With only four games remaining in the regular season, the intrigue continues to build with a number of upset wins in previous rounds keeping people guessing as to where each team will be lining up come finals time.
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Round 12 kicked off on Monday night with the POW Rebels hosting their cross-room rivals, the POW Renegades and with the 'Gades sitting in pole position to take the top spot in the B-grade finals, they went in hoping to put some breathing room between themselves and the teams immediately below them.
The ‘Gades got off to a lightning start after winning the first five games of the night, but the Rebels fought their way back into the game.
But despite half the singles match going to a third leg decider, the Renegades ran away with a more than handy 9-2 victory.
Jos Mason was in fine touch for the Rebels.
She snagged a ton and a 110, Shelley Jensen nailed a 120 and Steve Reed chipped in with a 114.
The highlights for the Renegades included four tons, a 125 and a high peg of 70 for Leigh Turnbull.
Scott Oakley was in good form, finishing the night with three tons and a 140, Roger McCallum speared in two tons, a 120 and a 143 and Pat Browning hit two tons and a 117.
The Avenel Assassins and the Pyalong Buccaneers were scheduled to play in game two of the round, but due to a family emergency the game has been postponed and will be played at a later date to be confirmed.
The Bottom Pub Pirates and the R.C.C. Titans locked horns in the next match up of the round.
With this game marking the first meeting between these two teams, they finally get to measure up against one another after dodging each other in separate divisions.
The undermanned Titans battled hard despite missing key personnel and with four of the eight singles matches going to three legs, the final score line of 8-3 in the Pirates' favour didn’t tell the whole story.
The Pirates’ Jamie Dow-Rowan had his eye in after hitting five pegs for the night as well as snagging a ton, a 121 and two 140’s.
Captain Dan Kilroy was in good form too, hammering in five pegs, three tons and a 121.
Steve Kilroy pounded in three tons, Seth Kilroy had limited opportunity but still managed a 113, a 119 and a 125 and Andrew ‘Harry’ Harrison slipped in a 115.
Mitch Wittig was the stand out for the visitors.
He finished the night with a 115 and a 116, Scott Farmer-Washington made a return to competitive darts after a 28-year hiatus.
He did so in style with his first singles win as well as sneaking in a 105, while Titans’ captain Lauren Washington slipped in a single ton to round out the highlights for the visitors.
The next match scheduled was a grand final rematch between the Lions and the R.C.C. 26ers at the Royal Hotel in a mouth-watering top of the table clash.
With a high scoring ton-fest expected by the casual observer, these teams did not disappoint, with a massive 60 tons thrown across the eleven games.
With the Lions eyeing off this fixture from the start of the season, for a chance of redemption after failing to fire in the finale, they came out guns blazing, winning the first two games of the night before the 26ers hit back, winning the next two to level the scores.
From there they went blow for blow and with the scores locked at 4-4 it was looking like going down to the wire.
But the Lions put the pedal to the metal and earned their redemption, winning the final three games to post a 7-4 win that keeps them perched comfortably at the top of the ladder.
Zac Ivancic was on song for the home side.
He fired in six tons, a 123, a 133 and four 140s, Gary Power was sensational with five pegs to go with eight tons, a 121 and a 139, Jason Barnes started the night strongly and finished even better as he hammered in four tons, a 125, a 133, 134, 135 and two 140’s.
Dennis Soncum snagged a ton, a 106 and a 140 from limited game time and Rick Wylie chipped in with a ton and a 134.
The 26ers’ Andrew Meiselbach was in the zone after hitting five pegs, eleven tons, a 133 and two 140’s, Rob Welsh smashed in three tons, two 140 plus a high peg of 100.
Mitch White made his debut for the 26ers and managed to sneak in a ton and Shannon Jackson caps off the highlights with a game high peg of 107 as well as hitting a high score of 115.
The Golf Club Aces toed the line at the Broadford Golf Club against the Royal Rascals in the fifth game of the night.
With the Aces in the hunt for a second chance in the upcoming finals they were switched on from the get-go, highlighted by Emily Wills spearing in her first 180 of the season. Well done Em!
But the Rascals weren’t going to lie down and take it and pushed the home side at every turn with, once again, four of the eight singles matches going down to the wire.
Despite the close games, the Aces boasted too much class with their finishing skills, posting an 8-3 victory that keeps them tied for second spot.
After failing to hit a triple figure score last week, the Aces’ Frank Roberts had a point to prove, finishing the night with three tons, a 120, 125, 135 and a 140 to go with five pegs, including a match high peg of 94.
Emily Wills hit her maximum and she also nailed five pegs as well as a ton and a 112.
Dave Ring steered in two tons and a 121 and captain Steve Raynor lobbed in a ton, a 121 and a 134.
The Rascals’ Brendan Rogers found his form of old, snagging a 114, a 133 and a 156, Belinda Reid hammered in a ton, a 123 and a 125, Alan Solomon hit a 108 and Stuart Crockett chipped in two tons and a 120.
The next game of the round was between the Pyalong Tigers and the Top Guns.
With the overall ledger sitting at 3-0 in favour of the Pyalong team, they went in as the hot favorite to extend their winning streak to 4-0.
But in true underdog style, the Top Guns got the jump on the home team early, blasting out to a 3-1 lead before the Tigers knew what hit them.
Keeping the pressure on the home team, the Guns put the result beyond doubt with two games to spare, eventually taking the chocolates with a 6-5 victory.
The Tigers struggled to nail the high scores on the night.
Pyalong’s captain Jack Stephens was quiet, hitting just the three tons and a 123.
Dan Sporle was the only other Tiger to hit a recordable score.
He slammed home a 121 and a 140.
The Top Guns’ young gun, Zane Kilroy, was instrumental in his side's shock victory, hitting the doubles in the team events as well as snagging a ton and a 140.
Captain Tammy Kilroy was on the winners' side of the ledger in every game she played in on the night and snuck in a ton of her own.
Meanwhile, Greg Holcombe fired in two tons.
The final game of the round saw the R.C.C. Mighty Ducks host the Broadford Vikings at the Royals Cricket Club.
With the Ducks fresh off their first ever victory they were up and about early, trying to make it back-to-back wins, but the Vikings shot them down with a 10-1 roasting that sees the Vikings perched nicely in second position.
Robert Leggo was the standout of the flock.
He finished his night with two tons and a 134 while Davis Stokes sailed home a 118.
The Vikings’ Mark ‘Robbo’ Robinson was in scintillating form, hitting not one but two 180’s, then followed it up with six tons, a 132, a 140 and a round high peg of 112! Well done Robbo!
The Broadford teams’ captain Mark Jones pounded in two tons, a 140 and a 160 to go with five pegs, Peter Myles was off his high scoring best but still managed to spear in a 115, 135 and two 140’s and Darren Withoos snuck in a ton to wrap up a sensational round of highlights. Check out the latest S.D.D.A news, results and ladder at: www.seymourdistrictdarts.wixsite.com/home