Westlake and Zaccaria Claim 2026 Sydney Junior Cup Titles
By Matt Stevens
Queensland’s Bella Westlake successfully defended her Sydney Junior Cup crown, while Victoria’s William Zaccaria denied defending champion Joshua Buttigieg in a thrilling conclusion to the 2026 event at Shellharbour Tenpin Bowl.
Westlake defeated Australian Junior Masters champion Elouise Cocks 196-156 in the female title match, completing an impressive recovery after entering Sunday’s matchplay in third position.
Zaccaria prevailed by just four pins in the male final, defeating top seed and local favourite Buttigieg 175-171 to add another major junior title to his growing resume.
The 48th edition of the historic event featured ten games of Stage 1 qualifying before the top eight boys and girls advanced to seven games of matchplay. Qualifying pinfall carried forward throughout the tournament, with bonus pins awarded for matchplay victories before the leading three bowlers progressed to the stepladder finals.
At A Glance
- Event: 2026 Sydney Junior Cup
- Dates: 25–26 July 2026
- Venue: Shellharbour Tenpin Bowl, Barrack Heights, NSW
- Division: Junior
- Status: TBA Nationally Ranked Event – A26/0174
- Edition: 48th
- Female Champion: Bella Westlake (QLD)
- Male Champion: William Zaccaria (VIC)
- Female Runner-up: Elouise Cocks (VIC)
- Male Runner-up: Joshua Buttigieg (NSW)
Overview
Westlake Goes Back-to-Back
Bella Westlake returned to Shellharbour as the defending champion and departed with the trophy once again after navigating challenges from three of the country’s leading junior female bowlers.
The Queenslander entered the event less than a month after representing Australia at the IBF World Youth Championships in Kuching, where she claimed a bronze medal as part of the Australian girls’ team campaign.
Emily Starkey established the early lead during Saturday’s ten-game qualifying block. Starkey recorded 1,853 at an average of 185.3, highlighted by games of 232, 213, and 211 to finish 44 pins ahead of Australian Junior Masters champion Elouise Cocks.
The Victorian Elouise Cocks totalled 1,809 at 180.9, with Westlake only two pins further behind in third place on 1,807.
Shanae Key completed qualifying in fourth position with 1,775, followed by Summah Bennett, Jessica Chi, Lilly Lock and Aleisha McGarry, who secured the tight and final matchplay position with 1,611.
Elouise Cocks surged to the top during Sunday’s seven-game matchplay block.
Entering the day 44 pins behind Starkey, the Victorian won five of her seven matches and earned 150 bonus pins. Games of 253 and 227 helped Elouise finish as the top stepladder seed with a combined tournament total of 3,325.
Westlake recorded six victories, the most of any female finalist, and collected 180 bonus pins. Her 3,277 combined total secured second position, 48 pins behind Elouise Cocks.
Starkey finished third with 3,188, while Key, Chi, McGarry, Bennett and Lock completed the matchplay standings.
The opening stepladder match brought Westlake and Starkey together again after their memorable one-pin finish at the Queensland Junior Cup earlier in the season.
Another close contest followed.
Westlake edged Starkey 165-160 to advance to the grand final match and earn an opportunity to defend her title against Elouise Cocks.
Elouise had been one of the weekend’s most consistent performers, finishing second in qualifying before taking control during matchplay. However, Westlake produced her strongest stepladder performance when the trophy was on the line.
The Queenslander defeating Elouise 196-156 to complete her title defence and become the first female bowler to win consecutive Sydney Junior Cups since Taneisha Griffiths achieved the feat in 2016 and 2017.
The victory continues an outstanding period for Westlake, who has now combined consecutive Sydney Junior Cup titles with national rankings success and an international medal in Australian colours.
Matchplay Final Results
| PLACE | BOWLER | TOTAL |
| 1st | Elouise Cocks (VIC) | 3,325 |
| 2nd | Bella Westlake (QLD) | 3,277 |
| 3rd | Emily Starkey (QLD) | 3,188 |
| 4th | Shanae Key (VIC) | 3,143 |
| 5th | Jessica Chi (NSW) | 3,044 |
| 6th | Aleisha McGarry (NSW) | 2,917 |
| 7th | Summah Bennett (VIC) | 2,905 |
| 8th | Lilly Lock (VIC) | 2,751 |
Stepladder Finals
Semi-Final 2 v 3
Bella Westlake 165 defeated Emily Starkey 160
Final
Bella Westlake 196 defeated Elouise Cocks 156
Zaccaria Holds His Nerve in Four-Pin Thriller
William Zaccaria entered the weekend among the leading contenders and delivered under pressure to become the first Victorian male winner of the Sydney Junior Cup in 12 years.
Defending champion Joshua Buttigieg set the standard during Saturday’s qualifying. Bowling on his home lanes, Buttigieg fired games of 233, 289, and 221 on his way to a ten-game total of 2,108 and an average of 210.8.
