A total of 31 players took part in the under-15 Caithness junior badminton championships, 12 girls and 19 boys, with some close games and exciting rallies.
The event took place on Saturday at the East of Caithness Community Facility in Wick, with Matthew Cook going on to win a double.
The first semi-final in the main draw of the girls’ singles saw Wick’s Ashlyn Gunn take on clubmate Erna Thain, with Ashlyn winning 15-7, 15-9.
The second semi saw U13 singles winner Sophie Mackay (Dunnet) defeat Freya Mackay (Wick) 15-4, 15-10. Sophie got the better of Ashlyn in the final, 15-10, 15-6.
Myah Macleod beat her Dunnet clubmate Lexie Mackenzie 21-15 in the consolation final.
The first semi-final in the main draw of the boys’ singles saw Ormlie’s Matthew Cook progressing 15-10, 15-10 at the expense of Dunnet’s Finlay McDonald.
Dunnet’s Dhaill Mackay came through 12-15, 15-9, 15-6 against Wick’s Rory Nicolson in the other semi-final.
Matthew went on to win 16-14, 15-12 in the final.
Ruaridh Kean defeated Finlay Nicolson 21-15 in the all-Wick consolation final.
In the girls’ doubles, Wick’s Rhea Bruce and Freya Mackay edged their semi-final against Dunnet’s Sophie Mackay and Myah Macleod 15-11, 7-15, 15-11.
Wick’s Blayr Howden and Erna Thain play Dunnet’s Lexie Mackenzie and Wick’s Sophie Sinclair in the other semi, with Blayr and Erna winning 15-7, 15-10.
Blayr and Erna went on to win 15-12, 15-12 in the all-Wick final.
Consolation winners were Ashlyn Gunn and Kara Howden, beating Lexi Budge and Amy Duncan 21-8.
In the main draw of the boys’ doubles, Matthew Cook and Dhaill Mackay defeated the U13 boys’ doubles winners Finlay Nicolson and Liam Sinclair in the last four 15-8, 15-10.
Finlay McDonald and Rory Nicolson won 15-7, 15-9 in the second semi against Wick pair Callum Aitken and Connor Carter.
Matthew and Dhaill edged the final 15-11, 15-13.
Wick’s Ruaridh Kean and Ross Mackay defeated Owen Malcolm and Liam Muir (both Wick) 21-12 in the consolation final.
In the main draw of the mixed doubles, Rory Nicolson and Ashlyn Mackay got the better of Matthew Cook and Myah Macleod 16-14, 15-13 in their semi.
U13 mixed winners Sophie Mackay and Liam Sinclair defeated Finlay McDonald and Erna Thain 15-8, 15-10 in the other semi.
The final went to three sets with the older pairing, Rory and Ashlyn, taking it 18-16, 8-15, 16-14.
Wick duo Callum Aitken and Blayr Howden won 21-15 in the consolation final against Cameron Macleod and Lexi Budge.
Kerry Mackenzie, of Caithness Junior Badminton Club, said: “Once again huge well done to all the competitors and thank you to all the helpers and our sponsor Highland Workwear.”
