MOUNT Gambier RSL and District Bowling Club’s Division 1 and 2 sides advance directly through to their Lower South East Bowling Association Saturday Open Pennant grand finals after their impressive victories on the weekend.
Despite playing the sides that finished on top of the ladder on their home greens, these two Mount Gambier RSL sides won comfortably.
The same cannot be said of the Division 3 side, which lost at home and will now play Kingston at Penola Bowling Club next Sunday.
Division 1: Mount Gambier RSL Red 80 d Mount Gambier Red 54
DESPITE entering into its semi-final clash with Mount Gambier Red as the underdogs, Mount Gambier RSL Red claimed a 26-shot victory to claim a direct pathway into the Division 1 Saturday Open Pennant grand final.
Mount Gambier RSL had lost just two games in the 2017/18 season, falling to Mount Gambier Red on both occasions.
Mount Gambier RSL made no mistake and jumped out of the blocks to be 21-4 up after the first five ends.
They then led by around 20 shots mid-way through the game and finished a comfortable 26 up.
Jason Kuring, Peter Roachock, Rex Heins and Neil Tobin (skip) stamped their authority on their game by winning 17 of the 25 ends against Gary McIntyre, Gary Hocking, Peter Radley and Tony Bowditch (skip).
They were unstoppable and made up much of the overall difference, winning 38-17.
Jamie Lambert, Ralph Stafford, Michael Fox and Graham Ellis (skip) also kept control of their game against John Reppin, Bryan Vorwerk, Peter Reppin and Greg Carpenter (skip).
The four immediately countered every scoring move by Mount Gambier and led throughout to finish 21-15.
Robert Corner, Deane Wilkinson, Chris Waugh and Andy Ashby (skip) were well on top in the first half against Bec Gruar, Terry Bruhn, Brad Errock and Tony Renzi (skip).
However, they had a lean second half and saw their advantage whittled away.
They dropped a three on the last end to lose the lead and finish behind by one shot, 21-22.
Division 2: Mount Gambier RSL Red 87 d Naracoorte 59
AFTER losing soundly at Naracoorte in the second round, Mount Gambier RSL Red would have had misgivings about returning there to play the semi-final.
But right from the start, Mount Gambier RSL showed it was in the game.
Ian Moulden’s four gave a handy buffer early and the other two rinks kept their games tight.
With strong gusty winds playing a part in the game, Mount Gambier RSL gradually increased its hold in the second half and won by a comfortable 28 shots.
Simon Attiwill, Graham Crowder, Ron Edlington and Wayne Legutko (skip) jumped ahead with a five and a four on ends nine and 10.
They kept the pressure on Andy Grant, Rob Crowe, Lindsey Noel and David Bennett (skip) and won 26-16.
Ian Colbey, David Anderson, Bob Milligan and Noel Miller (skip) stayed with Leigh Allan, Bill Krautwald, John Kester and Terry Mahoney (skip) in the first half, but were unable to dominate.
They had a stronger second half as Naracoorte fell away and Miller’s four won well 32-22.
Paul Griffiths, Graeme Smith, Graham Dent and Ian Moulden (skip) combined well to lead early against David Jones’ four.
Naracoorte challenged strongly through the mid-section of their game and moved two shots ahead before Moulden’s four clinched the game in the last five ends.
They won 29-21.
The Mount Gambier RSL Red side will now await the results of the preliminary final match between Naracoorte and Robe with great interest.
Division 3: Millicent Red 87 d Mount Gambier RSL Red 70
MOUNT Gambier RSL Red lost its semi-final at home against Millicent Red by 17 shots in a result that stunned everyone.
Millicent Red’s Ros Varcoe, Peter Delany, Wayne Burris and John Drew got the jump on Phillip Wilson, Brenton Wittwer, Merna Whitehead and Alby McIntye (skip) and held Mount Gambier RSL scoreless for 13 ends to be 0-24.
Mount Gambier RSL started to trade shots evenly, but the damage was done and it lost 14-38.
John Preece, Roy Montgomery, John Maher and Bob White (skip) went neck and neck against Peter Hyland, Mary Clifford, Dawn Bellman and David Taylor (skip) and won 31-30.
Little separated Kevin Mott, Fleur Roachock, Gary Fox and Tony Freeman (skip) from Rob Chambers, Peter Bateman, Robert Atkinson and Bob Baxter (skip) until Freeman’s four controlled the closing ends to finish 25-19.
Mount Gambier RSL Red will now play Kingston in the preliminary final, a side it has been brittle against this season.
Friday Pennant
IT was an unfortunate day for Mount Gambier RSL and District Bowling Club’s Friday Pennant sides, after both their Division 1 and 2 sides failed to take the win.
Division 1 will play Mount Gambier at Beachport in the preliminary final next Friday, while the single-shot loss finished Division 2’s season.
Division 1: Port MacDonnell 60 d Mount Gambier 29
MOUNT Gambier RSL was comprehensively out-bowled by Port MacDonnell to go down by a significant 31 shots at the Bay.
Glenda Dalton, Val Anderson, Maryke Heaver and Veronica Opie (skip) lost 16-26 to Sharon Perryman, Robyn Burley, Carol Schmidt and Judy Grosvenor, while Jennifer Bowering, Nancye Wilson, Jenny Waugh and Karen Doman (skip) went down to Barb Milstead, Jan Dowdell, Joy Bilney and Heather Richards 34-13.
Mount Gambier RSL Red side have beaten Mount Gambier on both occasions this season and will hope to improve significantly in the preliminary final next week.
Division 2: Naracoorte RSL 46 d Mount Gambier RSL 45
DESPITE defeating Naracoorte RSL by sizeable margins in both minor round games, Mount Gambier RSL’s finals campaign was cut short when the latter was defeated by one shot.
Linley McDonald, Wynne Turner, Pam Klem and Lyn Chirgwin (skip) lost to Kathy Pahl, Peter Haines, Maree Neilson and Linda Prentice (skip) 26-21, while Liz Schroder, Carmel McQuade, Barb Smith and Eileen Cruise defeated Joan Hurn, Josie McGrath, Robyn Hansen and Cathy Healy 24-20.
