Last week saw a pause from regular competition, as we hosted a singles knockout competition that saw 28 players roll up to the Prince of Wales hotel compete for the title.
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The players were split into three groups with the winner of each progressing to the finals.
Dan Raynor was the eventual winner in a thrilling match, that put a full stop on what was a successful night.
Round eight marks the start of the run home, with only a handful of games to be played before finals.
But if the first match of the round was anything to go on, there are still plenty of nail-biting games to be played yet.
The Golf Club Aces took on the winless RCC Titans at Broadford and in their first encounter of the season the Aces made short work of the Titans.
Monday, however, saw the Titans put into practice the valuable experience they have gained in their maiden Division 1 season.
With the scores in deadlock going into the final game, with both players taking one leg each. It took something special from the knockout champ to deliver the Aces a hard fought 6-5 victory.
Highlights for the home team included two 140s from Frank Roberts, a single ton from Emily Wills, Dave Ring snuck in two tons, a 123 and 140 and Dan Raynor finished the night with three tons, a 135 and two 140s.
The visitors’ Mitch McGuinness speared in five tons and a 133 but Titan’s young gun Ayden Ballantyne stole the show, firing in six tons, a 120 and 134 to go with five pegs in a complete performance.
The second match up of the night saw the RCC 26ers travel to the Pyalong Rec Reserve to do battle with the Tigers.
With the 26ers having the bye next week it means (because of Easter) they won’t play for another three weeks, so they wanted to go into the break with a strong performance.
The Tigers battled hard, showing improvement from their first match, with four of the singles matches being forced into a deciding leg.
But the 26ers proved too good as they posted a 9-2 victory to move into top spot.
The Tigers’ captain Jack Stephens led his team well; he closed his account with two tons, two 121s, a 140 and the round-high peg of 114.
Mitch Wittig had limited game time but still snuck in three tons and a 140, Craig Stephens chipped in with a 132 and 134 and Justin Brady got a single ton.
The 26ers’ Rob Welsh smashed in six tons, a 118 and 140, Andrew Meiselbach had an unusually quiet night but still nailed six pegs to go with five tons and a 125.
Captain Steve Ash was on point, throwing six tons and a 105 and Ben MacPherson snagged a ton, a 125 and 140.
The final game for Division 1 saw the Lions meet a desperate POW Kings, who are trying to keep touch with the top four and couldn’t afford to drop this game.
The Lions got off to a dream start, winning all three team games and despite five of the eight singles going down to the wire, the damage was done and the Lions walked away with a comfortable 7-4 win.
The Lions Raymond Maloney was sensational, finishing the night with high pegs of 80 and 100 as well as throwing seven tons, a 135 and three 140s.
Gary Power started his night well, scoring his first 180 of the year, as well as slipping in a ton and 140.
Adam Lynch was solid, chipping in with two tons and two 140s and Anne Rogers made her season debut and threw a 135.
The Kings’ Terran Crispin set the standard for the visitors, lobbing in three tons, two 125s and his second 180 of the year.
Cody Short hit his first recordable score, slipping in a 135, Kings’ captain Jarrod Duggin hammered in a ton and a 120 and Jeff ‘King of Kings’ Rhue was in the zone, snagging three tons, a 121, 134 and equal game high peg of 100.
The first match of Division 2 pitted the POW Rebels up against the Royal Rascals at the Prince of Wales Hotel, with a new look Rebels kitted out in their new team shirts— they were keen to christen them with a win.
The Rebels got off to a 3-1 lead, halfway to that elusive victory, before the Rascals took the game by the scruff and won six of the last seven games to take the chocolates with a 7-4 win. The Rebels had a nice even spread of contributors with Steve Reid scoring a 140, Shelley Jensen snuck in a 113, Jose Mason nailed a 109 and Rebels’ captain Helen Roscoe chipped in with a 108.
Brendan Rogers led the way for the Rascals, throwing a 121 and a 140, Belinda Reid slipped in a 102 and Stuart Crockett had the highest peg for the night with a finish of 64.
Game two saw the Top Guns go toe to toe with the Pyalong Buccaneers at the Top Pub in Broadford, with the Buccaneers taking the points by the narrowest of margins in their first meeting; the Top Guns were locked and loaded to try and even the score.
The Buccaneers took the first point of the night in the team game, but it was all one-way traffic from then on as the Guns cannoned away to an 8-3 win that sees them move into third position on the ladder.
The Top Guns’ captain Tammy Kilroy led her team well.
In her best performance for the year she snagged two singles wins and scored a ton and a 118.
Greg Holcombe continues to improve every week, slapping in two tons, Alan Sharp had a quiet night of highlights throwing just a 101 but got the job done and youngster Seth Kilroy chipped in with a single ton.
Peter Leahy made his S.D.D.A debut for the Buccaneers and did so with style, nailing high scores of 103 and 137, Jayde Pearson slipped in two tons and a 101, Graham Ward hit a 120 and Mick Doyle fired in a 121 as well as an impressive high peg of 97.
The third and final game of the round was a top of the table clash between the Yea Renegades and the Bottom Pub Pirates at the Grand Central Hotel in Yea.
Thanks to a power outage in round 2 and a quirk in the fixture, this was just the second match held at the venue, neutralising any home deck advantage for the ‘Gades.
Both teams traded blows early in the night and at the end of the first round of singles matches, the Pirates held only a slight advantage with a 4-3 lead.
With four games to play, the cheer squad was smelling an upset, or perhaps MAFS on the telly was what they were smelling.
Either way the pressure was building for both sides. But the Pirates dug deep, found another gear and won the final four games to put them 12 points clear at the top of the ladder.
The Pirates’ Steve Kilroy was in fine form once again, nailing six tons and a 140, his brother Dan Kilroy chipped in with two tons, a 120 and a 140 and Jamie Dow-Rowan continues to get it done while flying under the radar, chucking a ton and a 140.
The Renegades’ Chrystal Turnbull hit the highest peg of the night, nailing a finish of 79.
She also threw two tons and a 140 while Roger McCallum steered in a ton and a 133.
Leigh Turnbull was in solid form early, hitting high scores of 117 and 125 and Scott Oakley capped off the highlights in Round 8, finishing with just the one high score, a 125.
With only six minor rounds left and only one game separating second position and sixth position on the Division 2 ladder, this is going to be an absolute cracking race for finals.