Sports reports: Murray Bridge trainers win at races across the state

This story includes contributions from Derek Vanderzon, Michael Potts and Daniel Irvine.

Murray Bridge trainers had a great day out last Wednesday, winning six of the eight races at Balaklava, including both winners of the dead heat in race four.

At Balaklava Racing Club, Murraylands horses were able to take out a prize during their races, including: 

• Kayla Crowther won on the Gary Royce-trained horse, Punchin
• Caitlin Jones won on the Sarah Rutten-trained horse, Obi
• Alysha Warren won on the Matthew Seyers-trained horse, In Love
• Connor Murtagh won on the Roslyn Day-trained horse, Pricilla's Choice
• Campbell Rawiller won on the Garret Lynch-trained horse, Greatestofease
• Jason Holder won on the Stephen Theodore-trained horse, Broadway Dancer 
• Sairyn Fawke won on the Garret Lynch-trained horse, Melodia Legend

Wellington and Murray Bridge trainers also won at Strathalbyn on Sunday, including:

• Artillery ridden by Todd Pannell and trained by Michael Hickmott
• Oldpop ridden by Jason Holder and trained by Grant Young

Murray Bridge extend their lead in Lower Murray bowls comp

Murray Bridge have extended their lead at the top with a 10-shot win over RSL, two rinks up at home.

Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart continued on their winning run with a routine 27-18 win over david Graham, Noel Kneebone, Cooper Galbraith and David Newell.

A 15-2 lead after eight ends threatened to become a rout, but when Graham did score it was all in multiples, and he managed to reduce the deficit to seven shots with two ends to go.

McIntosh quickly extinguished the challenge with a four before conceding two on the final end.

Andrew Stasinowsky, Brian Traeger, Helen Lindner and Ben Traeger were 30-21 winners over David Thiele, Karen Kneebone, Brenton Sinclair and Gillian Newell despite winning just ten ends. 

Thiele scored the first four shots, but things turned sour very quickly when Staz picked up a five, a four and a six over the next four ends to take a nine shot lead.

Thiele reduced the lead with a four, and with another four on the 14th had suddenly tied the scores with momentum on his side.

But his hopes were shattered the next end when Staz scored a seven, deflating the opposition and effectively killing the contest as he cruised home for the win.

Jason Sipos, Matt Wynne, Michael Walker and Gary Daniel salvaged two points for RSL with a late flourish to hold off Aaron Jones, Bruce Attrill, Charlie DiSanto and Brian Leckie.

Sipos held the advantage through most of the contest, winning ten of the first 14 ends to lead 16-8.

But four ends later the scores were level as Jones added three, one, three and one.

The response was equally as emphatic as Sipos responded with two, two and a four on the final end to win 24-16.

Mannum have rejoined the winners list with a solid 62-53 win over Jervois, collecting 11 points in their home win.

A fast start for David Kempe, Ron Van Tijn, Graham Leathers and Todd McDonnell saw them out to a 22-7 lead over Shawn Hicks, Heather Fromm, Bruce Smith and Neil Morris at the break, and they maintained that margin in coasting to a 30-15 win.

Two five's and a four in the first nine ends ensured they would never be seriously challenged in a good team performance.

Gavin Pfeiffer, Tom Towns, Graham Wakefield and Colin Campion overcame a slowish start to overwhelm Graeme Herbert, Jeremy Scannell, Shane Fromm and Stuart McCulloch 22-18.

Herbert led 7-4 after right ends, but did not score again until the 15th end, by which time Pfeiffer had advanced his score to 18 with an 11 shot lead.

Herbert struck back with a pair of four's to trail by three going into the final end, but ultimately fell short.

Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Ian Windebank and debutant Chad Spooner had to settle for a draw with Derek Vanderzon, Tim Hicks, Graham Schenke and Graham Fromm.

Vanderzon fell behind early, but recovered to lead 12-7 at the break, only to drop a five and a three immediately upon the resumption.

An errant but fortuitous drive levelled the scores at 17 apiece after 17 ends, before a great save by McDonnell saw him go to the final end two shots clear.

The visitors won the closest of measures for a second shot on the final end to secure a draw.

Murray Bridge course tamed by rampaging golfers

Perfect weather and a tee forwarded par competition combined to give golfers the advantage at the Bridge on the weekend and, boy, did those players grab that advantage with both hands.

