December 5th 2008
George Downing qualified for the National Cadet Championship (under 15) at the weekend. He achieved second place at the Southern regional trial. His best victory was against England number 12, Jonathan Evans, who finished third.
News from our young players, written by Ron Kemp
January 16th 2009
The brilliant teenagers Scott Lawson and George Downing have been rewarded with selection for the Island in the Hampshire Inter-town competition. Multiple Island champion Roger Hookey will lead the three man team.
January 27th 2009
Scott Lawson has been playing with Alex Rorke for NWF in the British League Division 2 S/W, and produced some fine games for the team, along with gaining valuable experience.
On the weekend of 29-30th November 2008, NWF first played against Woolwell 2. The match score was Woolwell 5 NWF 3. Scott played against Sally Smith beating her 11-7 in the fifth set, and against Harry Cutler, going down in four sets.
The second match was against Okehampton, NFW winning the match 5-3. Scott beat Earl Sweeney (number 275 in the England senior rankings)11-9 in the fifth set, and lost 11-9 in the fifth set to Rory Harries.
The 30th November matches saw NWF first play against Ashford I, and a 3-5 reverse was the result. Scott beat Dave Crowley 11-8 in the fifth set, but lost in three to Matt Pernet.
The second match was played against Cornwall, and NWF lost 2-6. Scott lost to Paul Tenkin in four games, and Jeremy Williams in three games.
March 5th 2009
More matches for Scott Lawson playing for NWF in the British League Division 2 S/W during the weekend of 21 & 22 February, producing an excellent set of results against stiff opposition.
On 21st February, NWF first played against Brighton City, the match score was 4-4, and Scott played Gary Wilson beating him 11-9 in the fifth set, and against Mark Forder, winning in four sets.
The second match was against B&S Group Okehampton, NFW winning the match 5-3. Scott beat Mike Bishop in four close set, and then beat Earl Sweeney in three.
NWF played Woolwell II first on 22nd February, and a 4-4 draw was the result. Scott beat Simon James 11-3 in the fifth set, and then in the final match beat Sally Smith 11-6 in the fifth to register the point for NWF.
The second match was against Club Cornwall, and NWF lost 5-3. Scott beat Matthew Trevorrow in three games, but having been 2-1 up, lost to Martin Rule 11-8 in the fifth game.
June 6th 2009
George Downing, who turned 14 last month, scored his second win in a mainland tournament when he won the Bournemouth Under 14 event. He did not drop a set till he reached the final.
His victims had included the English Schools Under 11 Champion Hugo Peng, the son of Chinese parents now living in this country, he is already seen as an international of the future. However, at this time he had no answer to George’s power play and spin.
In the final George met Patrick Hurley from Bournemouth, unknown on the National scene, who turned out a really good player who has proved himself at local senior level. George won the first two sets in decent style, but then dropped the third and the fourth proved an epic. Hurley blocked George’s big loop well and caught him with some fast wide services. George’s own services were being returned well and in the end only his fighting spirit saw him through a torrid fourth set to victory. Hurley was close to forcing a fifth set when anything is possible.
In the end it was a fine win for the Island boy. His many admirers hope that he will make his way into the England Cadet Team (Under 15) for the European Junior Championships next year, an event once won by his coach Carl Prean.