Sports reports: Deane Pannell blitzes the back nine

This story includes contributions from Michael Potts and Derek Vanderzon. Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.

Local JP and marriage celebrant Tom Haig has taken Saturday’s honours in winning a Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club with a superb 40-point round.

Always very steady, he kept it all together to narrowly pip several other players for the top prize.

Never one to boast, Haig just goes about his business with a minimum of fuss, albeit with an occasional Scottish joke thrown into the conversation.

The other highlight on the day was the stunning back nine played by reigning C-grade champion Deane Pannell.

A 25-point blitz more than made up for his meagre tally of 13 points on the front nine to win him the day’s pro comp and get him into the runner-up position in C grade.

Unlike Haig, Pannell needs no prompting when it comes to talking about his round and how well or poorly he played.

Mannum upsets Jervois in Lower Murray bowls

Meanwhile, Mannum have recorded their first win and inflicted Jervois’ first loss of the Lower Murray bowls season, while Murray Bridge have also registered their first win.

At Jervois, the visitors dominated the closing stages, winning 11 of the last 12 ends across the three rinks to turn a four-shot deficit into a 12-shot win.

David Kempe, Graham Leathers, Peter Wegner and John McDiarmid had had a poor start to the season, but scored a relatively easy 22-10 win over Graeme Herbert, Daryl Little, Jeremy Scannell and Neil Morris.

Herbert remained well in touch through the first half and trailed by just two after 13 ends, but failed to score again as Kempe rattled off the last eight ends in succession.

Although mostly scoring in singles, it was a dominating win.

Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Tony Gill and Ron Van Tijn managed to eke out a two-shot win over Kevin Spinks, Graham Schenke, Russell Shutz and Shane Fromm despite winning just nine ends.

Spinks led by five shots on several occasions but, after dropping a three and a four in successive ends, was suddenly two down with two ends to go.

He levelled the scores going into the final end, but a two to McDonnell gave him the win.

Shawn Hicks, Graham Fromm, Tim Hicks and Grace Hameister scored two points for the home side with a 19-17 win over Gavin Pfeiffer, Tom Towns, Stephen Gregory and Ainsley Roberts.

They would have been disappointed, however, to drop the last four ends and allow the margin to slip from nine shots to just two, and concede 12 ends in the process.

Murrray Bridge coasted to a 22-shot win over RSL to open their account after a slow start to the season.

Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Charlie DiSanto and Paul Smart easily accounted for Jason Sipos, David Thiele, Kerri Bolt and Garry Daniel, 21-11.

McIntosh trailed 1-4 after five ends, but added 18 shots to one over the next nine ends to assume control.

Sipos had the better of the final seven ends but the damage was already done.

Ben Traeger, Helen Lindner, Brian Traeger and Gerry Penta had a strong finish to overcome Karen Kneebone, Sam Mammone, Allan Wooldridge and Anne-Marie Kuchel 26-18.

Trailing by a shot after 15 ends, a four propelled Traeger into the lead, and seven shots to nil over the final three ends ensured the win.

Bruce Attrill, Andrew Meddle, Bob Johnson and Brian Leckie drew 16-all with Noel Kneebone, Bob Solley, Matt Wynne and David Newell on the last rink.

Neither side could break clear until Kneebone scored successive threes and a single to go four clear with two ends to go, but Traeger finished with a pair of twos to force the tie.

Karoonda remain the only unbeaten side after defeating Tailem Bend 62-53.

Ian Symonds, Garry Mason, Malcolm McKenzie and Bill Cornish were 25-19 winners over David Hoare, Rob Hales, Chris Slattery and Ian Shepherd.

Josh Porker, Malcolm Waechter, Erin O’Malley and John Wegner prevailed 20-14 over Michael Thorpe, Steve Gordge, Stuart Rooke and Con Jones.

Tailem Bend secured two points when Travis Schenke, Merv Stevens, Kevin McDonald and Grantley Byrne downed Rowan Zadow, Gary Zadow, Ivan Silcock and Don Loller 20-17.

Mannum’s Zak Muirhead makes a quickfire double ton

Mannum 8/295 defeated Monarto 81

• Mannum best: Zak Muirhead 213*, Jayden Krollig 3/6, Blake Weber 3/19
• Monarto best: William Hunter 2/31, Riley Franke 29

Meningie 9/187 defeated Tailem Bend 130

• Meningie best: Tom Rankine 55, John Zadow 3/15
• Tailem Bend best: Tyler White 3/28, Lucas Piggott 68

Mypolonga 5/216 defeated Wanderers 98

• Mypolonga best: Shannon Callery 60, Samuel Elliott 4/14, Lachlan Zrim 3/15
• Wanderers best: Ben Gilgen 2/2, Stuart Bartlett 40