The season’s finale staged at Stover School was a fitting climax to a fine season of table tennis in the Albany Florist sponsored South Devon and Torbay Table Tennis League.
Six finals were staged along with the presentation of the season’s league awards.
Event number one was the Veterans singles which matched the senior players in the NA Buzzards and NA Batmen. Batmen’s Dennis Gibbs hitting through the defence of the Buzzards Kevin Nicholls to win 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5.
Awards were then handed out to Ladies Doubles winners Sonja Ryland & Jackie Whitehorn, Division 4 singles winner Charun Tatom and Division 3 singles winner Jason Prescott.
Event number two followed the same course as the whole of the second division all season being as competitive and as close as ever. The second division singles eventually won by Torre Titans’ Chris Harper who defeated Stuart Shipley from Torbay Academy 14-16, 11-8, 13-11, 7-11, 12-10.
Trophies were then handed out to the 4th Division champions, Torre Thunder and to the Thunders’ Charun Tatom for topping the averages in Division 4.
Next up was the Mixed Doubles which was another Buzzards v Batmen clash as Sonja Ryland and Kevin Nicholls took on Naomi Jackson and Mark Burridge. This was a top quality encounter which the Buzzards pair edged 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Division 3 winners, Torre Panthers collected their awards, Alan Tyrrell also collected the third divisions leading average trophy.
Match four was the Mens Doubles which was the only 3-0 scoreline of the night. NA Buzzards pair of Kevin Nicholls and Herbie Sage defeating Dennis Gibbs and Bob Parkins 14-12, 11-6, 11-6.
Awards were then handed out to NA Owls as champions of the second division. Giles Tushingham also collected the award for top of the averages.
The fifth match of the night was the ladies singles which pitched the two ladies who had already met in the mixed doubles. Naomi Jackson was able to get revenge over Sonja Ryland having just lost to her in the mixed. Naomi winning an excellent close encounter 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4.
The NA Buzzards team of Sonja Ryland, Kevin Nicholls, Herbie Sage and Lauren Loosemore then collected the Victory Shield for winning the first division and Herbie Sage picked up the leading average award finishing the season undefeated.
So on to the final encounter another Batmen / Buzzards clash. Veteran Dennis Gibbs up against young Herbie Sage. There were flashes of brilliance by both players as Herbie took the first two games. Dennis dug in and took the next two and it was neck and neck in the fifth until two excellent forehand winners in a row from Herbie gave him the edge. Herbie winning 11-8, 11-8, 9-11,10-12, 11-8.
