THE penultimate round of home and away Midweek Pennant was completed on Tuesday and there were no changes to any of the top fours.

The highest side score went to Memorial this week in division three along with the highest rink score.

Division one

THE top division’s final four is settled, but rungs two and three could possibly change after next week.

Memorial travelled to Balmoral and scooped the pool. 

For Balmoral, Chick Trotman scored 12 to Jan de Zoete 20, Nettie Tinning 17 to Pearl Kitt 26, and Trish Brody 16 to June Leahy 24.

The above scores combined to lead to a 45 to 70 result, giving Memorial all the points and maybe a bit of momentum to carry to the Portland game next week. 

Portland is safe on top of the ladder after receiving 15 points and 21 shots, which put the side to a very wide leading margin.

In the other game played, Grangeburn was at home and Hamilton pinched most of the points.

Leah McCabe 19 to Miriam Tonissen 22, Alison East’s nine wasn’t enough against Jenny Pole 26, and the two-point saviour was Chris Rigby with 19 to Elma Astbury 17.

Ladder: Portland 153, Memorial 133, Grangeburn 127, Hamilton 110, and Balmoral 83.

The next round will see Hamilton have a week off with a bye, while Portland plays Memorial and Balmoral is at home against Grangeburn.

Division two

IN this week’s contests there were two totals of 53 and three home sides won.

Casterton had the first recorded 53 via Berniece Sullivan with 26 to Brenda Uebergang 16, and Teresa Sealey kept Ann Rentsch to the same score, while her team got the second highest div two score of 27.

With the other 53, Hamilton put that on the score board when Robyn Donovan and teammates got 28 to Wendy Kosch 12, and Faye Gebbert on 25 to L. Stewart 14.

That made the totals in that game 53 to 26.

Macarthur remains in third spot even after being defeated by Coleraine at home.

Four shots was the margin and it was the closest of all games.

Carol Uebergang got 24 to Bev Fry 17, and Bev Bourke got to 15 but Lesley Beaton was out in front at the end by 11, as final scores settled at Macarthur 39 to Coleraine 43.

Portland hosted next door neighbours and took all the prizes at the wind up.

Val Baker got out to 25 to Marion Husson 11, and Maree Matters did what mattered and defeated Jan Hamblin 22 to 14, as Portland held on against Memorial, 47-25.

Ladder: Memorial 130, Casterton 124, Macarthur 105, Coleraine 102, Hamilton 95, Portland 70, Grangeburn 54, and Penshurst 48.

Next week Grangeburn is at home to Portland, Casterton v Macarthur, Coleraine v Memorial, and Penshurst v Hamilton.

As far as the final four goes, Coleraine could be vulnerable to displacement as the side travels to Memorial, which is always a challenge, and Hamilton to Penshurst but guaranteed neither game will be easy.

Division three

POSITIONS two three and four swapped around and this is where the high of 71 was put together.

Memorial played Grangeburn and Julie McInnis with Jack Rees and Bev Smith blew the scoresheet up with 36 to Margie Hadley 13, and Trish Watt with Heather Liddle and Kevin Husson followed suit with 35 to Rhonda Scullion’s seven.

With a total of 71 to 20, the extra shots to the ladder makes the total almost the same as Portland’s.

Speaking of which, Portland hosted Casterton and it was Portland which came out on top in the third v second match-up.

The home side had a two-rink win to take the 14 points, move to second and send Casterton to third.

Myra Bourke with 24 to Helen Lucas 10, and Marg Milich with 21 accounted for Glennis O’Connell 14, to seal the 45 to 24 result. 

Dartmoor in round six at Heywood won by two and this time at home revenge was carried out.

Elaine Jones saved a couple of points with 26 to Bev Moore 12, while Sue Tregellis was only allowed to record 10 to Leonie Buchanan 32, making it 36 to 44 overall and giving Heywood a tilt at the final four next week.

Casterton would need to lose, Heywood to win and the margins would be very important if a top four spot is to fall its way. 

Hamilton couldn’t resist the Macarthur tempo and had a loss at home against top rungers.

Doreen Edwards with 15 to Libby Marchant 17, and Glenda Porter 10 to Carole Dunn 27, with the match-up ending with a 25 to 44 scoreboard.

Ladder: Macarthur 121, Portland 116, Memorial 112, Casterton 103, Heywood 93, Dartmoor 80, Hamilton 58, and Grangeburn 45.

The final round is Macarthur v Memorial, Portland v Dartmoor, Heywood v Grangeburn, and Casterton v Hamilton.

Other news

THE knockout rounds of the men’s section champion of club singles champions were played at Hamilton on Sunday.

In great conditions, the field was reduced to four finalists.

Two club representatives were unable to attend, so the day was a bit different to the planned one.

Only two games were played in the morning instead of three, and one rep got to the final four without playing a game.

The problem is once the draw is circulated, it can’t be re done.

So, in the morning, Vern Spencer of Coleraine defeated Ken Prewett of Grangeburn, and Macarthur’s Bill Edge had a win against Phil Jones of Dartmoor.

In the afternoon, Casterton’s Andy Alderton was able to collect his gear and watch due to an express ticket through to the semi-finals.

Bill Edge defeated Hamilton’s Peter Graham, Derek Brody of Balmoral defeated Spencer and the battle royal was between Memorial’s Kelvin Wiffen and Heywood’s Mick Swan.

Wiffen got off to a good start, but as often happens, the fightback went to Swan and a three on what was then the final end gave him a place in the final four.

That means Andy Alderton will play Bill Edge and Derek Brody will play Mick Swan again at Hamilton, which is central and a neutral green.

The women’s section finals as documented in the last report will be played there at the same time.