Saturday Open Pennant
Division 1: Mount Gambier RSL Red 94/16 d Mount Gambier RSL Blue 64/0
DESPITE both sides missing key bowlers from their line-up Mount Gambier RSL Red was able to claim the honours on all three rinks against sister side Mount Gambier RSL Blue in the recent round of Lower South East Bowling Association’s Saturday Open Pennant competition.
RSL Blue struggled to find the form that carried it into finals last season, which handed RSL Red a comfortable overall victory.
The closest match-up was between Blue’s Gary Bowering, Fiona Pearson, Greg Whitehead and skipper Ron Ploenges and Red’s Robert Corner, Deane Wilkinson, Chris Waugh and skipper Andy Ashby.
Ends were shared evenly and the Ploenges team fought it out to the end, but went down 24-27.
RSL Blue’s Graham Smith, Ian MacIntosh, Gary Feast and skipper Strawb Masters went neck and neck with RSL Red’s Jason Kuring, Peter Roachock, Michael Fox and skipper Rex Heins for the
first half of their game.
Once RSL Red hit the front on the 15th end, the Heins’ four won most of the remaining ends and RSL Blue lost by eight shots, 24-32.
Ben Masters was elevated from Division 2 Blue to skip in Glenn Wright’s place this week and his team of Tim Wrightson, Beryl Messenger and Graham Dent had their work cut out against Jamie Lambert, John Schroder, Ralph Stafford and skipper Graham Ellis.
Unable to match the consistency of the RSL Red team, Blue lost 16-35.
Division 2: Mount Gambier RSL Red 74 d Robe 58/2
MOUNT Gambier RSL Red played host to seaside team Robe and claimed the upper-hand on two of the three rinks to take the overall victory.
Simon Attiwill, Garry Fox, Ron Edlington and skipper Wayne Legutko dominated the second half to defeat Errol Jenning’s side 28-16.
Max Schultz, David Anderson, Bob Milligan and skipper Noel Miller were out-bowled for much of the game, but finished strongly to go down by three shots, 22-25.
Dougie McPhail, Paul Griffiths, Graham Crowder and skipper Ian Moulden kept Ken Smith’s unit under pressure, denying them the lead at any stage.
They won 24-17.
Millicent 66/12 d Mount Gambier RSL Blue 58/4
MOUNT Gambier RSL Blue continues to search for its first victory after a disappointing loss to Millicent on Saturday.
Despite winning two of the three rinks, the margins were too small for RSL to take the overall win.
Division 3: Kingston 71/14 d Mount Gambier RSL Red 62/2
KINGSTON was able to beat Mount Gambier RSL Red on its home deck on Saturday.
Phillip Wilson, John Forster, Merna Whitehead and skipper Alby McIntyre led throughout for a solid 27-16 win.
However, their 11-shot surplus was not enough.
Don Whitmore, Fleur Roachock, John Maher and skipper Tony Freeman had a close battle against Barry McKinnon’s four, but fell three shots short, 22-25, while Bob White’s team was out-bowled 13-30 by Peter Wakefield’s.
Mount Gambier RSL Blue 78/14 d Millicent 67/2
DESPITE still yet to fire on all three rinks, Mount Gambier RSL Blue claimed its third successive scalp, this time over Millicent Blue at home.
Eileen Cruise’s 13-shot loss was cancelled out by David Klem’s 13-shot win, but it was Les James’ team who won comfortably, 33-22 to put the overall victory beyond doubt.
Friday Pennant
Division 1: Mount Gambier RSL Red 50/12 d Kingston 40/2
MOUNT Gambier RSL Red returned to the winning side of the ledger by defeating Kingston at home in Lower South East Bowling Association’s Friday Pennant competition.
Bowling well herself, Veronica Opie skippered her rink of Kim Franklin, Val Anderson and Jenny Waugh to a 34-15 win against Ann Ratsch’s four, collecting an eight on the way.
Despite beginning well, Glenda Dalton, Jennifer Bowering, Beryl Messenger and skipper Karen Doman trailed Gail Heatherington’s four for most of their game.
They managed to stay within reach, going down 16-25, which enabled an overall win to the RSL Red side.
Mount Gambier 45/13 d Mount Gambier RSL Blue 40/1
FIVE shots was the difference in the end, but it was Mount Gambier who claimed the honours over Mount Gambier RSL Blue.
The RSL went to lunch 15-9 on both rinks.
After the break, the RSL was unable to counter a determined Mount Gambier fightback.
Both rinks won only three of the 10 ends in the afternoon.
Shirley McIntyre’s four were able to salvage a draw, 21-21 against Beryl Versluis’s side, but Kath Hearne’s team went down 19-24 to Leanne Hentschke’s.
Division 2: Mount Gambier RSL 53/12 d Robe 43/2
THE Mount Gambier RSL side moved from fifth to third on the ladder when they defeated Robe at home on Friday.
After elevation, Robe have yet to win in the stronger Division 2.
Never-the-less Valma Jenning’s team had the better of Linley McDonald, Wynne Turner, Pam Klem and skipper Lyn Chirgwin and defeated the RSL team 17-25.
Brenton Wittwer, Carmel McQuade, Barb Smith and skipper Eileen Cruise had a convincing win over Helen Dawson’s team, 36-18.
Co-incidentally, Cruise’s team also scored an eight.
Division 3: Mount Gambier RSL 52/12 d Millicent 47/2
THE match between Mount Gambier RSL and Millicent was full of interest on Friday as both sides had won their first three rounds.
As anticipated, scoring was close.
Kathy MacIntosh, Rick Chirgwin, Edna Eldridge and skipper Janet Forster took the lead from Lurlene Reinder’s team just before the break but dropped eight shots in two ends when play resumed.
They were unable to recover and lost 19-23.
Nancy Horrigan, Phillip Wilson, Bev Famularo and skipper Lola McKenzie had a strong mid-game run and defeated Margaret Johnson’s team 33-24, which handed Mount Gambier RSL the overall.
