Highton’s 37-shot win against Drysdale on Saturday sent a warning to Geelong Bowls Region’s Premier Pennant competition – the perennial premiership contender will be thereabouts again this season.
While Queenscliff and Ocean Grove have started the season well, Highton has perhaps been flying under the radar somewhat, but that all changed with a 96 to 69 win against a good Drysdale side.
David Priddle skipped his rink of lead Robert Priddle, second Craig Elliott and third Craig Polwarth to a huge 32-7 win to keep Highton in command for most of the match.
“They were fantastic,” Highton skip Scott McLachlan said.
“They’ve been pretty good all year. It’s a relatively newly put together rink and it’s been performing very well of late so that’s been really good for the club.”
McLachlan’s rink of Josh Kiss, Terry Hickey and Dallan Klemke got out to a big lead early, but Bryant Howie, Julie Candy, Tony Villani and Mark Johnson pegged them back.
“We were up 15 to 3 early, or something like that, and they came back towards the middle of the game and actually hit the lead by two on the second-last end,” McLachlan said.
“And then we won the last two ends to have a win. The guys played good positional bowls and I just played a conversion shot on the second-last end to make four.”
McLachlan said his rink would likely stay together for the remainder of the season.
“Josh is only a relatively new bowler,” he said.
“He’s only been playing, maybe (for) a year-and-a-half, two years. The youth of my third Dallan and my lead Josh, they bring a lot of energy to the team, which is pretty invigorating.
“And Terry’s new to the top side. He’s improved a lot lately and he’s made his way into the top side and just his attitude towards being in the top side has been great.”
McLachlan said the victory was especially pleasing because Drysdale had been tough opposition for Highton recently.
“They’re always tough, Drysdale,” he said.
“They’ve given us a few problems in the last few years, but we’ve been playing well as a team, so it’s good to come away with a good win.”
McLachlan said to win the rink after getting out to a big lead and then being challenged showed character. He also said it had been a good start to the season by the club.
“Sometimes it’s a bit hard when you give up a big lead to pull it back, but it was pretty impressive to see from the younger guys,” he said.
“In previous years, although we’ve been there at the end, we have a bit of a slower start generally and work our way into the season. This year’s been a lot better.
“We’ve come out and we’ve won some games by a lot and been a little bit more dominant. We’ve got a lot more youth in the side this year, which has been really good to see and it’s definitely feeling like a pretty close group.”
GEELONG BOWLS REGION
Round 7, Saturday 29 November
Rinks listed by skip, lead, second, third.
Premier Pennant
Queenscliff 68 (14) def Eastern Park 64 (4): Steve Sullivan, David Saunders, Richie McGovern, Adam Green 16 def by Adam Martin, Stewart Webb, Gary Connolly, Stephen Field 17; Benjamin Russell, Matthew Speed, Wayne Macleod, Nathan Dixon 20 def Nick Bell, Rod Sherwell, Dean Jackman, Peppe Scorpo 13; Mitchell Hocking, Craig Heard, Barry Gladman, Jackson Reilly 18 def Scott McDonald, Matt Sherwell, Darryl Washington, Mark Coleman 17; Seb Monahan, Riley Cameron, Wayne Visser, Jackson Mahoney 14 def by Andrew Munro, Tom Scorpo, Peter Hawkins, Tad Balchan 17.
Ocean Grove 111 (16) def Torquay 69 (2): Matthew Flapper, Hayley O’Reilly, Jason Bertrand, Zak Abro 31 def Joe Issell, Kevin Hazelhurst, Robert Grubb, Paul French 23; Tyson Cromie, Casper John, Wayne Frith, Max Rowley 34 def Gary Banks, Timothy Jenkinson, Brian Calthorpe, Jeff Howarth 13; Peter Loe, Craig Rippon, Andrew Forster, Tony Joel 17 def by David Cairns, Robert Milesi, Wayne Roberts, Brad Ott 23; Bradley Pavey, Robyn Hunt, Chris Burrell, Josh Rudd 29 def Alan Sampson, Robert Aitken, Peter Forbes, Zane Lugg 10.
