Squash season wraps up

by Bruce Bowering
In one of the most compelling Baw Baw Squash Club finals series in recent times the teams that finished at the top of the ladder ended up facing each other in the grand final.
There were seven five-set matches in the lead-up to the grand final which held the well-attended audience in thrall.
The Hurricanes scraped through their semi-final by just one game, but powered into the grand final with a 4-0 win.
Thunder, who finished top, had a bye leading into the preliminary finals where they comfortably moved into the grand final with a 3-1 win.
The Hurricanes' Jeff Lyon and the Thunder's Joel Sargeant got the grand final underway.
Jeff came into the match with a great five-set win over higher-ranked Matt Jehnsen. Joel, on the other hand, lost his preliminary final in three sets against lower-ranked Steve Andrews. So, the expectation was that Jeff would likely prevail. Joel had other ideas.
He has improved the power and depth of his shots and moves better than when he started just a few seasons ago. So much so, that he received the most improved award.
He was able to put that into practice in this match and managed to pick up most of Jeff's signature drop shots. The resultant return invariably pushed Jeff back which then gave Joel control of the rally.
Unfortunately for Jeff, Joel's pressure elicited may false shots from him as he tried to tighten up the drops. Aside from a spirited effort in the second set by Jeff, Joel seemed to have all the answers and ran out a comfortable winner for the Thunder 15-9, 15-13, 15-5.
The next match was expected to be a ding-dong battle as Todd Watson's two previous finals went to five sets and Phil Henderson's only final was also a five-setter.
Each of them won those matches and both have shown considerable improvement over the season. They are ranked next to each other and their match didn't disappoint.
Phil got the early jump with well-directed shots that had Todd scrambling for position as he took the first game 15-8.
Power hitting and tireless chasing was the order of the day. Todd regrouped after the first game and thought more about the placement of his shots.
He would draw Phil forward then lob the ball to the opposite back corner which proved to be quite effective. Todd took that set 15-12.
The next set followed the same pattern and he again won 15-12 to give himself momentum going into the fourth. With little between them Phil made a few slight adjustments to his game and mixed up the strength of his shots with power, driving Todd back then a follow-up drop. This led to a 15-8 recovery and, as predicted, a fifth set.
With pressure back on Todd he made some miraculous saves as both players were forced all over the court, but it was Phil who was the steadier and he took the match for the Thunder 15-11 in that set.
Thunder had an overall 2-0 lead, but the two games Todd scored kept the Hurricanes in the contest.
Another close match was expected between Brendan Brentwood and Anthony Walker.
Like the previous pairing these two were ranked next to each other with Brendan just on top. However, Anthony has had a better season, so another close tussle was on the cards.
From the outset, though, Anthony dominated. He moved Brendan all around the court with a combination of good depth, pace-off short shots and tight drives.
In getting to the ball Brendan appeared to rush his returns without focusing on good placement. This then handed control back to Anthony who was able to benefit from most of his opportunities.
Ultimately, he sealed the championship for the Thunder with a 15-13, 15-6, 15-11 display of thoughtful, skilful squash.
The final match was between the club's top two players, Mike Griffith and Andrew Holden.
Being a dead rubber this could have effectively been a practice match, but these are two very competitive gentlemen. They were at it hammer and tongs from the get-go.
Both are powerful hitters and their reactions, anticipation and controlled returns are a joy to behold. Long rallies, athletic court coverage and excellent shot placement were a feature of the match.
Mike won the first game in a tie-break 15-14. For various reasons Andrew has, unfortunately, missed a number of matches this season and it began to show in the second game as Mike tried everything to prolong the rallies.
This led to a 15-8 win for Mike. He then capitalised on this in the third game by interspersing hard hit rallies with exquisitely controlled instinctive drop volleys which invariably were winners.
In trying to wrest back advantage, as he tired occasional errors crept into Andrew's game. In the finish Mike prevailed 15-6 to give the Hurricanes a well-deserved win. Nevertheless, the Thunder took out the premiership 3-9-187 to 1-5-159.
Presentations followed the matches. In addition to Joel's award, Mike, yet again, took out the prize for most consistent. This was despite playing each match with a five-point handicap.
He won all his matches and gave others a chance by losing a few games over the season but, critically, he attended every week.
Regular attendance by Phil and Anthony was largely responsible for the Thunder finishing on top, and their efforts were crucial to their team's premiership. For this, Phil was awarded player of the finals series and Anthony the player of the grand final, both well-deserved.
The night was also a special occasion as it marked the inaugural presentation of the Meritorious Contribution Award for members who have made positive contributions that enable and enhance the smooth running and welcoming ambience of the club, but is not dependent on years of service.
The first awardees are the club's oldest active members who, through injury, are unable to play as frequently as previously yet still display outstanding commitment to the club.
Twin brothers Barry and Peter Cain have been actively involved in developing the Tuesday night handicap competition, the biannual contests between Baw Baw Squash Club and Mulgrave Country Club, the establishment of a club t-shirt, as well as keeping the clubrooms tidy and clean. A remarkable effort from such dedicated members.
Grading night for the autumn competition is this Thursday. Prospective participants should attend or notify Dave of their intention on 0408 577 398.