Young Canterbury squash player takes out title at Oceania Championships – The Press

Last updated15:28, April 24 2017

Robert Kitchin

Matthew Growcott won the boys' under-11 title at the Oceania squash championships.

Canterbury's Matthew Growcott has won gold in the under-11 boys at the Oceania Squash Championships.

The tournament was held at the Henderson Squash Club in Aucklandand attracted over 200 entries across the age groups, with players fromAustralia,China, French Polynesia,Hong Kong,New CaledoniaandSingapore.

Growcott who plays out of the Burnside Squash club, was seeded fifth, which meant he had to first play a qualifying match against Riley McCracken which he won 3-0 to progress into the main championship draw.

His first match in the main draw was against the top seed Oliver Dunbar fromWellington, who he had lost to in last year's New Zealand junior nationals 3-1, but he turned the tables this time beatingDunbar11-8, 11-3, 11-9.

His next match was against fourth seedAustralian Aryan Madan, where he lost a tight first game 11-9, before his fitness showed over the Australian, winning the next 3 games 11-6, 11-3, 11-2.

In the final, it was an allNew Zealandaffair with Growcott playing sixth seed Reece Holmes from the Hawera club.

Growcott got up 8-2 in the first game due to some strongshotsand a few errors by Holmes.

Holmes started to cut the errors and Growcott started to go for winning shots that didn't pay-off, but held on to win 11-9.

In the second game Growcott was too consistent and won 11-4. Both players cut their errors out in the third game and it went point for point before Growcott won 11-8, taking the title.

OtherCanterburyplayers to take medals and better their seeding were Quinn Udy from the Marlborough Club and Ruby Turnbull from the Christchurch Football club.

Udy, who was seeded third in the under 19's, beat the second seed Australian Caleb Johnson 3-2 in the semis, but lost to fellow New Zealander Finn Trimble in the final 3-0 to claim a silver medal.

Turnbull, playing in the under 17s, was seeded fourth. She lost in the semi finals to overall Champion Rhiarne Taiapa 3-0, then beat Annaleise Faint 3-1 to claim the bronze medal.

-Stuff

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Young Canterbury squash player takes out title at Oceania Championships - The Press