David Opie and his great team who were last years runner up, go one better and win the Bedford bowl for 2007. This win says plenty about these players who came thru a very hard section which was choc full of talented players and were the only undefeated side at the end of the carnival.
In the section play they had to play Jon Sharp this morning in a do or die game, Jon had a very solid unit with him. David and the boys were 4- 10 down about half way thru but went on to win 16-13. This assured them of winning the section to qualify to play in the final because last years winner Trystan Smallacombe, was surprisingly beaten in the same round by Mike Keenan's Mandurah team.
David and his team won the last game of the section against Trystan very easily.
In the final they played a Thornlie side led Ken Triner (sk) Ron Kiernan Mark Separovich and Bob Bitmead who qualified to make the final after winning their section in convincing fashion with 4 wins + 18 shots up
The Hilton Park leader, Mr reliable Chris McMahon and the second Brad Ball, gave the side a great start and were outstanding while Norm Ball and David Opie took care of business at the back to win 11-3 and won 8 of the 11 ends
Thornlie's skipper
Ken Triner can be very happy with his sides performance to make the final, they didn't fire the way they would have liked but their leader Bob Bitmead was given plenty of praise from the Hilton Park boys for his effort. At the conclusion of the 7th end Ken and his rink were 3-5 down and were still in the game, from there the score got away from them.
David Opie 11 Ken Triner 3 David won 8 ends Ken won 3 ends
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--------L/R: George Zelich, Mark Pasalich, Mick Marovic, Sam Perica
Mark Pasalich's rink won their section with 4 wins + 20 shots to qualify for the final.
Their opponents were a team from Eaton led by Stan Hunter (sk) Ian Cartledge Darren Kellond and Rob Bowron who were terrific in the section rounds with 4 wins + 32 shots
In a hard fought final Mark and his boys won 14-8 winning 7 ends to 4
Mark got away to a great start to lead 5-1 after 3 ends and were looking good. From then on the Eaton side started to get a score on the board to make it 6-4 down and on the 8th end Eaton hit the front to lead 8-7 and were playing some terrific bowls in a high standard game. Unfortunetley this was the end for them as they never scored again as the Stirling side swept away to win 14-8.
The game was won for Mark Pasalich by scoring two 4's which is hard for any side to overcome in such a short game.
Stan Hunter's side are a quality side and would easily play in the Premier League here in Perth.
Mark's team is a very disciplined side and have previously won the Bowl in 2005 and were third in 2006.
Mark Pasalich 14 Stan Hunter 8 Mark won 7 ends Stan won 4 ends
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----------L/R: Milan Jokic, Mark Matthews, Sam Calabro, Viv Andrews
Milan Jokic won his section with 8 wins + 44 shots up in a hard section to qualify for the finals, Garry Caffell was a certain winner at close of play yesterday.
Billy Brandsma had 4 wins + 36 shots up won in the hardest section because there wasn't a weak team in the section, every team was a potential winner. We did predict the section would be won on the last bowl of the section. Sherro got it wrong, it was the second last bowl when with all the pressure on him to convert or miss out on a place in the final, Billy Brandsma converted from one down, to go 4 up with his last bowl with a perfect trail to win 16-13.
In the final it was hard going for both sides as they struggled for supremacy, Milan got away best to lead 5-2 after 4 ends only to see his lead whittled away to be equal at 6-6 on the 8th end. The game was a very good standard and who would win was in doubt right up till end 8. From here Milan got a 4 and 1 to seal victory and third place
Milan Jokic 11 Billy Brandsma 8 Milan won 6 ends Billy won 5 ends