TEAM HENDERSON ARE THE 2024 SCOTTISH WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

Many congratulations to Team Henderson (Fay Henderson, Hailey Duff, Amy MacDonald, Katie McMillan) (Dumfries) who clinched the 2024 national women’s title. They beat defending champions Team Morrison (Rebecca Morrison, Jen Dodds, Sophie Sinclair, Sophie Jackson, Gina Aitken) (Aberdeen) in an exciting final.

Team Henderson had a flying start to the championship with a 9-3 win over Team Munro (Robyn Munro, Lisa Davie, Holly Wilkie-Milne, Laura Watt) (Stranraer). They followed it up with a comfortable success over junior side Team Leigh (Katie Archibald, Cara Davidson, Jodi Leigh Bass, Alex McMillan) (Dumfries) before collecting a real confidence boost with victory over defending champions Team Morrison.

They remained undefeated to conclude the first part of the double round robin on a perfect record and continued part two in the same vein. It wasn’t until Draw 8 that Team Henderson fell to a first defeat at the hands of Team Morrison who clinched the win by seven points to four. However, Team Henderson bounced back in perfect fashion with success over last season’s runners-up Team Young (Lesley Young, Jennifer Marshall, Kirsty Gallacher, Rachel Dakers) (Forfar) and remained undefeatable from there to finish top of the standings on a nine in one record.

Team Morrison themselves had an excellent start to the tournament, winning a replay of last season’s final versus Team Young 9-0 in the opening draw. However, defeat to Team Henderson cost them some momentum with the Aberdeen side missing out 7-6 to Team Blair (Lucy Blair, Amy Mitchell, Karlyn Lyon, Susie Smith) (Greenacres) in the next session. From that point onwards though, Team Morrison were unstoppable. They won their next six games to comfortably finish runners-up in the table standings post round-robin and secure a spot in the page play-off.

The battle for third place and with that a place in the semi-final went back and forth between Team Young and Team Munro. Going into the last draw, Team Munro were up on a five in four versus team Young’s four in five record, but they were set to play each other in the final fixture. Not letting the decision come down to DSA, Team Munro clinched a narrow 7-6 win to stand firm in third.

With the double round robin in the books, the page play-off between Team Henderson and Team Morrison was next. Team Morrison had the brighter start, forcing in End 1 before bagging two themselves in the second, but when Team Henderson got a three in the third in, the advantage shifted. The sides traded singles before one for Team Morrison in End 9 meant they went into the last end with a point deficit. Up and with hammer, Team Henderson controlled the last end and, eventually, Team Morrison offered handshakes with stones to spare, 6-5 standing as the final result.

While Team Henderson had earned themselves a spot in the final and an evening off, Team Morrison took on Team Munro in the semi-final.

Team Munro were first on the board with a single steal in End 2, but Team Morrison responded with a one themselves followed by a single steal to take the lead. The sides traded deuces, maintaining the one-point gap, before Team Morrison collected two successive steals to increase their advantage. At 7-3 and with one end to go, Team Munro opted to concede.

Everything was set for an exciting final between Team Henderson and Team Morrison. After a blank opening end, Team Henderson firmly took control with a score of three. Team Morrison could only respond with a single and while Team Henderson themselves were forced in End 4, they followed it up with a single steal to extend their lead. It was a one for Team Morrison again at the restart while Team Henderson bagged a massive three to create an almost insurmountable advantage. When they went on to steal in End 8, Team Morrison offered handshakes with 9-2 the final scoreline and the national title went to Team Henderson.