The Junior Power League got off to a blistering start in Coventry, with four players in the boys’ event hitting 90-plus averages in front of the first-night cameras.
The newest show in town provided some outstanding darts in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions, with Ryan Branley and Paige Pauling taking early leads at the top of the respective league tables.
Branley was a 5-0 winner against Jack Johnson, averaging 90.54 as he produced legs of 17, 16, 19, 14 and 17 darts in a confident showing against the newly-crowned Super 16 champion.
Such was the standard on night one that the highest average did not even belong to a player who won, with Archie Self throwing 95.55 in his thrilling 4-4 draw with Jack Nankervis, who threw 94.06 himself.
Self led 4-1 including legs of 14 and 15, before Nankervis reeled off legs of 12, 15 and 15 to claim a deserved draw in what was arguably the match of the evening.
Another player to average 90-plus was the JDC’s reigning world champion, Lex Paeshuyse, who recorded 94.57 in his 5-2 win over Tergel Khurelkhuu.
The match arguably turned on Paeshuyse checking out 100 to break throw to draw level at 2-2 before a 12-dart leg with a 122 finish put him ahead.
Jayden Walker beat Mitchell Lawrie 5-2 to get off to a winning start, while the clash of the two qualifiers was won by Ben Townley, who defeated Lewis Cook 5-0 after both players had battled through a strong field to book their spots in the main event.
In the girls’ event, Pauling was joined by Rebecca Allen and Lexi-Jayne Rooksby as opening-night winners.
Pauling, the 2024 Girls Series champion, got off to a flying start with a 4-1 win against Yazmine Ruck-Havard, clinching the win with a 17-darter that put her top of the table by virtue of having a higher average.
Allen was a 4-1 winner over Lilly Wheeler, while Rooksby beat Ruby Grey 4-2.
Junior Power League - Night 1:
Boys’ event:
Jayden Walker 5-2 Mitchell Lawrie
Lex Paeshuyse 5-2 Tergel Khurelkhuu
Archie Self 4-4 Jack Nankervis
Ryan Branley 5-0 Jack Johnson
Ben Townley 5-0 Lewis Cook
Girls’ event:
Lexi-Jayne Rooksby 4-2 Ruby Grey
Paige Pauling 4-1 Yazmine Ruck-Havard
Rebecca Allen 4-1 Lilly Wheeler
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