Ellis Griffiths blazes a trail across junior bowls scene

He’s blazed a trail all over the Shropshire under-18 bowls scene this season so it came as no surprise when Ellis Griffiths won the Taylor Support Junior Trailblazer.

But Shrewsbury-based Griffiths was made to work hard for his latest title at Newport, recovering from 13-7 down against Salvatori Farruggio before running out from 16-15 behind.

The Prince of Wales Hotel 14-year-old scored seven twos in beating his Sir John Bayley Club rival on Sunday, having run out from 13 across against Jacob Lyttle in the semi-finals while Salvatori ran out from 10-8 up versus Myles Smith.

Griffiths - who retained the North Shropshire Parks Junior Merit trophy, won the Tanners Shropshire League under-18 singles and added the Mid Shropshire League doubles with Jack Cooke – beat last year’s Trailblazer winner Logan Church 21-19 in the last eight.

Mid Shropshire Under-15 Merit winner Jacob Wall won the consolation knockout in a close final with Holly Hotchkiss 21-20, the losing semi-finalist being Pietro Farruggio and Ollie Burrell.

“Thank you to all the juniors who entered and to Newport for doing a great job at hosting again,” said organiser Rob Burroughs after a prize fund of more than £700 was paid out.

“Thanks to Taylor Support for sponsoring and to Sue Taylor for coming down to present the trophies and well done to Louie Hill who won the best attitude award for playing the game in the right spirit, always smiling.”

Colwyn Festival

Shropshire’s army of bowlers at the Colwyn Festival have big slices of a record prize pot of £15,260 in their sights at today’s finals day.

But first county No.1 Callum Wraight has tonight’s Craig Roberts Memorial at Rhos Park to focus as he looks to add to his two previous successes in the big money invitation event – plus the £500 first prize.

He has a first round tie against Ryan Clark of Sheffield to overcome before potential tussles with the likes of multiple winner John Bailey, Greg Smith and Gareth Coates.

Wraight is in the last 16 of the George Davies, the main Festival singles KO, tomorrow along with Rich Goddard, Keith Wall, Ed Proudlove, Alison Cotton Paul Beer and Emmet McKinley.

Shropshire Ladies stars Tracy Bound and Jane Archer are semi-finalists in the Ladies Rose Bowl while the Bill Hughes quarter-final line-up includes Nicky Jones, Jamie Brookes and Ian Howell.

Oswestry Bowling League Tote Cup singles

Megis Phillips is always going to take some beating in any Oswestry Bowling League competition.

And nobody could in its Tote Cup singles on Sunday at Whittington.

The Ceiriog Valley man, winner of the Oswestry Merit in 2017 and again last year, beat homester Ben Hampson 21-11 in the final.

That came after a 21-17 semi-final victory over James Candlin as Hampson defeated Ade Humphreys 21-18 on a day when 28 contested the title.