Zaccaria remained within striking distance throughout the block, finishing second with 2,042 at an average of 204.2. His qualifying performance included games of 244 and 238.
Lachlan Spencer occupied third position with 2,023, followed by Hayden Miller, Julian Dinham, Tyler Clarkson, Zayne Pirlo and Jayden Tran. Tran secured the final matchplay position with 1,919, edging Jeremy Buttigieg by 38 pins.
Joshua Buttigieg strengthened his position during matchplay, winning all seven of his matches and collecting the maximum 210 bonus pins.
His undefeated run produced a combined tournament total of 3,655 and secured the top position for the stepladder final.
Zaccaria earned five victories and 150 bonus pins to finish second on 3,562.
Only 41 pins separated the next three bowlers. South Australian Lachlan Spencer claimed the final stepladder place with 3,524, narrowly ahead of Dinham on 3,521 and Miller on 3,496.
Tran, Pirlo and Clarkson completed the top eight.
Zaccaria faced Spencer in the opening stepladder match, with the Victorian producing a timely 215 to overcome Spencer’s 208.
That result set up a grand final match between the tournament’s top two qualifiers and gave Zaccaria the task of ending Buttigieg’s unbeaten Sunday.
The final remained undecided until the closing frames.
Zaccaria held his nerve to record a 175-171 victory, denying Buttigieg consecutive titles and securing his first Sydney Junior Cup crown.
The victory made Zaccaria the first Victorian male to win the event since Jayden Panella in 2015.
It adds another significant achievement to Zaccaria’s junior career after he captured the 2025 Australian Junior Masters and Queensland Junior Cup titles and went on to secure the 2025 Junior Male National Rankings crown.
Matchplay Final Results
| PLACE | BOWLER | TOTAL |
| 1st | Joshua Buttigieg (NSW) | 3,655 |
| 2nd | William Zaccaria (VIC) | 3,562 |
| 3rd | Lachlan Spencer (SA) | 3,524 |
| 4th | Julian Dinham (NSW) | 3,521 |
| 5th | Hayden Miller (QLD) | 3,496 |
| 6th | Jayden Tran (NSW) | 3,350 |
| 7th | Zayne Pirlo (NSW) | 3,339 |
| 8th | Tyler Clarkson (QLD) | 3,324 |
Stepladder Finals
Semi-Final 2 v 3
William Zaccaria 215 defeated Lachlan Spencer 208
Final
William Zaccaria 175 defeated Joshua Buttigieg 171
Performance Highlights
Stage 1 Qualifying Leaders
- Female: Emily Starkey – 1,853 at an average of 185.3
- Male: Joshua Buttigieg – 2,108 at an average of 210.8
Matchplay Records
- Bella Westlake – Six wins from seven matches
- Joshua Buttigieg – Seven wins from seven matches
Highest Games
- Female Stage 1: Shanae Key – 235
- Female Matchplay: Elouise Cocks – 253
- Female Stepladder: Bella Westlake – 196
- Male Stage 1: Joshua Buttigieg – 289
- Male Matchplay: Julian Dinham– 245
- Male Stepladder: William Zaccaria – 215
Historical Milestones
- Westlake become the first female to successfully defend the Sydney Junior Cup since Taneisha Griffiths in 2017
- Zaccaria became the first Victorian male champion since Sam Curry in 2014.
- Westlake joined Griffiths, Holly Faint, Amanda Bradley and Carol Gianotti among the female bowlers to have captured consecutive Sydney Junior Cup titles.
Other Awards
- U15 non-cashing highest pinfall – Mia Sloper and Jeremy Buttigieg
- Sportsperson Awards – Lilly Lock and Corey Adams
- Shoe Fresh Awards – Highest Male and Female games in games 2,4,6, 8 and 10 across the qualifying squads.
Acknowledgements
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates Bella Westlake and William Zaccaria on being crowned the 2026 Sydney Junior Cup champions, along with runners-up Elouise Cocks and Joshua Buttigieg and all bowlers who advance to Sunday’s matchplay finals.
TBA also acknowledges Emily Starkey and Lachlan Spencer for earning positions in the stepladder finals and congratulates every junior bowler who competed across the weekend.
Thank you to Shellharbour Tenpin Bowl, its staff and tournament officials for hosting another successful nationally ranked event.
The event was supported by Sunset Bowling Supplies, BPD Australia, Shoe Fresh and Synergy Electrical with additional prizes recognizing high games, outstanding sportsmanship and leading non-cashing under 15 competitors.
The 2026 TBA Junior nationally ranked season will conclude with the Louise Eady Melbourne Junior Cup with details expected to be released in coming weeks.
2026 TBA Junior Division Rankings Schedule
- TBA Junior Australian Masters – COMPLETED
- Queensland Junior Cup – COMPLETED
- Sydney Junior Cup – COMPLETED
- Louise Eady Melbourne Junior Cup – TBC
