Phil Ogier, left, finished top of the First Division averages for the first time in five years. He was closely followed by Alice Loveridge, right, in second place. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0512085)
LIONS A have finished their unbeaten season off in style.
They recorded victories in their last two matches to see them win the league by six points ahead of Whistlers A.
A Lions side has won the First Division title every year since the turn of the century and their A team maintained the record by claiming their fourth consecutive title.
It was wrapped up with a week to spare following Lions’ comprehensive 8-2 victory over Specsavers A.
Phil Ogier was influential in the victory, recording straight-games victories over Mark Fallaize, Neil Hastie and Jeremy Tan.
Ogier was backed up well by Tim Le Page, who beat Hastie and Tan, and reserve Jez Powell, who overcame Fallaize and Tan.
Powell and Le Page rounded off the victory by teaming up to defeat Hastie and Fallaize in straight games.
Whistlers B ended in third position and will rue the absence of Adam Langlois for more than half the season due to injury, during which they fielded second division reserves.
They ended the season impressively, though, by recording an excellent 7-3 victory over second-placed Whistlers A in an encounter that saw Oliver Langlois win all his singles encounters over Mark Pipet, Phil Hunkin and the improving second division junior reserve Joshua Stacey.
Matthew Stubbington and Adam Langlois both added wins over Hunkin and Stacey to secure the victory.
Pipet was on good form for the losing side as he emerged victorious against Adam Langlois and Stubbington and was unlucky to lose to Oliver Langlois in five close games.
With Hunkin he also emerged victorious in the doubles encounter over Stubbington and Adam Langlois, winning in four games.
Lions B finished fourth and ended their season with an emphatic 9-1 victory over Specsavers A.
Paul Hainsworth and Liam Robilliard were both on good form and earned wins over Fallaize, Hastie and Tan.
They also combined to defeat Fallaize and Tan.
Steve Brouard added victories over Hastie and Tan, but he was beaten by Fallaize in four games, which also spared the blushes for the Specsavers side.
Phil Ogier has had one of his best seasons for a few years and this was proved as he topped the Division One averages for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
He was closely followed by Alice Loveridge who finished second just ahead of Ogier’s teammate Garry Dodd in third.
Oliver Langlois was fourth and Lions’ Paul Hainsworth rounded off the top five.
Whistlers E dramatically clinched the Second Division title by defeating previous leaders Whistlers D 7-3 in the final match of the season.
Whistlers D went into the match one point ahead, but their loss saw the E side emerge victorious by a single point.
Division Two averages winner Martin Sarre defeated Keith Opie and Josh Stacey and Kevin Marsh’s five-game victory over Stacey was enough to clinch the victory and the title as the opposition were missing their third player Kay Chivers due to injury, automatically gifting a 3-0 lead to the champions.
Marsh and Sarre also teamed up to polish the victory off with a four-game doubles victory over Opie and Stacey.
Lions I were the victors of the Third Division by three points ahead of Lions H.
The mixture of youth and experience within the team proved to be a key factor with vastly improving juniors Joshua Butler and Luke Le Tissier both producing some excellent table tennis throughout the season.
The experience of Rose Powell will most certainly have contributed to the team’s success and she was also on hand to win a high percentage of her matches.
Butler and Le Tissier have gained invaluable experience from the Third Division and are evidently ready for the move up to the Second and this is clear to see with Butler finishing as runner-up in the Division Three averages with Le Tissier finishing in sixth.
The duo have also impressed during reserve matches in the Second Division.
Whistlers K claimed the Fourth Division by three points ahead of Whistlers M.
The team of Martin Stacey, John Le Poidevin and Alex Bott have been the most consistent throughout the season and only suffered two defeats during the campaign.
Lions M’s Graham Mallett topped the averages ahead of Whistlers K’s Dave Herquin.
With the league season over, players will be focussing on the upcoming divisional championships taking place next week, before the commencement of the Island Championships on Thursday 16 April where the first event, the over-40s open singles will take place.
Finals night takes place on Saturday 25 April.
All respective winners will go on to play their Jersey counterparts for the Channel Islands Championships in Jersey the following Friday, with all team events being played on the following day.Doric Insurance League: Averages leader Ogier influential as champions retain their title
Article posted on 25th March, 2009 - 2.29pm
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