Sports reports: Region Six men take out country round robin
Plus the latest in rifle shooting, darts, golf and more.
This story includes contributions from Michael Potts, Derek Vanderzon, Noel Kneebone and Daniel Irvine.
A huge congratulations to Region Six, comprising members from the Lower Murray Bowls Association, on their recent win at the Country Round Robin Championships at Marion Bowls Club.
Their last title was won more than 10 years ago, in 2015.
Competitor Noel Kneebone was also a member of the victorious 2015 team.
"It’s a tough competition with some of the elite bowlers in our state playing," Kneebone said.
"To represent our Murray Bridge RSL Bowling Club, our association and region is a privilege.
"To win it is tough and most rewarding as a team."
Karoonda upsets Tailem in race for the double chance
Meanwhile, bottom side Karoonda have upset Tailem Bend to throw the battle for second spot and the coveted double chance wide open in Lower Murray bowls with two rounds remaining.
Jervois sit 13 points clear of both Tailem Bend and Mannum, but face top side Murray Bridge before finishing the minor round against Tailem Bend, at Tailem.
Mannum have two home games, against bottom sides RSL and Karoonda, and would fancy their chances of making up the difference to overhaul both Tailem Bend and Jervois, while Tailem cannot afford a slip up against RSL next week at RSL.
Erin O'Malley, Garry Mason, Damon Fromm and Malcolm Waechter did all the damage early against Travis Schenke, Rob Hales, Steve Gordge and Matt Kowald, racing out to a 13-0 lead after opening with a four and taking the first six ends.
Schenke responded with three ends in a row, but they were all singles, and he again trailled by 13 shots at the break.
A better second half closed the gap to eight shots, but O'Malley finished better and finished on top 22-10.
Ian Symonds, Belinda O'Malley, Tarryn Turner and John Wegner also started well in beating Duane Edwards, Merv Stevens, Con Jones and Bernaud Naulty 22-16.
Symonds won 10 of the first 12 ends and was in complete control with a 16-2 lead before a remarkable turnaround.
When Edwards picked up a six just four ends later, the margin was down to a single shot and the visitors looked like storming home after scores of three, two, two and six in succession.
But the revival fizzed out just as quickly, Edwards added just one more shot as Symonds won four of the last five ends for a six-shot win.
Sam Shepherd, David Hoare, Keith Wood and Glenda Shepherd secured two points for Tailem with a 23-15 win, but a late charge from Rowan Zadow, Len Symonds, Jayden Turner and Raelene Niarana was crucial in giving Karoonda the overall win.
Shepherd steadily built on a solid start and led 23-9 after 17 ends, but Zadow won the last four ends in adding six shots as Karoonda stormed home by 10 shots across the three rinks.
At Jervois the visiting RSL side put up plenty of resistance before going down by seven shots, 58-51.
Graeme Herbert, Derek Vanderzon, Shane Fromm and Neil Morris eventually shook off David Thiele, David Newell, Phil McNamara and Phil Day 22-15, despite conceding 12 ends.
Herbert led narrowly most of the contest, but Thiele edged ahead by a shot after collecting his fourth single in a row on the 17th end.
A five to Herbert restored the lead, and he went on to win by seven.
Six ends in a row to Shawn Hicks, Heather Fromm, Tim Hicks and Grace Hameister set up an 11-shot lead for them against Jason Sipos, David Graham, Anthony Wilkin and Garry Daniel with just two ends to go, but Sipos finished with a pair of threes to reduce the final margin to five shots, 22-17.
After trailing for most of the day, Noel Kneebone, Max Wilkin, Steve McNamara and Kerri Bolt overran Jeremy Scannell, Graham Fromm, Graham Schenke and Stuart McCulloch 19-14, inflicting Scannell's first loss as skipper.
A five to Scannell on the eighth end was the only substantial score of the game, with the rest being ones and twos to either side.
Kneebone dominated in the last half, winning eight of the last nine ends for a five-shot win.
At Murray Bridge the home side had little trouble in dispatching Mannum, winning 80-49 on all rinks.
Despite dropping a four on the first end, Andrew Stasinowsky, Brian Traeger, Helen Lindner and Ben Traeger were convincing 14-shot winners over David Kempe, Graham Leathers, Stephen Gregory and Peter Wegner, 33-19.
Three fives and a four to Stasinowsky kept his score ticking over, and he led by as much as 19 shots before a late rally by Kempe won him five of the last six ends and added a further 10 shots.
Bruce Attrill, Aaron Jones, Judy Zadow and Brian Leckie led from start to finish in a comprehensive 22-11 win over Gavin Pfeiffer, Tom Towns, Ian Windebank and Colin Campion.
Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart were troubled in the first half by Terry McDonnell, Graham Wakefield, Todd McDonnell and Gary Odgers, hitting the front for the first time right on the break.
Two fours followed soon after as they gained control, extending the lead to 10 shots after 15 ends before winning 25-19.
Big week for Kyle Nixon on the greens
After shooting a big 42 points in the midweek competition, only to still be beaten, rollercoaster golfer Kyle Nìxon repeated the dose on Saturday with another stunning 42-point round to this time hold on and win a Stableford event at Murray Bridge and top off a really good week for himself on course.