Scores were through the roof, none moreso than that returned by Gavin Thoman who won the day with an eight up!

If you reckon that was a crazy good score, just try to imagine what was going through his head as he stood on the 10th tee.

Having just reeled off eight pars and a bogey for a running total of eight up he now faced the easier back nine.

What sort of final total was he about to return?

Of course with the recent adjustment of hole indexes Thoman's 13 handicap gave him nine shots on the front nine but "only" four on the back, so he faced a challenge to maintain that sort of rage.

As it turned out he stayed even for the final nine and ended the day with a total of eight up in a super display of golf which set tongues wagging.

Thoman doesn't play much these days but he was a club champion in his heyday and played off a low single-figure handicap, so the talent is still there and it bubbled back to the surface on Saturday.

The scoreboard took shape throughout the day and it soon became obvious one needed a score better than one's handicap to get anywhere near a prize.

Lachlan Thomas, with a stunning seven up, must surely have felt aggrieved to have only won the C grade.

Nigel Merchant and his five up could only be runner-up to him.

Teen whiz Oakley Edwards had a day out to plunder a six up and win the B grade in probably his last round there before entering the big league of A grade and a chance to take on dad Anthony from now on.

The red hot Keith Durham won A grade with three up and Dave Lewis led up the placegetters with a four up if you don't mind.

It was that sort of day.

Apparently there is no truth to the rumour that course superintendent Brandon, enraged by all of the good scores, called an emergency grounds meeting for Sunday morning to formulate a plan to get the course back on top of the golfers.

Still, we'll see what happens at this Saturday's Stableford event.

Meanwhile:

• Deane Pannell was pondering a difficult-looking bunker shot from hard-looking sand on the 18th when a passing player reminded him that he could lift, rake and replace his ball before playing his shot. "Thanks very much," said Deane, "but I know best"; he then proceeded to pick the ball up clean from the hard ground with his sand wedge ... and roll it straight into the hole for a wìn. Only a club champion could do that, C grade or not.
• No prizes for guessing who won the day's pro comp after it was declared on the best front or back nine. Eight up must surely be a record.
• Special mention must go to "Nifty" Neville Briggs, who has recently bravely returned from a debilitating illness to compete in the comps once again. Finding it tough to get into the winners list, he decided to show everyone how it was done on the long par three fifth when he pulled out his driver and put his tee shot nearest to the pin for a prize and a bit of glory.

Whittle outwits the rest in Murray Bridge's rifle club

Early morning starts continued at the Deed Range in Monarto as the Murray Bridge Rifle Club continued its championship season from 700 metres.

The morning saw cooler conditions once again but also saw several very good scores across the classes.

Leading the way was Mark Whittle in sporting, who scored a very strong double possible, landing 100.12 over his two rounds.

Not far behind him were Rob Paech (TR) and Mark Nesti (FO) who were both only one-off, with a 99.13 and a 119.13 respectively.

Whittle’s double was enough to edge out Paech in TR/SP Handicap category, by 0.4 points, while Nesti’s score gave him an almost five-point lead ahead of next placed Frank Marshall in F-Class.

Ken Lynn was the only shooter unlucky enough to score a magpie for the day in F-Open.

Next week shooters will be tested from the maximum range of 1000 yards.

Wanderers remain on top after round five of Murray Towns cricket

Mannum 7/237 defeated Monarto 8/129

• Mannum best: Josh Boylan 66, Kieren Hancock 3/19
• Monarto best: Ty Pfeiffer 32, John Watkins 32, Lithmin Thenuka 2/44

Mypolonga 8/160 lost to Ramblers 4/163

• Mypo best: Thomas Wurfel 64, Samuel Elliott 3/37
• Ramblers best: Riley Vanson 60*, Tristin Callery 2/23

Meningie 10/57 lost to Wanderers 7/269

• Meningie best: Cameron Reid 11, James Little 11, Paul McNicol 2/58
• Wanderers best: Craig Fidge 90, Craig Fidge 5/21

Jervois 10/131 lost to Tailem Bend 10/162

• Jervois best: Theo Rimmer 50, Camron Jorgensen 3/28
• Tailem best: Umesh Badu 44, Tyler White 3/40

Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.