Sports Reports: Marsters makes it six in a row at Murray Bridge Golf Club

This post includes contributions from Murray Bridge Golf Club, the River Murray Netball Association, the River Murray Football League, Heather Richards, Daniel Irvine and Phil McGee.

Sunday provided the perfect scenario for a successful championship final at Murray Bridge Golf Club.

Some outstanding golf was played by all players on a well presented course, thanks to the hard work of ground staff and the expertise of newly appointed grounds superintendent Tim Harvie.

The women’s championship final was a great match between current five-time champion Armani Marsters and Deb Christie, who was runner-up last year.

The match resulted in a mixture of leading gaps and square encounters, and ended up going right down to the wire, the 36th hole, where Marsters finally took out the championship – one-up - for her sixth successive year.

Not a bad effort for a 16-year-old.

Commiserations to Christie, who put up a gallant fight to the end.

The men’s championship was also a great match between Aaron Zrim, after his first six months back into golf in 10 or more years, and past winner Jeff Morgan.

Again many great – and some not-so-great – shots were played, but Zrim eventually took out the honours on the 35th hole with a final score of 2/1.

Commiserations to Morgan, who put pressure on all the way.

Winners and runners-up of the other grades were as follows:

• Women’s B grade: Mary Langsford 2/1 over Asia Marsters
• Women’s C grade: Kathy Pfeiffer 3/2 over Lyn Pitcher
• Men’s B grade: Rod Thoman 6/5 over Kayne Rigby
• Men’s C grade: Graham Edwards 2/1 over Malcolm Blight
• Men’s vets: Lloyd Norrish one-up over Phil O’Malley

The annual championships were held earlier this year, with the view to get away from the cold, wintery months of July and August.

Jervois wins nailbiter in A grade River Murray netball

Jervois 50 defeated Ramblers 49

Mypolonga 47 defeated Tailem Bend 29

The game started in fine, warm conditions after Mypolonga had celebrated 100 senior games for Georgia Steinert and welcomed back Kara Martin from maternity leave.

Martin celebrated her return by sinking the first two goals of the game.

Mypo’s defensive pressure was a feature of the first quarter, leading to a couple of turnovers in Tailem’s attacking end.

Tailem’s Mel Edwards scored some long shots to keep Tailem in touch at 14-7.

Both teams went into the second unchanged and, after a few unsettled minutes, the game broke open somewhat with Mypo’s Altmann, Horsnell and Thomas combining well in the midcourt to provide drive and voice to the team.

Maddaford continued her accuracy and was fed well by WA Lucinda Howell.

Mypolonga combined well as a team this week, even with new combinations on court, and they backed each other when things got difficult.

Taylah Edwards worked hard on Altmann, and there was a good battle between Mypo WA Stacey Kempe and Tailem WD Matilda Hughes, with Kempe having to work hard to hit the circle edge.

At half time the score was Mypo 29-16.

Both teams made changes going into the third; there were some tired bodies due to the heat and turnovers at all points of the court, and goalies for both teams had misses due to tight circle defence.

Mypo’s Steinert exerted great effort and skill in effecting two critical intercepts.

Mypo were not as free-scoring, as they were unsettled by the defensive efforts of Tailem’s circle defenders Demi Jenner and Kendall Pickering, but they were able to take a 36-22 lead into the last break.

In the fourth quarter, fatigue settled in, accuracy dropped and turnovers increased, but the game was still of a high standard with Mypo GK Kate Tucker reading the ball really well and youngster Sienna Daniel making her A grade debut and scoring her first A grade goal.

Imps stay on top in River Murray Football League’s A grade

Imperials 11.5 (71) defeated Meningie 10.8 (68)

Imperial best players: Nathan Daish, Angus Day, Clint Diment, Sean Samblich, James Clarke. Goals: Sam DeMichele 3, John Boras, Aiden Morrell 2, Ryan Farnham, Clint Diment, Sean Samblich, Jacob Rance.

Meningie best players: Henry Turner, Mark Ploenges, Brad Thompson, Jack Holliday, Dylan Biggins.

Jervois 13.16 (94) defeated Ramblers 8.8 (56)

Jervois best players: Hayden Schulz, Ryan McKaye, Will Farrer, Casey Robins, Luke Kluske. Goals: Will Farrer 5, Peter Zarantonello 3, Zane Barry 2, Ryan McKaye, Owen Love, Hayden Schulz.

Rambler best players: Keynan Harradine, Andrew Holland, Alex Pfeiffer, Max Marchetti, Riley Vanson. Goals: Keynan Harradine 4, Shannon Callery 3, Nelson Miller 1.

