By BACKHAND WINNER Preliminary finals Section A COROWA Blue (Jamie Almond, Brian Jones, Peter Filliponi, Mariannne Spencer) have won the right to challenge Wang Hardcourt for the Section A title after they dispatched cotenant Corowa Red (Greg Filliponi, Aaron Spencer, Claire Davidson, Helen Fuge) on Saturday. Corowa Red have put the racquets in mothballs for another year as they had no answers to the consistency, power and precision of Corowa Blue. From the outset, Blue had all the early ascendancy with crucial early sets, and it was catch-up for Red after that. Red was unable to muster enough effort to topple the all-conquering Blue as they cruised to victory and a shot at the title. Blue’s best were Jamie Almond and Marianne Spencer, Red’s best were Claire Davidson and Helen Fuge. Section B Wooragee Blue (Mark Knoth, Dean Bensted, Nathan Parkes, Eiylish McRostie) defeated Wahnation (Jack Reid, Josh Parker, Max Harvey, Jaxx Johnstone) to earn the right to play Wahgunyah Red in the grand final. Wooragee were always in control of the match, and were never challenged on the scoreboard, although a couple of sets could have gone the other way if the luck had been with Wahnation at the opportune moments in those sets. The scoreboard would have been closer which may have forced Wooragee to the brink, but their steadiness in a crisis was the difference between the two teams. Wooragee's best were Nathan Parkes and Mark Knoth, while Wahnation's best were Jack Reid and Max Harvey. Results Section A Corowa Blue 6-48 def Corowa Red 0-16. Section B Wooragee Blue 5-46 def Wahnation 1-32. Grand Finals Section A Wang Hardcourt vs Corowa Blue - Hardcourt will start overwhelming favourites based on the season's results, with Hardcourt holding a 3-0 lead over Corowa Blue. Prediction: Hardcourt to win 4-2 and 10 games. Section B Wahgunyah Red vs Wooragee Blue - Wahgunyah Red have been the form team all year and deserve to be favourites, and only nerves and stage fright will prevent Wahgunyah from winning the flag. Prediction: Wahgunyah Red to win 5-1 and 15 games. Under 15 Wahgunyah Black vs Corowa Demons - Wahgunyah have shown consistent form all year and Corowa Demons are not to be taken too lightly as they are hitting form at the right time of the year, but the overall strength of Wahgunyah should see them ease past Corowa to victory. Prediction: Wahgunyah Black to win 4-3 and five games.
