FINALS NIGHT
The
Summer League was run on the same regionalized format as in previous
years, although with only 4 groups instead of the usual 5, it
was the top 2 teams, rather than only the group winners who would
qualify for Finals Night.
That meant
8 qualifiers, and with time only allowing for 4 games for each
team, it would not be possible for all teams to play all the
other qualifiers, but there would be an even distribution of
opponents for each team, based on everyone's performance throughout
the season.
First Half
As might have been anticipated, the two teams who ended the regular
season undefeated, and on identical points, were the initial
front runners, Barking and Claydon won both of their Fours games,
with Claydon holding a shot advantage.
Behind them
Withersfield, Martlesham, Brockley and Elmsett each won one and
lost one, while Belstead and Chelmondiston lost both their games.
Second Half
In the end, no team went home without having scored at least
one win.
8th place went
to a much weakened Chelmondiston team, who scored their two points
in a Pairs game which was decided on the final end.
7th were Withersfield,
who picked up one win in the Fours, and lost out to Barking in
the Pairs with a final end turnaround.
Finishing 6th
were Elmsett who picked up one win in the Fours, and a draw against
Belstead in the Pairs, to finish on 3 points.
5th were Belstead,
just edging out Elmsett thanks to fewer shots against, who picked
up all their 3 points in the Pairs.
Brockley ended
up in 4th place, thanks to one win in each of the halves.
A very creditable
3rd went to Martlesham who also won one Fours, and one Pairs
game, and finished ahead of Brockley on shots.
But the overall
win came down to the two teams who had led in the first half,
Barking and Claydon.
They each won
one Pairs game, Claydon quite comfortably after pulling away
in the second half, and Barking, thanks to a big haul of shots
on the final end, leaving everything to be decided on the game
being played against one another. And it was close, but other
than for one end in the middle of the game, Barking led the way
throughout, finally winning 9-7, to leave Claydon runners-up
on 6 points, while Barking finished on a maximum 8 points to
take the title.
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