Tailem Bend 15.6 (96) defeated Mypolonga 11.10 (76)

Tailem Bend best players: Keelan White, Nick Westhoff, Connor Smelt, Jacob Wilson, Harry Porter. Goals: Keelan White, Jacob Wilson 3, Steven Clay, Connor Smelt 2, Callum Thomas, Charlie Fisher, Dylan Hogarth, Ben Rossi 1, unnamed 1.

Mypolonga best players: Regan Gotch, Stephen Mills, Clark Stegmeyer, Jack Wilkins, Scott Anderson. Goals: Stephen Mills 4, Sam Elliott, Jack Wilkins, Riley Walton, Lochlan Gotch, Timothy Atkins, Regan Gotch, Clark Stegmeyer 1.

Tennis veterans compete in the Riverland

Local tennis enthusiasts have ventured to the Riverland for the 34th South Australian veterans’ Berri teams carnival over the weekend of May 14-16.

Three women’s and one men’s team competed in various age groups, with two other local players joining regular teammates in a couple of other teams, while many supporters watched on with interest.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, with morning and afternoon matches played on either Berri, Loxton, Barmera, or Renmark courts.

Volunteers organised the draw, worked in the canteen, prepared the courts and ran the event, supported by Tennis SA.

From all of the 89 teams that entered from around the country, the four Murray Bridge teams finished up with two as winners, and two as runners-up.

The event is always held on the weekend after Mother’s Day.

Contact your local vets or seniors tennis group for more info.

Rifle club

Cold but fine conditions have greeted competitors from Mount Barker and Murray Bridge Rifle Clubs as they gathered at the Mount Barker range to compete in the second stage of the DRA Championship on Saturday.

This stage was contested across 700 and 600 yards.

The conditions proved somewhat difficult for shooters, as the northward facing range meant that the targets were cast into shadow from the hill behind them while shooters’ sights caught the glare from the sun.

Added to the normal challenge of reading the wind across the gully, it made for an interesting shoot.

Excelling in target rifle was Mount Barker club captain Graham Hancock, whose 49.03 allowed him to finish on 95.04, win B grade and claim the top off-rifle score for the day.

Darryl Pink continued his excellent form in DRA shoots, claiming the top F-standard score of 115.07, including a 58.05 in his second round.

The only possibles for the day come from the sporting and hunter and F-open classes.

In FHS, Loui Burke made up the two points he was trailing from Mark DeLaine in the first round and then some with his second-round possible of 50.06 to win the class, 97.10 to 95.08.

In F-open, Tim Manning’s second-round possible of 60.05 was not quite enough to catch Rob Mitchell’s consistent 59.04 and 58.03; Manning finished a point behind.

The next round of the competition will be hosted by Murray Bridge at the Monarto Shooting Complex later in the year.

Murraylands’ Bill Robinson places third in Mount Gambier

With very welcome unseasonal weather, Mount Gambier provided a perfect backdrop for the 85th 100-Mile Classic, with sunny, mild days offering near-perfect riding conditions for all those competing.

Murraylands Cycling Club member Bill Robinson had an outstanding performance, finishing in third place from a hard-charging breakaway winner in Arturs Markovs and second place-getter Cadel Howie.

Robinson started in the second limit group of 17 riders that included Markovs and 2016 winner Matthew Opperman, 13 minutes behind limit.

With a nice tail wind heading toward Millicent, Robinson’s group was able to average speeds of 40-50 kilometres per hour, helping them to catch the front group a few kilometres before the start of the Range Hill.

From there the combined group was able to hold off the fast-charging groups from behind all the way to the second feed station, at the 107km mark, alongside the Mount Gambier Golf Club.

While most riders slowed to pick up bottles and take on more food, Markovs cruised straight through and sprinted off towards Port MacDonnell, leaving a lot of the riders unaware of his breakaway.

With a lot of indecision among riders as to who was going to take turns or put in an effort to try to catch the leaders on the trip back to Mount Gambier, Robinson decided to go for it and was able to hold off the chasing pack for third.

Club president Jason Woodard, starting in the second scratch group 32 minutes after Robinson’s group, put in a stellar effort to average just under 45km/h for the whole 160km race and come across the finish line in the large chasing group not far behind Robinson.

On Sunday the duo competed in their respective classes of the SA State Kermesse Championships.

In beautiful conditions Robsinon held his own in the men’s C grade for the full 50 minutes plus two laps, only to see it all unravel in the final sprint to the finish line when his chain started jumping the rear cassette.

Woodard, competing in the men’s SA Kermesse Championship, the premier and last event for the day, put in a super effort to stay with the main bunch but just couldn’t reel in a breakaway group of four riders which produced the eventual winner, Lucas Hoffman.

• More information: www.murraylandscc.org.au.

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