Best and brightest … Junior pennant champions Taylor Crotch, Taryn Brown, Jaymee Bennett and Tone Gojani. 58551
By Michael Esposito
WESTERN Region Tennis Association players have one of the longest summer breaks in local sport, not returning to competition until 5 February.
But one group of girls from the association will be battling it out against interstate competitors later this month.
The WRTA junior pennant side of Jaymee Bennett, Tone Gojani, Taylor Crotch and Taryn Brown, which took out the Victorian Junior Pennant title in November after an unforgettable and unbeaten season, will compete for the Eric Johnson Cup in Adelaide on 22-23 January.
The Cup is a tri-series competition played annually between the WRTA, Glenelg and District Tennis Club (SA) and Albury and District Tennis Club (NSW).
The WRTA girls have played for five years together and the 50th Eric Johnson Cup will be their last tournament together before they embark on senior grade competition.
The senior WRTA summer season has proven to be close and unpredictable in both the pennant and mixed Section One competitions.
Altona 1 is sitting on top of the pennant table on 54 premiership points after Round 10, but is only ahead of second-placed Rosamond 2 on the percentage of games won.
Point Cook, which shocked Altona 1 in Round 9 with a 4-1 win (Point Cook was bottom at the time) is making a surge after thrashing third-placed Rosamond 1 5-0 in the last round before the Christmas break-up.
Altona 3 and Altona 2 round out the bottom two spots.
Winter premiership champion Kingsville is sitting atop the Section One mixed table with 99 premiership points, ahead of Laverton Park (80) and Williamstown Central (79).
Williamstown Central caused the biggest upset of the season so far, defeating Kingsville 4-4 (40-29) in Round 7, proving the premiership favourite is not invincible.
