OCEAN GROVE BOWLS
OCEAN Grove started the new season with a bang against last year’s semi-finalist Queenscliff and it was the debut players that stood tall and showed they have what it takes at the Premier League level.
Callum Hanna from Numurkah playing third for the experienced Craig Hodges and Chris Price from Colac Central in the same position for Mick West, took the game on and produced performances that helped the Grovers to a 14 shot Round 1 win.
Rod Brehaut from Ballarat playing third for Tony Joel along with Chris Deppeler and Gary Burkett led the way for the home side to record a 19 shot margin.
Joel, in early season fine form, had it on a string and controlled the match which gave the remaining three teams. Hodges finished the day plus four and Matt Flapper with another debut player Gary Redford leading held off former 300-game state representative Steve Sullivan by one to take 16 points.
Rising to another level from last year the Grove Division Two premiers had the tough challenge of last year’s Premier Division team Torquay.
Playing on the Torquay greens, Grove could only manage two points in their debut match in Division One. Former Gladstone Park and Commonwealth Games representative for Malta, Alf Vella, now in the Grove colours, stood proud with his rinks 10 shot win but they went down 84-105.
Division Three travelled to Clifton Springs. Only nine shots separated the teams and the Grovers came away satisfied that they pressured the flag favourites. Barry Hair, Linda Flapper, Col Anderson and Faye Richardson took the only two points on the day by 12 against former Ocean Grove player Rick Webb.
Wins in all home games in round one saw the Fives demolish City of Geelong with Elaine Price, Brendan Carroll, Keith Goldsmith and skipper Patricia Virtue carding the best score of the day 40-12. Division Eight and Division Ten made the clean sweep of wins against Belmont and Bareena respectively. Eights up with one rink win due to the 16 shot win by Steve Bryant, Dick Clay, Keith George and Skipper Trevor McArdle.
Fourteen shots in the positive to Harold Curwood’s team ensured the points would remain with the Tens on the lush A green at home.
The Sixers almost stole the show at Anglesea and only four shots separated the two teams with the Grovers coming home with one rink win courtesy of an eight-shot win to Reg Hungerford’s foursome.
Peter Crammond found some early form to record a 12-shot win in the Nines however overall it was not enough to get the points with Dave Harvey’s team not having their best day.
Reigning premiers of the Midweek competition in Division One and it is one win and a loss from two outings.
Round One against Torquay by the narrowest of margins was quickly brought back to earth in the biggest possible way with a 34 shot trouncing at the hands of last year’s runners-up Queenscliff.
Division Two started the season with a comprehensive win against Clifton Springs and then suffered ordinary weather to have a washout against Geelong Cement.
The Midweek competition have experienced two weeks of weather that you would hope improves in future weeks however only two matches have been cancelled so far.
Division Six were the big winner in round One 72-29 playing at home on the carpet but were not able to carry that same form into week two also experiencing a washout.
Moose en route to Perth
OCEAN Grove’s Ken Thomas has earned the call up to the State Over 60s team to compete in the National Over 60s Sides Championships held in Perth this week.
The Victorian team is aiming for back to back national titles after securing their victory in 2015-’16.
GBR Champ JT
JOAN Tennent has claimed back to back GBR over 60 titles with a tough 21-19 win against Queenscliff star Dianne Roberts. Played at St Leonards last week, Tennent overcame club mate Faye Richardson also by two shots then withstood the challenge by Roberts in the final to claim victory.
Tennent will be lucky enough to compete for a state title on her home greens as Ocean Grove will play host to the State Over 60 Singles on Wednesday 16 November.
