Midweek Pennant ladder leader and defending champion Lakes Entrance rounded of its Gippsland Bowls Region Midweek Superleague finals preparation with a 75-49 win over Maffra at home last week.
Lakes Entrance has clearly been the best side this season, finishing four games ahead on top of the ladder.
Sale finished second, proving too good for third-rated Stratford in the final round, with Paynesville consolidating its place in fourth with an easy win over Howitt Park.
It was Lakes’ 13 win from 14 home and away matches, with its winning streak now out to 11, the only defeat for the season coming at the hands of Stratford.
Mike McKay, Jim Northe, Jenny and Kevin Dowie were dominant winners for Lakes Entrance, crushing their opponents 36-10.
Teammates Michael Bratt, Eric Spence, Wallace Mason and Kevin Brown drew with Maffra’s Grant Smith, Brett Hodgins, Julie and Ronnie Orchard 21-21.
It was a similar outcome on the other rink with Lakes’ Maurice Carroll, Margaret Brandhoj, Bill Rowley and Joanne Martin finishing tied on 18 apiece with Maffra’s Lawrence Cameron, Frederick Morgan, Glenn Conduit and John Spencer.
Sale was a 63-50 winner over at Stratford at the Stratford Bowling Club, the win the second time Sale has taken victory over the opponent this season. That psychological advantage could be pivotal going into a potential preliminary final match up in the next seven days.
Gail McKenzie, Pamela Carter, Michael Dowd and Neal Taylor (25-18) and Rhonda Cook, Peter Leslie, Wally Hudson and Rod Morris (25-6) are all in great form heading into a huge match against Lakes Entrance.
The competition’s highest-rated combination, Dennis Downey, Anne Renehan, Wayne Marsden and Ian Johns, again proved rock solid for Stratford winning 26-13.
Paynesville’s victory over Howitt Park was hard fought, winning 55-53, the Parkers almost pulling off their third win of the season on their home deck.
Paynesville winners included Keith Taylor, Phillip Shallies, Denis Moroney, John Budge and Wilma Fowden, Richard Hoodless, Joe Cilauro and Margery Nathan (19-14).
The effort of the Parkers’ Ken Lumley, Albert Frith, Dick Meadows, David South in winning 23-16 almost caused the upset.
Bairnsdale could keep its finals hopes alive if Paynesville faltered, but it wasn’t to be, mastering the Bowling Roos at the Heyfield Bowling Club late, 63-54.
Stephen Smith, Margaret Hicks, Rowan Holloway and Neil Watts were the difference between the two sides, 28-16 winners for Bairnsdale.
Heyfield’s Bill Gilligan, Jill Anderson, Mal Collings and Shane Holmes were stout late taking their rink 19-16, while the other rink between the Bowling Roos’ Glenda Pawley, Mick Matarczyk, Rod Sherrin, Barry Anderson and Bairnsdale’s Rod Street, Anthony Torr, Colin Smith and Jeff Watts was split after bother sides finished locked on 19.
THIS WEEK (Tuesday, February 18)
Division 1 at the Bairnsdale Bowling Club: Stratford v Paynesville (elimination final); Lakes Entrance v Sale (qualifying final).
Division 2 at the Bairnsdale Bowling Club: Orbost v Lakes Entrance 2 (elimination final); Metung v Lakes Entrance 3 (qualifying final).
Division 3 at the Metung Bowling Club: Bairnsdale v Lakes Entrance 5 (elimination final); Lakes Entrance 4 v Paynesville (qualifying final).
