Sports reports: Mark Sappenberghs shines in golf competition
Plus the latest scores in Lower Murray bowls and Murray Towns cricket.
This story includes contributions from Derek Vanderzon and Michael Potts. Email your sports reports to liana@murraybridge.news.
Easy win for Sappsy
Never-satisfied golfer Mark Sappenberghs has shown his class by easily winning Saturday's stroke competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club.
Known for his glass half empty and eternal "why can't I play better?" approach to his golf, even he would have deep down inside gained a modicum of satisfaction with his nett 63 round.
No, he no doubt would have left plenty of shots out there on the course and must do better next time.
Anyway, well played this time Sappsy.
Meanwhile, it was just another day at the office for Anthony Edwards, who chalked up a regulation eagle on the 12th hole.
Not so regulation for C grader Shayne Webley, who went driver then seven iron from 150 metres out on the par four 5th hole to force Anthony to share the $96 eagle's nest purse!
Monster hitting committeeman Luke Woods reported that he had a long range eagle putt ... on the par four 10th after taking the green on from the tee some 310 metres away!
That's a rare occurrence since the departure of renowned ball thumper James Brown some years ago, when he had to drop back to a three wood from his driver for fear of hitting over the back of the 10th green.
Anyway, Woodsy missed his putt for eagle so better luck next time.
Mannum leapfrog into second place in Lower Murray Bowls
After a poor start to the season, Mannum are beginning to gain some traction with a comprehensive away win over Murray Bridge, 74-49, leapfrogging Jervois and Murray Bridge into second place.
Leading the way for Mannum were David Kempe, Graham Leathers, Gary Odgers and Todd McDonnell, who staged a remarkable comeback to win 28-18 over Ben Traeger, Helen Lindner, Brian Traeger and Gerry Penta.
This would hardly have seemed possible when Traeger led 17-2 after nine ends and an easy win looked on the cards.
However things fell apart very quickly with Traeger adding just a solitary single over the last 12 ends.
Kempe piled on a further 26 shots, including the last 20 shots of the contest in a period of total domination.
Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Tony Gill and Ron Van Tijn were also impressive with a 27-16 win over Bruce Attrill, Mike Ferris, Andrew Meddle and Brian Leckie after a tight first half.
A four on the 13th end put McDonnell in front by one shot and was the catalyst for a run of 16 unanswered shots which ensured the win.
Attrill did not score again until the 19th end when the deficit was 13 shots and the result inevitable.
Gavin Pfeiffer, Tommy Towns, Steve Gregory and Ainsley Roberts would have been slightly nervous as Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Charlie DiSanto and Paul Smart clawed back an 11 shot deficit.
After 13 ends they reduced the margin to three shots with three ends remaining.
Pfeiffer steadied with a pair of singles to prevail 19-15 and complete the clean sweep.
RSL almost had a repeat of last fortnight's meltdown, but their 20-shot buffer after 18 ends across the board over Tailem Bend was enough to limp to a 63-59 win.
Jason Sipos, David Thiele, Kerri Bolt and Garry Daniel led comfortably throughout against Travis Schenke, Merv Stevens, Kevin McDonald and Grantley Byrne to win 19-13.
Schenke won the last three ends, but three singles were not enough.
Noel Kneebone, Ann-Marie Kuchel, Matthew Wynne and David Newell were seemingly coasting to an easy win over Duane Edwards, Michael Thorne, Ian Shepherd and Christopher Slattery when they surged to a 19-7 lead after 18 ends.
Edwards had dropped five ends in a row at this point, but out of the blue secured an eight to more than double his score to 15.
Kneebone scored one on the following end, giving him a five shot buffer going into the final end.
He needed all of them as Edwards scored a four to go down 20-19 narrowly missing pulling off a remarkable win.
David Hoare, Rob Hales, Con Jones and Stuart Rooke gained two points for Tailem with a 27-24 win over David Graham, Karen Kneebone, Sam Mammone and Bob Solley.
Graham recovered from a slow start, turning an eight shot deficit after nine ends into a six shot lead after the 16th end, but once again was overrun as Hoare added ten shots to one, to clinch the win.
Karoonda ended their run of two losses with a narrow 64-62 win over Jervois at Jervois, mainly due to a masterful performance from Josh Porker with a 31-11 win.
Porker, Malcolm Waechter, Erin O’Malley and John Wegner were up 8-0 over Kevin Spinks, Tim Hicks, Derek Vanderzon and Graham Schenke before a brief rally reduced the margin to one shot.
Porker then took over with a string of conversions and adding shots at will to cruise to the easiest of wins.
Ian Symonds, Garry Mason, Malcolm McKenzie and Bill Cornish were one shot winners over a fast finishing Shawn Hicks, Graham Fromm, Bruce Smith and Shane Fromm, 18-17.
Symonds had led 17-9 but could add only a further single over the final six ends as Hicks ran out of ends.
Graeme Herbert, Jeremy Scannell, Denis Hicks and Neil Morris were off to a great start with a six on the 2nd end to dominate over Rowan Zadow, Gary Zadow, Colin Borman and James Boughen and lead 16-3 after just six ends.
The margin blew out to 23 shots as Herbert added two fives, but Zadow managed to halt the carnage late, adding four shots over the last three ends to lose 34-19.
Remarkably, Zadow had won 11 ends to 10, despite the 15-shot losing margin.
The Bend confirms Superbike Championship 2025 Grand Finale
The Bend’s prized slot as the final, high stakes round in the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) will continue into 2025.
The Grand Finale will be held from November 7-9 at the Tailem Bend circuit for the fifth year.
In this period where the likes of grand prix riders Jack Miller, Senna Agius and Joel Kelso have all competed, as well as Aussie world endurance champion Josh Hook and German international Marcel Schrötter.
However, even the might of the cameo cadre hasn’t been able to bring the locals down a peg, with Troy Herfoss having been the dominant rider at The Bend since 2021 with four wins to his credit.
Herfoss also wrapped up the Superbike title at the 4.95km circuit in 2023, while Wayne Maxwell (2021), Mike Jones (2022) and Josh Waters (2024) have also been crowned at The Bend in the premier class.
Based on the thrilling precedents, the 2025 Grand Finale is also likely to enjoy cliff-hanger status.
Motorcycling Australia CEO, Peter Doyle said the Bend has become synonymous for the Grand Finale.
“It’s the perfect venue, too: a spectacular chain of fast and challenging turns places a real premium on setup and race craft."
“It’s a facility that brings out the best in the ASBK Championship, and we’re delighted to be returning in 2025.”
Bears, Kookas and Tigers record big wins
Meningie 1/130 defeated Tailem Bend 10/127
- Meningie best: Cameron Reid 63*, Oliver Crossman 3/17, Jai Williss 3/21
- Tailem Best: Paul Baxter 38, Toby Hollis 1/35
Mannum 8/162 defeated Monarto 10/70
- Mannum best: Josh Boylan 103, Kieren Hancock 3/11
- Monarto best: Cohen Schubert 17, Lithmin Thenuka 2/37, Josh Mildwaters 2/28
Wanderers 9/136 lost to Mypolonga 9/211
- Wanderers best: Steven Baltussen 29, Craig Fidge 3/37, Jake Rogers 3/26
- Mypo best: Stephen Mills 50, Samuel Elliott 3/14
