St Clair were able to call on both wisdom and enthusiasm as they broke a long drought by winning the Dunedin interclub men’s sevens title at the weekend.
While Ross Stevens, Dave Thomas and Eion Willis are at the seasoned end of the spectrum, and star men Marty Kreft and Brent McEwan have been around the greens a while, the two other members of the team are not allowed to celebrate in the usual manner.
McEwan’s sons, Jordan (12) and Lachie (9), played their part as they helped St Clair to win their first sevens title in nearly three decades.
The lads have already featured in the pages of the Otago Daily Times for their bowls exploits and it seems likely the McEwan name will feature again as regularly as it did when Dad was starring on the golf greens before switching to bowls.
Stevens, who skipped the St Clair fours team in the interclub final alongside Willis, Thomas and Lachie McEwan, said the older bowlers relished having the young ‘uns in the team.
"It’s brilliant. I love it.
"They’ve started early and they’re both going really well.
"It’s great for them. And winning the sevens was more for the kids than for us. It was outstanding."
Brent McEwan beat Taieri’s Blair Barringer 21-10 in the singles in the interclub final, and Kreft and Jordan McEwan sealed the title with an 18-11 win in the pairs. Taieri’s consolation was a 17-8 win in the fours.
Stevens said it was significant for St Clair to get their hands on the men’s sevens title for the first time since the 1996-97 season, when their team included a slightly younger Willis and Stevens’ father, Alan.
"It’s a very big deal for our club. It’s a big achievement because we’re a reasonably small club. And not being disrespectful, but we’re a reasonably old club, too.
"Jordan and Lachie have certainly brought the average age down a bit."
Stevens and the three McEwans are competing as a team at the New Zealand fours championships starting in Christchurch tomorrow.
While Taieri licked their wounds after the interclub sevens men’s final, their women fared better.
They claimed the title with two wins and a draw in the final against Mornington.
Taieri’s Jan Hall won the singles 21-13, Linley O’Callaghan and Beth Brown won the pairs 20-12, and Barbara Archer, Jan Barclay, Dale Bourke and Jean Young drew the fours.
• Bowls Dunedin has named its men’s team for the national intercentre finals in Wellington on March 13-16.
Roger Stevens will play singles, Keanu Darby and Brent McEwan will handle pairs duties, and Andy McLean will skip a four including Blair Barringer, Marty Kreft and Ross Stevens.
