Shropshire Boys Merit 2025 – Qualifier for BCGBA Boys Merit – Saturday 2nd August 2025 – Meole Brace BC
Shropshire has run its inaugural Boys Merit competition in response to the BCGBA launching a new Boys Merit that attracted an entry of 13 of the county’s young boys and their families to meet at Meole Brace.
Highlights from the games played
With 13 entries, we had 5 pre-lim games that would give us a last 8. Myles Fisher saw his 11-3 lead slip away as Jack Cooke fought to level at 16-16 & 18-18 but Myles just edged it 21-19. Logan Church, from 3-7 down, levelled at 9-9 and went on to lead Owen Hanmer 16-10 & 19-13 and after a late recovery ended the game 21-18. Evenly matched Harris Needham & Lewis Hanmer tied each other down the card 9-9 & 12-12, but from 16-16 Harris took control to win 21-17. Harry Grimston quickly ran in to a 12-2 over Jack Peach and from 17-6, soon turned in a winning card 21-08. Ben Carr opened up a 10-0 lead before Jacob Brooks got on the card as he struggled with the weight and Ben soon finished off the game 21-05.
In the Quarter-finals, Logan Church quickly went into a 9-0 lead that he turned in to 16-4 on Myles Fisher, who just made double figures before Logan finished the game 21-11. Ellis Griffiths also raced into a very strong 18-3 lead over Harris Needham who managed to get ten as Ellis ended it 21-10. Ben Carr also opened up a 10-4 lead before Harry Grimston fought back to level at 13-13 but could only add 1 more chalk when Ben won 21-14. Dan Corbett raced from 7-1 up on Oliver Gray to 18-1 and it was all over soon after as Dan won 21-2.
The Semi-finals saw Ellis Griffiths pegged back from leading 7-3 by Dan Corbett who went in to lead 11-9 himself before Ellis went on a run to 18-11 that was then countered by Dan to level at 18-18 but with taking 3 of the last 4 ends, Ellis edged his way in to the final 21-19. Meanwhile, from 5-5, Logan Church, went behind 7-13 to Ben Carr and from 15-17, Logan took control and ran out 21-17.
The Final saw Logan Church take an early 10-5(13ends) lead only to be pegged back 14-14(22ends) by Ellis Griffiths from where he kept trying to get on a preferred straight mark along the bottom edge of the green but could not hold the jack as Logan tried getting on to his preferred corner mark. With both unable to hold the jack, they went on to 19-18(27ends) in Ellis’s favour and he went on to victory, winning 21-18(29ends).
Competitions Secretary, Mike Potter thanked Meole Brace BC for their hospitality, staging the event, the parents for their supporting and not forgetting the young competitors and revealed both Ellis & Logan will represent Shropshire on the BCGBA Boys Merit finals day in September where it is also hoped, Dan & Ben will join them as reserves. He then invited 2025, County President, Simon Fullard to make the presentation of the prizes to the worthy winners.
Congratulations to all.
MP
Full results are here.
