CHAMPIONS were crowned in the East Lothian Bowling Association finals at Castlepark Bowling Club over the weekend.
The morning session saw the youths and seniors take to the green.
EL Co-op were represented in the junior singles and the youth singles, and it was to be double success for the club.
Kieran Dodds saw off the challenge of Ormiston BC’s John Clark 21-14 and he would be joined moments later by club-mate Callum Henderson, who overcame the stern challenge of home player Liam Till 21-18.
In the youth fours, Port Seton tackled Ormiston in the closest affair of the morning session; drawing 11 at the last end, it would be Port Seton who would secure the single shot to win the contest 12-11.
Port Seton took on East Linton in the senior fours, where an early count of five for Port Seton proved to be the foundation for a comprehensive victory as they ran out 17-9 winners.
In the afternoon session, Gordon White (Aberlady) and Adam Martin (Tranent) would contest the ELBA men’s singles finals.
White, a former Scottish Champion, had all the answers to Martin as he claimed another singles title 21-2.
The pairs contest between Dunbar and Tranent looked in the balance at the halfway point as Davie Sands and Gordon Pryde held a 9-5 lead over Stevie Anderson and Logan Robertson.
However, the Tranent duo scored six of the next eight ends to run out 20-8 winners.
In the triples contest, Haddington never looked back from end three as a huge count of seven saw them lead Tranent 10-0.
They continued the early pressure, losing just four ends in the contest to claim the triples title 23-9.
As with the early-morning session, it would be the fours match that was to prove the closest of the games.
Haddington’s four led 11-6 at end nine as they looked to claim a double for their club in the afternoon session to add to an already-impressive season.
It would be a lead they held all the way to end 17 as they entered the last 16-15 in front.
Port Seton’s newest recruit, the experienced Graeme Archer, was determined not to close the curtain on his season debut without some silverware.
Archer delivered a running bowl with the last bowl of the game with the shot against.
The rebounded jack came to rest back up the green and closest to the two Port Seton bowls he needed to claim the fours title.
Elsewhere, the Top 9 took place at Sighthill BC on Sunday afternoon.
The format of pairs, triples and a rink saw East Lothian claim group section wins over Midlothian (7-0), Dumbarton (5-3) and Fife (5-2) before advancing to the semi-finals.
Lanarkshire were the opposition in the afternoon game.
Despite a 15-0 win in the pairs, East Lothian fell agonisingly short in the triples (-1) and fours (-1) to miss out on a place in the final by a single shot.
They will look to bounce back quickly as they head for the Top 10 this weekend.
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