Two teams, two dreams, only one possible
champion. Both teams had a dream run into the final match.
Perhaps too easy, the closest any team had come to beating them
was 3-13 where the Victoria Demons had played the Rebels.
Now there was 1 match left, all or nothing
for the June Bevan trophy...
Northern NZ 1
Victoria Rebels
Central NZ 2
16-0
NSW Lightning
16-0
South Australia
16-0
WA Geraldton
16-0
Western Australia
16-0
Victoria Demons
13-3
NSW Thunder
16-0
Northern NZ 2
16-0
Mainland NZ
15-1
Tasmania
16-0
Central NZ 1
16-0
Northern NZ 3
16-0
The undefeated record of each team
leading into the final
Tourist site in Ballarat
Laying Down the Challenge
As the Northern NZ and Victoria Rebel
sides lined up to face each other prior to the start of their
final match, the NZ team did something unique in the history of
the U17 Australasian event.
They took a step back, and the guys lined
up in a pattern well known to viewers of NZ sport. As they
launched into the first ever haka to be performed at the event
in it's history, their voices rang out around the hall and
caught the attention of everyone in the venue. Other
matches that had already started, stopped, players who were
focusing on their next point looked, as one, to the small band
of warriors stamping their authority and challenge on the main
court.
People from around the hall slowly
assembled to watch this challenge, a challenge of the heart and
soul put out to the opposition and unifying the NZ team.
At this one moment the dreams of each member of the team came
together, in this one moment they were representing not only
each other but their culture and country with pride on the
international stage and making a statement of courage and
determination.
Barry Stevens (Coach) "Everyone just
stopped what they were doing and came over to watch them perform
this haka - it was fantastic"
Issuing a challenge is one thing - but the
players still had to turn their focus to tough matches ahead.
The reality was that both teams had claims on the title- both
teams had excellent form and results leading in to the final.
Getting Over the Line
Halfway through the matches it was tight, 5
all. The NZ team had lost a couple of matches that they hadn't
expected to lose and at this juncture any win gives you momentum.
The tension was palpable and the echoes of the haka had long since
gone, it was now or never for the teams.
Barry - "We lost a couple of matches we didn't
expect to lose but we were always confident of our mixed doubles
which were the last 4 matches we had to play"
Then with wins to Victoria Cheng (Auckland)
and Evan Lee (North Harbour) the team pulled out to a 7-5 lead.
They also had a 17-12 set advantage - so they needed to win just one
of the mixed doubles 2 sets to love to take the title.
The team did more than that - they won 3 of
the last 4 matches to take the title and the win 10 matches to 6.
(see detailed match summary below)
Barry - "They team played really, really well.
Everyone in the team did well, we lost a couple we didn't expect to,
but won a couple we thought we may lose as well. I thought the
players did very well tactically and really kept their focus when it
mattered. I'd like to compliment the non playing part of our
team. Margaret Cheng (Victoria's mother) who is our parent
help and prepared some incredible meals for us and Annie So (who's
daughter Lilian (Auckland) is also in the team) who has done a
fantastic job as manager in her first June Bevan event."
These
events are not only about winning but about allowing our best young
talent to experience and cope with the intense pressure that comes
with international badminton. For many it is a key step
towards developing more experience at a higher level. For
everyone in the team, a very special experience that is theirs
alone. Now the team members turn their attention to the tough
individual competition.
These
events are not only about winning but about allowing our best young
talent to experience and cope with the intense pressure that comes
with international badminton. For many it is a key step
towards developing more experience at a higher level. For
everyone in the team, a very special experience that is theirs
alone. Now the team members turn their attention to the tough
individual competition