CHAMPION PAIRS CROWNED
The HBA Championship pairs concluded on Friday night 23.2.24 with the Lenswood Bowling Club hosting the men’s and women’s semi-finals and finals.
An excellent crowd attended, supporting representatives from seven different clubs – and enjoying the music and festive spirit associated with these events.
The spectators were kept on the edge of their seats, as four of the six finals came down to the final shot.
In the men’s first semi-final Bob Hahesy and Peter Mangelsdorf of Woodside finished strongly to record a comfortable 18-8 win over Gumeracha’s Tony Biocic and Ron McWaters. The other semi-final was a nail biter, with Lenswood’s Terry Stephen and Andrew Mann coming back from a mid-match deficit, to lead by a shot going into the final end against Lobethal’s Joe Conte and Neville Mansell. Lobethal levelled at eleven all, and then drew a close bowl early in the extra end. Despite Stephen moving the jack with both of his final two bowls, Lobethal hung on earn a grand final berth.
Previous winners Sue Maddern and Sue Hutchinson of Hahndorf played strongly to oust Di Willsmore and Kathie Bowman of Uraidla 26-5. However the other match between Mt. Barker’s Christine Nicholls and Raelene Corner and Woodside’s Julie Johnson and Julie Rollond came down to the wire. Woodside made a strong comeback mid-way through the match – and levelled the scores at 11 all going into the final end. Woodside held shot, but with a late Mt. Barker bowl coming to rest alongside it – the result came down to a measure – with Woodside pipped by just a few millimetres.
The grand final in each section comprised a class field. Four of the bowlers in Neville Mansell, Christine Nicholls, Sue Maddern, and Sue Hutchinson have all represented South Australia at senior level in recent years- while Peter Mangelsdorf, Joe Conte, Bob Hahesy, and Raelene Corner have won multiple HBA championship titles throughout their distinguished careers.
In the women’s final – Mt. Barker got away to a strong start, leading the “two Sue’s”12-3 after nine ends. However the Hahndorf champions fought back, picking up nine shots in the last six ends, ultimately falling short by just one shot – as Corner and Nicholls took out the title 13-12.
In the men’s final – Lobethal also started strongly, with Mansell and Conte having a comfortable buffer at the half way point. However the Woodside duo bounced back, to take the lead 13-12 going into the final end. In a repeat of their earlier semi final, Lobethal drew shot on the 15th end to tie the scores, to secure a one end play off – and then took a comfortable position with an early Conte bowl, to hang on by a shot, and take out their third title.
Championship action continues over the next two Friday nights, with the Mt. Barker Bowling Club hosting the final event of the season – Champ of Champ singles. Play will commence each night at 5.30pm, with the host club providing hot food and full bar facilities for spectators.