🏆 Sport

Sports reports: Saints come good in MBBA grand finals

Plus the latest in River Murray football and netball, Mini GP at Monarto, and Murray Bridge golf, soccer and rifle shooting.

Contributed, Peri Strathearn

Aug 30, 2023 — 5 min read

This post includes contributions from Mark Bracks, Michael Potts and Daniel Irvine.

Saints have won Murray Bridge’s women’s winter basketball grand final. Photo: MBBA/Facebook.

Saints come good in Murray Bridge basketball grand finals

Saints have proven too good in more than half of the Murray Bridge Basketball Association’s winter grand finals over the weekend.

The club’s teams won in the women’s and second men’s divisions, plus under-18 boys, under-16 boys and under-16 girls.

Ravstass took out the men’s division one decider, while Falcons won in the under-14 boys and Galaxy in the mixed under-12s grade.

The MBBA's grand final winners celebrate. Photos: MBBA/Facebook.

Four blowouts end the RMFL season

Southern Mallee 18.10 (118) defeated Mannum 8.3 (51)

Southern Mallee best: Thomas Keough, Rory O’Driscoll, Jarryd Brown, Ben Moroney, Tommy Howard
Mannum best: Dylan Ribbons, Michael OMalley, Jacob Stagg, Kaiden Dohnt, Jake Keller

Jervois 18.16 (124) defeated Ramblers 3.4 (22)

Jervois best: Zane Barry, Lachlan Thomas, Mackenzie Hansen, Peter Zarantonello, Chaz Baltussen, Dylan Barry
Ramblers best: Alex Pfeiffer, Darcy Bald, Lual Kelei, Nathan Fullgrabe, Malik Edwards, Jacob Trevorrow

Coorong 21.17 (143) defeat Mallee 5.4 (34)

Coorong best: Brodie Martin, Brad Thompson, Henry Turner, Alexander Stidiford, Charlie Allgrove, Patrick Barrett
Mallee best: Andy Vines, Chris Rudiger, Harry Snodgrass, Michael Leonard, Campbell Bellaney, Riley Bowles

Mypolonga 18.19 (127) defeated Tailem Bend 5.8 (38)

Mypolonga best: Patrick Davies, Riley Robinson, Nick Hombsch, Regan Gotch, Lochlan Gotch
Tailem Bend best: Naite Chandler, Thomas Mickan, Nathan Stark, Daniel Perks, Dylan Hogarth

Andrew Baltensperger presents awards to Rikki Henry, Judd Plaisted and Ethan Johnson at the Mini GP. Photo: RB Moto Foto.

Mini GP racer Judd Plaisted sweeps the field at Monarto

Monato local and 11-year-old Judd “Rocket Ronny” Plaisted has made a clean sweep of the FIM Mini GP 160cc class at his local track on the weekend.

While his home is just five minutes away, he had only ridden the track twice beforehand.

In qualifying he claimed pole position to set up the weekend and continued on with two wins.

In the first race he had to fight his way through to the lead after the early leader and his teammate, Archie Schmidt from Mount Barker, crashed.

Plaisted fought through from third position to take the lead on the 18th and last lap to take the win.

In the second leg he led from start to finish to make it three wins on the trot and a second place from the past four races.

The results allowed him to leapfrog into fourth overall in the points table.

The fifth and final round of the series will be at Oakleigh, in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, at the end of next month.

Jake McIntosh is all smiles after a lucky day on the greens on Saturday. Photo: Michael Potts.

Jake McIntosh fires while Dan Murphy nabs a hole in one

The ever-improving Jake McIntosh had a day out at Murray Bridge Golf Club on Saturday, racking up a big 40-point tally to win a Stableford competition in brilliant style.

The modest young man is a very consistent player; after beginning his golfing career in B grade only a year or so ago, this round will surely elevate him to A grade status the next time he fronts up on a Saturday.

Other in-form players on the day were Michael Haslett from Echunga, who topped A grade with 37 points; Super Sid Robbins, who led up the B grade with the same score; and former racing car guru Dean Wright, who returned a solid 35 points, which was enough to hold sway in the C grade.

Meanwhile, visiting Echunga B-grader Dan Murphy played the shot of his life when he caressed his tee shot into the cup on the par three 11th hole to claim a rare ace.

It, of course, also counted as an eagle, enabling him to collect $30 worth of balls out of the eagle’s nest.

Shooters take aim at Mount Barker. Photo: Daniel Irvine.

Greg Traeger takes target rifle championship

Almost 20 shooters from Mount Barker and Murray Bridge’s rifle clubs have braved a foggy start to compete in the fourth and final stage of the Southern District Rifle Association’s championship.

As shooting began from 500 yards, the conditions, while cold, seemed reasonably favourable, with light winds and clear sighting.

However, Mount Barker’s range is never easy and a few shooters were caught out by the shifting gully winds, as well as the close proximity of the targets to one another.

Standing out after the first range were Graham Hancock in TR, Mark De Laine in sporting, Eddie Concannon in F-standard and Tim Manning and Ryan Yeates from F-open, all of whom shot perfect scores.