WEEKEND PENNANT ROUND 5- SEASON 2023/24
Overall, the majority of Pakenham’s teams adhered to the “Black Friday” theme last week, returning results on the positive (black) side of the ledger.
SATURDAY
Pakenham One (Div 1) played the “old enemy” Berwick, at home in a game which included some amazing passages of play. After the completion of the first twenty ends the game was still quite close with the home side ahead on three of the four rinks and holding a five shot lead. However from that point two of the Lions’ rinks cut loose – Big Geoff “Voota” Van Vugt’s rink won eight ends in a row, scoring 19 to zip in the process and Tommy Lodge’s crew won seven in a row for 15 to zip! Consequently, by the half way mark the lead had grown to 30 shots.
After the break the visitors were able to apply the brakes to some extent and “Voota,” in turn, dropped five in a row (but only lost nine shots in the process). Nonetheless, the Lions held a 33 shot lead at the start of the business ends with three rinks up. They then outscored Berwick in the run home to win by 35 shots and with all four rinks in front, collected the maximum 18 Pennant points.
Best rink with 31 to 13 was Tommy Lodge (S), Neil “Big Dev” Devlin (3), Gian “The Doctor” Pianezzola (2) and Darren Webster (L). The Ones will be away at Cranbourne next round.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) were involved in a much closer encounter at Narre Warren on a surface which proved to be “tricky” to say the least. The Lions led that game at all of the important milestones but the margins were so slim that it could have gone either way and there were times when the Panthers were in front.
After the completion of the first 20 ends, Pakenham had two up and one all square and a slender lead of just three shots (which, coincidentally was the final margin). That lead was reduced to just one shot at the break, at which time both sides had two up – however there was concern on one Pakenham rink which lost seven ends in a row.
After the break the battle was on – however the rink which had been struggling was able to regroup and actually outscored its opponent over the second half. Nevertheless, at the start of the business ends, although the Lions had three rinks up at that stage, they led by just two shots overall. As expected, the game concluded in a nail biting finish – with play on three rinks completed, the outcome depended on the result of the last end on Keith “Golden Arm” Archer’s rink and there were some brilliant bowls delivered by both sides – the result though was a three shot win overall to Pakenham.
The two winning rinks both finished with five shots up – one skipped by “Stormin” Norm Box and the other by Keith “Golden Arm” Archer, however the better of those on percentage was Keith’s – his crew were Terry “TMac” McRedmond (3), Jen “Chookle” Bainbridge (2) and Sandra “Wildwoman” Wilde (L). The Twos will be home to Berwick next round.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) played Noble Park Two away. The Lions stamped their authority on that game from the outset – after the first twenty ends, with three rinks up and one all square, they had a lead of 23 shots to 11. From that point forward they built the lead in small increments to be 15 up at the half way mark and 21 up at the start of the business ends. It was then an easy canter home to a 27 shot win with three rinks in front and the other just falling short by a single shot.
Best rink with 27 to 10 was Dave Moore (S), Ash Graham (3), Gillian Harper (2) and Mark “Lumpy” Dalton (L). The threes will be on the road again to Narre Warren in round six.
The Fours (Div 7) kept the Ones company at home but unfortunately, against Mulgrave, could not produce a similar result. After the first twenty ends the Lions had only one rink up and one all square and trailed 13 shots to 19. By the half way mark they still held one and a half but by then had reduced the deficit to just four shots.
Things then took a dramatic turn for the worse with the wheels completely falling off the rink which up to then had held a small lead. Conversely, two rinks which had been down staged a dramatic fight back – Helen Wright’s team scored eight shots to one over the last five ends to finish one up with 23 to 22 and Eric Peterson’s crew scored 22 shots to five after lunch (including 11/1 over the last five ends) to win 29 to 15.
Best rink was Eric Peterson (S), Kevin Holley (3), Julian Colmegna (2) and Gail Bowman (L). The Fours will be home again next round against Narre Warren Six.
MIDWEEK
A draw is more acceptable than a loss but a draw from a game which probably should have been won is very disappointing.
Pakenham One started well in their game at Moorabbin and with two rinks up, led by 19 shots to 12 after 15 ends. Things were still proceeding according to plan at the lunch break by which time the score had progressed to 40 to 25 and all three Lions rinks had their noses in front. After the break however, there was a total melt down on one Pakenham rink and the Lions were fortunate to get away with a draw.
The other two rinks each finished with two shots up – the better of those two on percentage was Chris “Foxy” Fox (S), Steve “Krusty” Bentley (3), Paul Currie (2) and Lynne Smith (L). The Ones will host Berwick One next round.
Pakenham 2 (Div 3) played Noble Park One at home. Despite one Lions rink failing to open its score during the first fifteen ends, the other two more than covered the shortfall and the home side held a narrow three shot lead at that stage. That tardy Pakenham team then seemed to come to life and by the lunch break the Lions had one up, two all square and a handy 36 to 24 lead.
The break often brings a swing in momentum against the team leading at the time but on this occasion it provided the Lions with a renewed burst of energy – Keith “Golden Arm” Archer’s team scored 20 shots to eight after lunch while Keith Lewis’ crew scored 19 to four. The final result was an 86 to 45 win for Pakenham and with three rinks up, the maximum 16 Pennant points in the bank.
Best rink with 36 to 12 was Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (S), Peter Wilson (3), Allister Stewart (2) and John “Giovanni” Donazzan (L). The Twos will be away at Cranbourne next round.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) shared the dome with the Twos for their game against Narre Warren Four. The Lions made a faltering start but after fifteen ends, despite having only one rink in front, they held a four shot lead. There was a marked improvement over the next 18 ends such that by the lunch break, with two up and one all square, Pakenham held a 14 shot lead. From that point, things more or less proceeded on an even keel and at the start of the run home, with two up and one down (by just one shot), the locals were still 13 shots in front.
However the Panthers lifted their game over the last fifteen ends and by the end of play, with one up and one all square, Pakenham scraped home with a margin of just three shots. That win, close as it was, meant that the Threes are the only team in their section to have won all four of the opening rounds.
The one successful rink with 32 to 19 was Rick Burns (S), Eric Peterson (3), Gillian Harper (2) and Sandra Mueller (L). The Threes will be at Narre Warren next round.
HI-LO
The winner this round was Derek Spraggon with number six.
Des Leigh