• Side 1 def Cheltenham 93-55 (18pts)
Well, in what was a top-of-the-table clash this game would decide top spot at the end of the home and away season!
The Wickers headed the visitors at the start and never really looked back. The rink of Alan Clements, Jeff Parker, Peter Hodgson and Ethan Mills continued to widen the gap on the opposition and had a great win 30-10 to set the day up.
Young Mitchell Keel set up the Josh McQueen rink all day, leading up front, while John Horwood and Lawrie Edwards had blinders to give Rich an armchair ride all day. David Bond and Steve Ellard were superb in the backend of their rink and the side eventually took all before them for four rink wins and finish on top of the ladder. It’s been a long time since the top side finished at the head of the section and they will now host Beaumaris on Saturday at home for the section semi-final. Two previous wins against Beauy mean nothing come Saturday though as it’s now a knockout to see who gets through to the section grand final on Sunday.
• Side 2 – Semi-Final
Our twos went to Narre on Saturday to play the section semi-final.
We said all week this would be a tight one and with changes in selection due to Covid, and unavailability, the task seemed to look too hard for the twos leading up to Saturday! But, in what was a fantastic fighting effort, the twos managed a close win to see their way through to the section grand final on Sunday.
• Side 2 – Section Grand Final – Runners Up
What a game! What a heartbreaking result!
The twos travelled to Heathmont on Sunday to take on Dandenong Club in what we knew would be a close game. But we didn’t think the result would be a heartbreaking one-shot loss to take the section title! Dandy Club flew out of the blocks and Tony French and his rink found themselves in trouble early facing a 12-shot deficit going into the break. The big board showed we were down by one overall at the break with Azzopardi’s rink opening up a good lead to cover Frenchy!
At the business end, all had finished except of course Clarkey’s rink!
With the deficit against us three, with two ends to go, Clarkey just couldn’t get the extra shot to take it to an extra end or two to get the win. A great season by the twos but to go down in the granny by one shot, after 84 ends, just goes to show how good they were this season.
• Side 3 – Semi-Final
On Saturday the threes hosted Narre Warren….we picked them to win and they didn’t let us down.
The game was relatively close all day but the threes had their noses in front and came away with the win to progress to the grand final on Sunday.
• Side 3 – Section Premiers
It was the game that should have been.
Us versus Hampton Park 1…the two best sides all season!
Kane ‘Big Fella’ Dalman jumped out to an 11-0 lead against ex-Wicker Kerry Prescott and the threes were on their way. Unfortunately the side couldn’t capitalise on Dalman’s start with the rink of Dave Fitzpatrick, Jean Reddy, Carsten Jensen and Ken Graeber leaking shots left, right and centre!
By two-thirds of the way through Graeber was down 19-6 and Prescott had taken the lead over Dalman’s rink!
Enter Chairman of Selectors rink Karyn Mackie, stepping up to skip in the absence of Craig ‘Cranky’ Mills with Jim Weir, Rob McGrath and Lynn McCurran.
They started to put a big gap on their opponents and Mackie was on fire with some big conversions at crucial times to break the Redbacks spirit. It got pretty close with about 10 ends to go but the Wickers took out the section premiership by 10 shots in a fantastic performance.
Well done to those who came in at late notice to cover the absences and now the threes will go to the Divisional quarter final next week to try their hands against the other section premiers.
• Side 6 – Semi-Final
On Saturday the 6s hosted Hampton in what could be a danger game. We picked the win for them and they didn’t disappoint! A totally dominant display and we didn’t think they would be pushed too hard in the semi! Big rinks wins by Helen Watson and Bill Stilo set the day up with the other two rinks having close wins.
• Side 6 – Section Grand Final – Runners Up
We picked the grand final to be us versus Churchill Park Waverley Golf.
Clearly the top two sides in the section all year and deserved finalists.
Unfortunately Watson and Stilo couldn’t carry over their form from Saturday and both went down by 13 and 12 respectively. John Wonnacott, Albert Bertoncello, Avril Steere and Pat Steere had a great 15-shot win to help cover the deficit and Vaughn Smith’s rink had a five-shot win. It was tight on the big board at the business ends with only two shots the difference with seven ends to play but Churchill Park got the better of the last couple of ends to win by five shots overall. Such a fantastic effort by the sixes and we are happy as a club that our lower grades got to taste some finals action after some tough years previously. Be proud of your efforts sixes, you have represented yourselves and the club valiantly and successfully all season.
• Side 7 – Semi-Final
We said the pressure was on the sevens this week to make the grand final after a 55-shot overall win last week against the same side they were playing in the semi.
Both side’s personnel had changed significantly and it was much closer than the previous weeks thrashing. The sevens got through on Saturday by winning two of the three rinks and an overall win of 11 shots!
• Side 7 – Section Premiers
Well it was off to play Moorabbin at Burden Park in the grand final. We picked the sevens last week to go all the way and they certainly didn’t disappoint.
After Saturday’s close win we thought the pressure of finals may be getting the better of the sevens…but wow…they were dominant.
Leading all day, and with some good leads on two rinks, Alf Reina kept his rink within striking distance finishing with a draw. Rob McIntyre, Helen Adair, Leon Keel and Ron McGrath set the day up with a 16-shot win and Caroline McClary, Kevin Fewster, Marg Jorgensen and Johnny Stoker backed them up with a nine-shot win.
A great reward to be the section Premiers this season the sevens will now play off in the Divisional Finals next week. Well done sevens.
• Side 8 – Sectional Finalists
The eights probably had one of the toughest games of the weekend on Saturday.
It was a very competitive section and the ladder positions were different nearly every week. Only winning one of the three rinks on the weekend, and with Beaumaris enjoying the quality of our grass greens, the eights just couldn’t get back to get over the visitors. This side was only put together and entered the week before the start of the season so to play in a section semi-final was a fantastic achievement. Well done to all that played in the eights this year and to those who helped out when we were decimated with people unable to play.
So, there’s still more to come!
Our ones host Beaumaris at home on Saturday in what is sure to be a ripper!
Beauy are passionate and always competitive so the top side need to show consistency and poise throughout the day to get the win.
The threes will continue in the Divisional Finals as will the sevens.
In a quick recap, the Wickers have six out of eight sides in finals to date, with four section grand finals and two section premiers. And, there’s still more to come we hope! Get out and support the sides this week in what will be some fantastic games of bowls.
Go Wickers!
-John Rich-
