Sports reports: Red hot golfer Lucas Merchant stars again
Plus the latest scores in Lower Murray bowls, rifle shooting and Murray Towns cricket.
This story includes contributions from Daniel Irvine, Derek Vanderzon and Michael Potts. Email your sports reports to liana@murraybridge.news.
Personable young local member Lucas Merchant is on a serious run of good form and he was at it again in Saturday's Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club.
Blasting out a brilliant 43-point round, he finished comfortably clear of the other 50 competitors.
With the predicted stormy weather keeping many players away Merchant reveled in the ideal conditions served up by mother nature.
Just getting in the groove and keeping out of trouble the points just kept rolling in as he recorded a PB round of 76 off the stick.
It was another day for high scores, with the unpredictable Michael Broadley coming in second after finding his mojo and chalking up 41 points.
Another red-hot golfer, Anthony Edwards, was up there again too in third place with 41 points as he continues his charge down the handicaps.
In the placegetters, Wayne Duthie deserves mention after winning Wednesday's mid week competition with a stunning 44 points: 72 off the stick at 72 years of age.
Forward three days and he played to his new 11 handicap with 36 points.
There is plenty of life left in this old dog.
Murray Bridge ends Karoonda's unbeaten run in LMBA
Karoonda have been all but unbeatable at home, but were brought undone by Murray Bridge who triumphed by five shots, 64-59.
Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Charlie DiSanto and Paul Smart won by four shots over Gary Zadow, Len Symonds, Jayden Turner and James Boughen in a match which was low scoring in the first half, but fluctuated much more after the break.
McIntosh obviously enjoyed his half time beer, adding seven shots in two ends to extend a two shot margin out to nine, but Zadow then took the next four ends to bring the difference back to two.
McIntosh immediately responded again with a four, and this was to be the final margin.
Ben Traeger, Helen Lindner, Brian Taeger and Gerry Penta had a strong first half, opening up a ten shot lead over Ian Symonds, Garry Mason, Malcolm McKenzie and Bill Cornish after eight ends.
They managed to keep the locals at arms length for the remainder of the contest before winning 24-20.
Josh Porker, Malcolm Waechter, Erin O'Malley and John Wegner salvaged two points with a 22-19 win over Bruce Attrill, Mike Ferris, Andrew Meddle and Brian Leckie.
Attrill was well on top early, and led 12-3 after eight ends.
Porker had edged ahead by the 15th end, only to drop a three to fall two behind the next end.
Porker emphatically responded with a five, giving him the crucial break and an eventual three shot win.
Jervois' Graeme Herbert, Tim Hicks, Jeremy Scannell and Neil Morris led the way for with a 25-14 win over Michael Thorne, Steve Gordge, Kylie Slattery and Ian Shepherd from Tailem Bend.
Thorne had the first six shots on the board over the opening three ends, but once Herbert got going he was quickly in control, reeling off the next six ends to be up 11-6.
Thorne clawed back three shots by the break, but Herbert once again assumed control with another 11 shots in succession to lead 22-9 after 16 ends, going on to prevail 23-14.
Travis Schenke, Merv Stevens, Kevin McDonald and Grantley Byrne won a fluctuating contest over Shawn Hicks, Graham Fromm, Bruce Smith and Shane Fromm 20-18.
Hicks had the better of the opening half, but after briefly losing the lead after 13 ends, responded well with three successive 2's to lead by four shots after 16.
A four to Schenke regained him the lead but this was immediately relinquished before he again edged ahead by one shot going into the last end.
A single to Schenke then secured the win.
David Hoare, Rob Hales, Chris Slattery and Stuart Rooke broke through for their rinks first win of the season with a 20-14 triumph over Kevin Spinks, Graham Schenke, Denis Hicks and Grace Hameister.
Hoare dominated throughout, but only had eight shots on the board with eight singles in a row to start the match.
The margin was out to ten shots after 12 ends, but Spinks closed to within five shots after picking up a four with four ends to go.
Three more singles to Hoare saw him safely home, but he would have been disappointed with the margin given winning double the number of ends.
The real drama of the day was at Mannum, where the home side entered the last end trailing by 11 shots across the board and seemingly well beaten, but somehow conjured 13 shots to condemn a reeling RSL to a demoralising loss.
Gavin Pfeiffer, Tom Towns, Steve Gregory and Ainsley Roberts won 26-20 over David Graham, Karen Kneebone, Bob Solley and Sam Mammone.
A six on the tenth end had Pfeiffer in command, 14-5, but a four and a two either side of the break quickly closed the gap to three shots.
By the 16th end the margin was down to one shot with Graham picking up a four, and although this grew to five shots it was down to one again going into the final end.
At this point RSL were well in the mix for 12 points, but a five to Pfeiffer secured the points for Mannum.
Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Tony Gill and Ron van Tijn were already ten shots down after five ends against Jason Sipos, David Thiele, Kerri Bolt and Garry Daniel, and 10 ends later had made no inroads.
Four ends in a row to McDonnell then reduced the margin to five, but a single on the 20th to Sipos all but secured the win... or so it seemed.
A six to McDonnell not only tied the rink at 21 all, but suddenly had Mannum on the verge of an extra six points.
Noel Kneebone, Ann-Marie Kuchel, Matthew Wynne and David Newell were 21-16 winners over David Kempe, Graham Leathers, Gary Odgers and Todd McDonnell, with a five on the opening end proving to be the difference with Kempe unable to bridge the gap.
But a two to Kempe on the final end would have felt as good as a win in the context of the overall result, with Mannum prevailing 63-62 and collecting nine points.
John Cranwell sets season high in muggy championship round
Shooters competed in muggy conditions on Saturday as members of the Murray Bridge Rifle Club competed in round 13 of the Club Championship from 600 metres.
The weather while mostly readable, held enough of a challenge to keep shooters honest.
Finding no problems with the weather on the day was John Cranwell, who shot a double possible 120.14, to well and truly win both off-rifle and handicap in F-Class, but also to go top of the leaderboard by posting the highest score shot so far this season, knocking off the previous best by a single centre.
The rest of the pack on the day was reasonably close in F-Class, with Frank Marshall finishing with 109.05, ahead of Gordon Harrison’s 108.05 and Peter Byass’ 105.04.
It was tight at the top in TR as well, with Robert Paech’s pair of 49s for a 98.07, helping him win off-rifle, two points ahead of Andrew Heard.
Heard however, just edged Paech's out in the handicap, winning 107.1 to 107.0.
Jasamine Irvine was a little further afield, but did not finish the day empty handed, claiming the Magpie Award, with the only bird shot for the day.
Shooters will gather next week for a fun shoot and a Christmas celebration.
Mypolonga smash Monarto out of the park
Tailem Bend 8/151 lost to Mannum 3/152
- Tailem best: Umesh Badu 39, Isaac Kennett 2/31
- Mannum best: Nick Lindner 50*, Riley Gladigau 3/13
Monarto 7/134 lost to Mypolonga 7/221
- Monarto best: Daniel Matthews 31, Lithmin Thenuka 2/44, Harry Miles 2/28, Josh Mildwaters 2/35
- Mypo best: Stephen Mills 64, Aaron Zrim 2/21, Riley Walton 2/19, Jordan Hein 2/18
Meningie 95 lost to Wanderers 2/96
- Meningie best: Chris Taarnby 25, Tyson Bradley 2/28
- Wanderers best: Craig Fidge 38*, Jalen Kowalick 2/11, Jamie Moore 2/16, Braden Gregory 2/11, Bailey Matuhina 2/12