He certainly has the front nine under control at the moment, too, having nailed 23 points on it on Wednesday and then bettering that on the weekend with a lazy 25 to snare the pro comp on both occasions - no mean feat.
Nixon began his career last year at the Bridge in somewhat controversial circumstances, shooting some off-the-chart rounds very early on to see him forced to play off a handicap better than scratch for a little while.
Since then he has worked his way out to a more favourable 13 and now he's on the way back down again.
The ups and downs of golf certainly make it an interesting sport to play.
Again it was a gorgeous day for golf and not surprisingly the scores were high.
A-grader Mark Mayfield cashed in with 40 points, B-grader Trevor Hancock did even better with 41 and jovial C-grader Mal McFetridge shocked himself by shooting 40 as each of these on-fire players won their respective divisions.
Justin Elliott keeps watching his handicap head south and it will keep doing so after his great 39 points.
Garth Dodd was at it again with 39 as, well ... gee, even super Sid Robbins must have had the Dencorub out and massaged into his sore shoulder as even he dished up 37 points.
Best of the visitors was quality Nairne A-grader "Desperate" Des Heffernan with a pretty-to-watch 37.
Peter Ferguson, by his own admission, "had a round to forget", but his memory won't fade anytime soon of his sweetly hit iron off the 14th tee that saw his ball stop closest to the pin giving him a rich collect in the yabby NTP competition.
The old saying "it mightn't be your day but it might be your moment" comes to mind.
Chirpy A-grader Keith Durham sets his golf bar pretty high and he was far from satisfied with his round.
He must surely begrudgingly have been pleased, though, with his NTP win on the long second as well as his eagle three on the par five 12th that gave him a tidy collect out of the eagle's nest.
If not, then there is no pleasing anyone.
Time for a par round this Saturday.
Day out for Harradine in Ramblers win, Krollig and Salter bag five-fers
Ramblers 5/241 defeated Meningie 17/215
- Ramblers best: Keynan Harradine 111, Keynan Harradine 3/26
- Meningie best: Kane Mason 80, Oliver Crossman 2/59
Mannum 6/139 def Wanderers 7/135
- Mannum best: Campbell Ballard 59*, Dwayne Krollig 5/19
- Wanderers best: Cameron Cox 56, Braden Gregory 3/44
Mypolonga 10/155 defeated Jervois 10/103
- Mypolonga best: Sunyl Vogt 36, Samuel Elliott 3/24
- Jervois best: Theo Rimmer 60, Jasba Salter 5/35
Monarto 10/150 defeated Tailem bend 10/125
- Monarto best: Ty Pfeiffer 51, Ty Pfeiffer 4/14
- Tailem Bend best: Umesh Badu 22, Brad Kleinig 2/16
Shooters go old-school at Murray Bridge Rifle Club
It was a touch of the “old school” on Saturday at the Deed Range in Monarto, as the Murray Bridge Rifle Club shot the 21st round of its annual championship from 300 metres.
A critical error in the target server meant that the electronic targets were inoperable and so a return to manual targets and marking was required.
It was more cumbersome given the club was hosting visitors from the Handorf Rifle Club, who had been invited to experience shooting at a longer range than they were used to.
Despite the extra effort needed by the markers on the day, a number of good scores were shot, the best of which was by Mark Nesti, who scored a double possible for 120.12 to claim top off-rifle in F-Open and the F-Class handicap, ahead of Frank Marshall, who finished with 117.03.
The best in F-Standard was Gordon Harrison with 108.4, narrowly defeating Peter Casley on 108.03.
Jasamine Irvine topped the TR field with a 94.07, including a 49.04 in her second round.
Her score was enough to edge out Mark Whittle to claim the handicap win also.
Mark didn’t finish empty handed though, narrowly counting Jazz out to win the Magpie Award, with one “bird”.
Everyone will be hoping the electronic target is up and running again next week when shooting continues from 500 metres.
Stuart Padman wins two at mid-week Gawler races
Congratulations also to trainers Mick Huxtable and Garret Lynch, who managed a win each.
- Torrita, ridden by Kayla Crowther and trained by Stuart Padman, won the Matrix Solar Solutions Maiden Plate at Gawler
- Joviale ridden by Rochelle Milnes and trained by Stuart Padman won the Magain Fielke Real Estate Gawler Class One Handicap at Gawler
- Dazelles ridden by Rochelle Milnes and trained by Mick Huxtable won the Gawler Arms Hotel Maiden Plate at Gawler
- Lumber Dream ridden by Sairyn Fawke and trained by Garret Lynch won the Holdfast Insurance Brokers Rating 0 - 56 Handicap at Gawler
Darts results
A grade
- Tungsten Tossers 12 defeated Mannum Club 7
- Launchers 12 defeated Raukkan 7
- Vikings 11 defeated We're Sexy & We throw it A 8
B grade
- Bulrushes 10 defeated Cod Kickers 3
- Mad Hatters 9 defeated Avengers 4
- Mud Skippers 9 defeated Dart Addicts 4
- Average Joe's 7 defeated We're sexy & we throw it B 6
- Force Darts 7 defeated Junkyard Dogs 6
Email your sports reports to jane@murraybridge.news.
