Local basketballer, Ally Wilson, celebrates 250th WNBL game

This story includes contributions from Derek Vanderzon and Michael Potts.

The incredible Ally Wilson added another milestone to her career resume over the weekend when she chalked up her 250th Women's National Basketball League game.

The 31-year-old, who has overcome a range of injuries, including four knee surgeries during her 13 years in the league, brought up the milestone, which also secures her WNBL life membership, during Perth's round three clash with Townsville on Tuesday night.

"First and foremost, I don't know where the time has gone," Wilson said.

"I feel like only yesterday I started playing in the WNBL as a 16-year-old.

"Time really has flown by, with there being plenty of highs and lows throughout my career, thankfully, more highs.

"I'm just really grateful to play in this league that has grown so much since I first started in it.

Wilson, a proud Ngarrindjeri woman, started playing basketball in Murray Bridge, South Australia.

"You don't get to 250 games without overcoming challenges that arise, including falling out of love with the game, so much so that I thought I'd played my last WNBL game a few years ago."

After progressing through the ranks and playing for numerous junior representative teams, including South Australia Country, Wilson made her WNBL debut as a 16-year-old with the Lightning against Dandenong during the 2010-11 WNBL season.

• Read more: https://www.wnbl.com.au/news

Murray Bridge on top of ladder after first cycle of Lower Murray Bowls

Blustery conditions made life difficult for lawn bowls on Saturday, with the home sides adapting to the conditions better for comprehensive wins in all three matches.

At Jervois the home side were victorious by 20 shots over Tailem Bend, winning on two rinks.

Derek Vanderzon, Tim Hicks, Graham Schenke and Graham Fromm started well against David Hoare, Stuart Rooke, Glenda Shepherd and Grantley Byrne with three singles, and were soon out to a 8-2 lead after adding a four on the 5th.

Hoare responded with a four on the 7th, and went into the break at nine all.

Fromm led superbly after the break, giving his side a strong advantage as they won the next eight ends in a row and dropped just a solitary shot in going on to win 24-10.

Shawn Hicks, Heather Fromm, Bruce Smith and Neil Morris were on a roll when they won eight successive ends going into the break to take an imposing 17-2 lead against Duane Edwards, Merv Stevens, Mike Pethick and Chris Slattery.

Edwards responded with the next eight ends, but was mainly restricted to singles and eventually went down 19-11, with only 11 shots scored between the sides over the last ten ends.

Successive fours to Travis Schenke, Rob Hales, Steve Gordge and Kevin McDonald early in the contest against Graeme Herbert, Jeremy Scannell, Shane Fromm and Stuart McCulloch gave them a big enough buffer to hold off the locals who were finishing with a flurry.

Schenke led by ten shots after 16 ends, but the final margin was reduced to just two shots, 20-18 with a three on the final end.

It was a miserable trip to Murray Bridge for Karoonda, who went down on all three rinks in a 56 shot drubbing, 88-32.

Leading the way for the winners was Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart who won 37-8 over Ian Symonds, Belinda O'Malley, Tarryn Turner and John Wegner.

The writing was on the wall early when McIntosh picked up a six on the 2nd end, and proceeded to win ten of the 11 ends before the break in racing to a 28-2 lead.

Symonds was never in the race, but did manage to stem the bleeding to a point; singles on the final two ends gave him five ends for the day.

Andrew Stasinowsky, Brian Traeger, Helen Lindner and Ben Traeger were almost as dominant in their 33-9 win over Rowan Zadow, Len Symonds, Tarryn Turner and John Wegner.

They were also off to a flyer with scores of three and four on the opening ends on the way to a 19-4 lead at the break.

There was no respite on the resumption, with a four and a five on the run home as the margin continued to blow out.

The final rink looked it was heading the same way when Bruce Attrill, Charlie DiSanto, Judy Zadow and Brian Leckie led 9-0 against Erin O'Malley, Garry Mason, Damon Fromm and Malcolm Waechter after four ends.

But O'Malley clawed back to level after 12 ends, and was only one behind after 19 ends before going down 18-15.

RSL at home upset Mannum to record their first win of the season, giving them hope of keeping their season alive with wins on all three rinks.

David Thiele, Karen Kneebone, Brenton Sinclair and Ann-Marie Kuchel capitalized on a great start, scoring three threes in the first four ends to lead 9-1.

Pfeiffer could not get back into the contest despite winning his share of the ends, scoring only singles and the odd two as the margin gradually increased.

A four on the 17th to Thiele allowed him to go on to win convincingly 23-12.

