Seymour VRI Bowls PREMIERS GOULBURN VALLEY DIVISION TWO PENNANT

 

 

SEYMOUR VRI PENNANT REPORT

By Wrong Bias

WEEKEND 8th March 2025

GOULBURN VALLEY DIVISION 2

GRAND FINAL

Seymour VRI v Shepparton Golf

In the eagerly awaited meeting of the top two sides from the home and away season and after succumbing to their opponents of today Shepparton Golf in the Qualifying Final by just 6 shots in the Qualifying Final 2 weeks ago, then in the Preliminary Final it was Seymour VRI victorious by 21 shots over Shepparton Park to earn a return encounter against Shepparton Park in the Grand Final, played on the excellent greens at the Euroa Bowls Club, where if successful Seymour VRI would be promoted into the elite Goulburn Valley Division One Pennant competition next season.

In an unusual circumstance the result went Seymour VRI’s way with a score line provided by 1 rink victorious, 1 rink drawn and 2 rinks narrowly losing, it was to be ultimate glory for Seymour VRI, victorious by a whopping 19 shots, 84 shots to Shepparton Golf 65 shots and a Premiership that would also provide that elusive promotion into the ultimate pennant competition in the Goulburn Valley, Division 1 in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Rink 1: Peter Delzotto, Bill Dawe, Moreno Puppa and Mick Szczykulski (s) had a disastrous first ending dropping 6 shots against the number 2 ranked skipper, Graeme Waddell’s rink but, stayed calm collecting a 4 on the 3rd end and adding a further 4 shots on the next 4 ends to find themselves trailing by just 1 shot, 8 to 9 after the first 7 ends.

Winning 4 of the next 7 ends including a 5 on the 11th end and scoring singles for another 8 shots whilst restricting Waddell’s rink to just 3 singles from their 3 end wins it saw Mick’s rink holding a 4-shot lead, 16 to 12 after 14 ends.

Whilst restricting Waddell’s rink to single shots over the next 2 ends Mick’s rink still held a narrow 2 shot lead but disaster struck on the 17th end when they dropped 5 shots to suddenly find themselves trailing by 3 shots with just 4 ends remaining.

In a tense finish Mick’s rink scored a 2 and a single to bring scores level at 19 a piece with just 2 ends remaining. Waddell’s rink managed 2 shots on the penultimate 20th end whilst Mick’s rink scored their own 2 shots on the final 20th end and thereby managing a draw game, VRI 21 drew with Shepparton Golf 21

Rink 2: Jane Wilson, Leon Zolnierczyk, Jhett Wyatt and Phil Challis (s) were pitted against the number 4 ranked skipper, Peter Fairgrave’s rink with an even start resulting in Phil’s rink scoring 4 singles and trailing by just a single shot, 4 shots to 5 shots after the first 7 ends in what was shaping as a tight contest.

With shots hard to come by for Phil’s rink, winning just 3 of the next 7 ends and adding a further 5 shots, including a 3 on the 12th end it was Peter’s rink adding 7 shots, made up of 3 two’s and a single from 4 end wins, to hold a handy 3 shot lead after the 14th end, 9 to 12.

The general trend of tight ends and low scores continued over the remaining 7 ends with Phil’s rink only able to add a further 4 shots comprising of a 2 and a pair of ones whilst Peter’s rink added another 7 shots from his 4 end wins inflicting a narrow 6 shot loss on Phil’s rink, VRI 13 lost to Shepparton Golf 16

Rink 3: Paul Rolfe, Kevin Cain, Peter Stevens and Joe Purcell (s) drew the big gun back from division 1 due to the inclusion of their pennant permit players, in skipper Garry Russell’s rink, and after winning 3 of the first four ends including a 4 on the 5th end, and conceding 4 singles, they found themselves holding a 2 shot lead 6 to 4 after the first 7 ends.

Adding 4shots on the 8th end handed Joe’s rink a handy 6 shot break, but, dropping 7 shots over the next 4 ends they were trailing Garr’s rink by 1 shot, however a 2 on the 13th end to Joe and a single on the 14th end to Garry saw scores level after the 14-end mark at 12 shots a piece.

A single to Garry on the 15th end and a two to Joe’s rink on the 16th saw Joe’s rink holding a narrow 1 shot lead, however it was then that Garry’s rink added 5 shots over the next 4 ends to see them holding a 4-shot lead with just 1 end remaining. Joe’s rink won that end but only managed a single shot o eventually go down by a very narrow 3 shot margin, VRI 13 lost to Shepparton Golf 15

Rink 4: Brent Voogt, Judy Hoffman, Wayne Noonan and Brendan Challis (s) in what was to be an incredulous start against the number 5 ranked skipper, Richard Warburton’s rink, burst from the blocks, winning the first 7 ends, comprising singles on the 4th and 5th end, a 2 on the 2nd end, 3’s on the 1st, 3rd and 6th ends plus a 5 on the 7th end to hold an enormous 18 shot lead after the first 7 ends 18 shots to nil.

Continuing on their merry way Brendan’s rink added a further pair of 3’s on the 8th and 13th ends plus singles on the 12th and 14th ends, whilst Richard’s rink broke their duck by adding 6 shots on the 9th, 10th and 11th ends but still found themselves trailing by 20 shots, 26 to 6 after those first 14 ends.

A single to Richard’s rink on the 15th end indicated they were preparing to fight out the match but that was to be the end of the resistance as Brendan’s rink completed their demolition job by adding another 9 shots by winning the remaining 6 ends to record a mammoth 28 shot win, VRI 35 def Shepparton Golf 7