A-grade premier Shepp Lawn White. Photo: Supplied.
The best of Shepparton’s junior tennis crop have received their medals after an enthralling grand final Sunday.
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Seven grand finals took place around the Goulburn Valley as the top teams from across the Shepparton Junior Tennis Association battled it out for silverware and a flag.
In the A-grade division, an undefeated Shepparton Lawn White continued its year of utter domination, completing a perfect season after winning 11 games without loss in the home and away campaign, before cruising by Tallygaroopna in the decider 7-44 to 1-20.
Familiar names at open-age level Tristan Baldi and Jack Forde were among a quintet of teammates adorned with a gold premiership medal post-match, highlighting the quality in the A-grade champion side.
In B1-grade, minor premiers Tatura Lawn overcame a valiant Shepparton Lawn Blue to secure the flag, a 5-44 to 3-28 win.
Tatura’s only loss for the summer came against Shepparton Lawn Blue, and the eventual runners-up forced Tatura to dig deep, but the home side would come up trumps.
The combined B2 and B3-grade saw two premiers crowned, B2’s Shepparton Lawn White, a team which also was a class above likewise to its A-grade namesake, defeating Mooroopna Lawn White 8-48 to 0-11.
The B3 premiers was an underdog boilover, with the 4-9 record Shepparton Lawn Yellow stunningly defeating Mooroopna Lawn Blue 6-41 to 2-30.
In C1-grade, the theme of Shepparton Lawn White teams continued to be a good luck charm, with yet another flawless season cultivating in a 5-40 to 3-31 win over inter-club rivals Shepparton Lawn Yellow.
C2-grade saw an undefeated Katandra West side fight tooth and nail for its premiership flag, narrowly bypassing Shepp Lawn 5-38 to 3-32 due to two ace returns in the doubles rubbers that closed out the match, while in D1, Nathalia Lawn won a thriller over Kialla Park Old Students 5-35 to 3-30 in similar fashion.
The D2 doubles minor premiers Kialla Park Old Students White were crowned champions due to no finals series, but it too still came in a heart-racing form.
KP-OS White edged out KP-OS Red by a mere 2.86 per cent, with the club rivals holding identical records and premiership points on the ladder, a differential of just four games separating the pair at season’s end.