David Graham, Noel Kneebone, Cooper Galbraith and David Newell had a close battle with Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Stephen Gregory and Ron Van Tijn with the margin rarely extending beyond three shots either way.

After 18 ends the scores were locked away at 14 each, but Graham scored singles on each of the final three ends to prevail 17-14.

Jason Sipos, Matthew Wynne, Kerri Bolt and Garry Daniel and were convincing leaders most of the way through their match against David Kempe, Tom Towns, Ian Windebank and Todd McDonnell, but had to survive a late scare before prevailing 20-18.

Sipos won eight of the first 11 ends to lead 10-3 at the break, and three successive twos gave him a ten shot lead with four ends to play.

Kempe had won just five ends to this point, but was suddenly back in contention with the maximum eight on the 18th, to be just two adrift.

Sipos steadied with a one and a two to go to the last end five shots ahead.

Kempe scored three on the final end to make the final deficit just two shots, the result perhaps a little flattering considering Sipos had won twice the number of ends in total.

The completion of the first full cycle sees Murray Bridge clear at the top with four wins, while Jervois edge ahead of Tailem Bend on the back of their 3rd successive win.

Karoonda maintain a narrow lead over Mannum, who have now dropped three in a row.

RSL are still bottom, but with the return of the Kneebones' will fancy their chances of progressing.

Mathew blitzes field        

The man with two first names, Craig Mathew, gave no-one else a chance in Saturday's Stableford event when he scored a mighty 42 points in the windy and chilly conditions.

His incredible front nine haul of 24 points set his round up beautifully and he cruised to an easy victory.

The nuggety B grader barely made an error in a brilliant display of consistent golf and with more regular appearances on course would no doubt be competing with the A graders each weekend.           

It was refreshing to see some of the club's younger members finding the limelight with gifted teenager Cohen Naughton winning the A grade with 37 points; his good friend and playing partner Brayden Denman taking out the B grade with 39 points.            

It was a blowy old day with a wind chill factor of some significance as players' spirits were lifted once the 18th green came into sight for them.

Speaking of the wind if anyone who played a nice tee shot onto the long par three 2nd felt aggrieved at not winning the days NTP there feel free to take it up with the golf shop as the NTP sheet blew away and not to be found so that prize had to be deemed null and void.                   

Feelings ran high at the club mid afternoon when news filtered through that highly respected member Lloyd Norrish had passed away suddenly in hospital.

The club's flag was posted at half mast to honour the gentle, cheerful good natured member who wouldn't have had an enemy in the world.

Not only a talented regular competitor on course (very few golfers have holed in one the second at The Bridge like Lloydy had) but also a long time behind the scenes volunteer who gave up his time for the club on countless occasions.

Lloyd was also a brilliant footballer in his heyday both here in Murray Bridge for Ramblers and later in Darwin at a high level.

A nicer guy one would never meet; RIP Lloydy - we're all going to miss you.

First summer shoot in wet conditions for rifle club

Cold and occasionally wet conditions were the order of the day this Saturday as the Murray Bridge Rifle Club shot its first summer shoot from the earlier start time of 9am.

The 500 metre range saw some good shooting, not least of which came from Frank Marshall, whose 58.03 in his first round helped him to top off-rifle in F-Open with a score of 112.05.

Marshall’s score was also enough to easily claim the F-Class handicap win, five points clear of next placed Gordon Harrison, whose 110.05 was the top F-Standard score.

TR top spot went to centres, with Andrew Heard’s 97 with 11 v-bulls out doing Greg Traeger’s 97 with five.

Heard also claimed the handicap win ahead of Traeger and sporting shooter Mark Whittle, who finished on 96.10.

Shooting continues from the earlier time at 700m next Saturday.

Round four in the Murray Towns Cricket

Jervois 7/191 defeated Meningie 7/172

• Jervois best: Luke Zadow 42, John Zadow 2/21
• Meningie best: Kane Mason 69*, Tyson Bradley 2/21

Wanderers 10/171 defeated Ramblers 10/92

• Wanderers best: Kevin Young 38*, Bailey Matuhina 4/12
• Ramblers best: Brayden McDonald 29, a mystery fill-in got 6/30

Monarto 10/137 lost to Mypolonga 6/264

• Monarto best: Ty Pfeiffer 60, Connor Bailey 3/45
• Mypo best: Aaron Zrim 89, Riley Hagger 4/4

Tailem Bend 10/115 lost to Mannum 3/116

• Tailem best: Joshua van Piere 26, Toby Hollis 2/28
• Mannum best: Jesse Consalvo 47*, Jayden Krollig 4/9
• Monarto best: Harry Miles 4/11, Josh Mildwaters 80

Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.