Four local youths will represent Victoria at the 2024 Australian Eight Ball Federation Junior Nationals.
Following impressive performances at the Victorian Eight Ball Junior State Titles on Saturday, September 2, Makenna Wright, Deakin Lamb, Reece Jorgensen and Lachlan Ragland are bound for the nationals.
Makenna will represent Victoria in the Under 12 team at the nationals, set to be held in Canberra. Deakin is in the Under 15 team, while Reece and Lachlan will represent the state in the Under 18 team.
While Makenna, Reece and Lachlan are making their Victorian Eight Ball Junior State Titles debuts, Deakin is returning for his second consecutive year.
After placing third in last year’s Victorian Eight Ball Junior State Titles and representing the state at the 2023 Australian Eight Ball Junior Nationals in Aulbry earlier this year, Deakin was all the more determined ahead of this year’s national qualifier.
Confident his skills had improved since 2022, Deakin’s improvement was all but confirmed, with the 13-year-old saying this year’s Victorian Eight Ball Junior State Titles were easier than last.
While Deakin continues his individual preparation ahead of the 2024 Australian Eight Ball Junior Nationals, with sights set on the number one spot, he is quietly optimistic that his three-person team is competitive enough to bring home gold.
With strategy being Deakin’s strength, the young pool shark intends to continue developing his strategic capabilities as he vies to take home individual and team gold at the 2024 Junior Nationals.
For 17-year-old Reece, it wasn’t his first Junior State Titles.
“I was selected to play in the NSW team last year,” he said.
After representing NSW in the Under 18 team at the 2023 Junior Nationals, Reece placed second at the recent Victorian Junior State Titles and was named as part of Victoria’s 2024 Australian Eight Ball Junior National Under 18 team alongside Mia Newman, Ciaran Dempsey and Lachlan.
With big goals, his sights set on one day qualifying for pro series, Reece must first focus on preparations for the upcoming nationals, with a top result an ideal paving stone on the way to pro series.
First-year players Lachlan and Makenna join the experienced Deakin and Reece in comprising the 11-person state team.
Despite nerves, the state trials being both Lachlan and Makenna’s first competitive competition, the pair were elated upon learning of their selection as part of the Victorian team.
“Now that I have got into the state team, I am practising a lot more,” Makenna said.
“So practising maybe every second night.
“I am a little bit nervous [for nationals] but also excited.”
Makenna joins Austin Huang in comprising Victoria’s Under 12 squad.
“He was really good,” Makenna said
“Apparently, he’s done it before, he’s been to nationals.”
Huang’s expertise serves as a calming reassurance for local primary school student Makenna ahead of the 2024 Junior Nationals.
From filling in for his dad’s local eight ball team to preparing for nationals in less than 12 months, 15-year-old Lachlan’s success at the state trials has inadvertently catapulted him into the world of competitive eight ball.
“I am nervous and excited,” he said.
“It will be good fun in Canberra, but I am a bit nervous, too, because it will be my first big-big tournament.”
Makenna, Deakin, Reece and Lachlan are members of the Wellington Eight Ball Association and the Maffra and District Eight Ball Association.
The quartet comprise 40 per cent of the Victorian Eight Ball Junior State team.