Highton 96 (16) def Drysdale 59 (2): David Priddle, Robert Priddle, Craig Elliott, Craig Polwarth 32 def Ashley Rees, Mathew Hommelhoff, Luke Benson, Aidan Keranen 7; Dan Priddle, Robin Chambers, Ray Wilkinson, Jeremy Fitzgerald 19 def by Mark Godbolt, Paul Lucas, Maya Rees, John Fry 21; Scott McLachlan, Josh Kiss, Terry Hickey, Dallan Klemke 23 def Bryant Howie, Julie Candy, Tony Villani, Mark Johnson 18; Adam Lee, Mark Coulter, Bradley Prior, Stewart Shuttleworth 22 def John Monahan, Mark Neicho, Caleb Cox, Aaron James 13.
Lara 96 (18) def Bell Post Hill 70 (0): Michael James Kelly, Joseph Van Baar, Heinz Tump, Stu Hedger 20 def Ben Toner, Bob Mayne, Alan Lewis, Andrew Pratt 18; Ian Polwarth Jnr, Jane Macgavin, Scott Emond, Jimmy Moloney 19 def Darren Gillett, Gary Logue, Michael Couzens, John Toner 18; Don Grellet, Sherilyn Tump, Colin McPherson, Tony Ansett 35 def Keith Matthews, Brian Richards, Alan Firth, Ben Seaton 13; Karl Weil, Garry Hinch, Brendon Emond, Mick Fedyk 22 def Dieter Gercke, Fred Clayson, Ryan Couzens, Brian Bottrell 21.
Division 1
Ocean Grove 100 (18) def City of Geelong 52 (0): Alan Drury, Thomas Warren, Paul Entwhistle, Cheyne Verrier 25 def Mathew Nitchie, Hayden Wood, David Wombell, Sarah Ashby 14; Hugh O’Reilly, Jen Le Cerf, Daniel Henery, Simon Avery 25 def John Shell, Liz Simpson, Lance Kelly, Russell Symons 8; Michael West, Terry Thomas, Terence Brady, Owen Clark 24 def Sandra Tillson, Ronald Sutherland, Stephen Somerton, Nicholas Craven 15; Rod Brehaut, Mia O’Reilly, Brian Boyle, Alan Callow 26 def David Vogele, Ned Trease-Gordon, Kerry Gooley, Gavin Lane 15.
St Leonards 96 (16) def Leopold 71 (2): Andy Hills, John Doyle, Billy Auld, Barry Culph 21 def Charlie Sproal, Bruce Mathieson, Phillip Shuttleworth, David Seear 18; Tony Long, Michael Maddox, Barry Padgham, Graham Lund 28 def Nicholas Lazic, Lachlan Humphries, Marcus Gregg, Tony Kelly 13; Henry Dahler, Liam Connors, Don Barnett, Robyn Michael 21 def by Michael Willis, Terry Halliday, David Rudge, David Alderuccio 25; Michael Kennedy, Fred Aston, Peter Garlick, Antonia Doyle 26 def Lucas Cameron, Terri Rudge, Travis Salisbury, Lachlan Seear 15.
Highton 84 (14) def Portarlington 81 (4): Mark Cavanagh, Max Staggard, Douglas Cameron, Doug McGregor 19 def by Barry Hirth, Dianne Roberts, Wilma Atkins, Peter Fisk 20; Owen Landry, Phillip Jones, Sue Kerr, Russell Kerr 24 def Tony Demaria, Phillip Schmidt, Malcolm Weales, Michael Dennis 20; Nick Oakes, Daniel Tudor, Helene Gilmore, Peter Monk 21 def by David Dunlop, Ian Wiffen, Ray Malcomson, John Baker 28; Ron Imanse, Yanek Olsen, Ian Anderson, Kayde Madden 20 def Gerard Reed, Tori McNamara, Adrian Marston, Terry Freeman 13.
Belmont 93 (15) def Geelong 77 (3): Steve Davies, Beverly Clark, Manuel Koulkoudinas, Wayne Hovey 23 def Bryan Wilson, Bob Armitage, Jill Fry 14; John Harris, Shane Grainger, Samuel Rundell, David Ross 20 tied with Troy Thompson, David Jarman, Laurie Formosa, Frank Wheat 20; Robin Hayes, Geoffrey Davies, Paul Newton, Leigh Butcher 22 def by Graham Harrison, Rowan Kent, Ross Petterwood, Tony Earp 28; Robert Agg, John Clark, Craig Bassett, Graham Smith 28 def Arthur Crooke, Neville Coots, Sue Martin, Ken Petzierides 15.
