys. Ranger played some great tight shots and moved the ball around court, whilst Sayes was able to pick up a number of shots and work them down the walls but it was not meant to be Sayes day with Ranger battling hard and claiming the match in 4.

The finals kick off from 9am with the Under 11 Girls and games are due to finish at 4:30pm.

Full Games results can be found below.

Under 13 Girls – Semi Finals

(1) Natalie Sayes bt Manaia Jade Peeti – 15-7 12-15 15-8 15-10

(2) Sophie Hodges bt Dileesia Henare – 11-15 15-12 21-23 20-18 15-9

Under 15 Girls – Semi Finals

(1) Anika Jackson bt Georgia Robcke – 15-4 15-9 15-7

(2) Annaleise Faint bt (3) Georgia Fyfe – 15-9 15-12 15-11

Under 17 Girls – Semi Finals

(1) Nadia Hubbard bt (4) Winona-Jo Joyce – 15-8 15-11 15-8

(2) Rhiarne Taiapa bt (3) Zoe Dykzeul – 15-10 9-15 15-9 15-12

Under 19 Girls – Semi Finals

(1) Ellie Epke bt Mackenzie Johnson – 11-2 11-6 11-2

(3) Kaitlyn Watts bt (2) Abbie Palmer – 13-11 11-3 11-8

Under 11 Boys – Semi Finals

(1) Freddie Jameson bt (4) Oliver Dunbar – 15-6 15-5 15-10

(2) Charlie Prince bt (3) Chris Hebberd – 15-7 15-11 15-4

Under 13 Boys – Semi Finals

(1) Mason Smales bt (4) Noah Thomas – 15-10 15-4 15-4

(2) Apa Fatialofa bt Luke Steyn – 15-4 15-6 15-7

Under 15 Boys – Semi Finals

(4) Kobe Fleming bt (1) Leo Fatialofa – 15-12 15-13 15-5

(2) Glenn Templeton bt (3) Elijah Thomas – 15-5 15-11 15-11

Under 17 Boys – Semi Finals

(1) Matthew Lucente bt (4) Caleb Madden – 15-6 15-10 15-3

(2) Gabe Yam bt (3) Temwa Chileshe – 15-13 15-7 15-6

Under 19 Boys – Semi Finals

(1) Scott Galloway bt (4) Finn Trimble – 11-8 11-9 11-9

(3) Tyler Ranger bt (2) Sam Sayes – 12-14 11-4 15-13 11-4

Pictured Below - New Zealand Junior Nationals 2016 - Under 19 Boys Semi-Final - Finn Trimble (Left) and Scott Galloway (Right)