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April 12, 2008

REPORT ON ‘ONE WHITE’ 2007 / 2008. PREVIEW - THE FINALS

PRELIMINARY FINAL

THORNLIE RAVENS 85 (6.5 ) def DALKEITH SILVERTAILS 75 (1.5 )

Nearly 3.00pm was getting late to start another game, no lunch break for Dalkeith-Nedlands, people getting tired and emotions running high - boiled over for a few minutes. Words exchanged, voices raised, push came to shove and a Thornlie third on his bum on the green at the hands of a Dalkeith-Nedlands skip.
Plenty jumped in to keep a lid on it while a couple more brush fires broke out in the form of invitations to take it down the lane either immediately or after school. Not much in it really and the ‘bum on grass’ was more due to lost footing than any ferocity in what was only a good push. Pretty soon ‘love’ was restored, except for a bit of verbal jousting that continued throughout the game between one player and one spectator who took exception at the ‘hands on’ approach.

To the game briefly because it’s now very late. Dalkeith-Nedlands got away to an early lead on two rinks in particular. Krajancic over Vaughan & Bacich over McKenzie, and it wasn’t looking good for the Ravens at all for a little while as Morgan also joined in with a lead over Pohe. But to their credit the Ravens hung in there and slowly worked their way back into the game and ran out winners.
Although I’m reluctant to single out any one Thornlie player in particular that contributed to the turn around because I could see it was across the board but I have to mention Jim McKenzie for playing about 4 huge conversions under much pressure.
So the big one tomorrow will be between Yokine and Thornlie and on today effort it’s very hard to pick a winner. I can’t sit on the fence so will select Yokine to win solely on the fact that they didn’t have to endure the late finish and all the physical and mental strain that went with it.


Paul Pohe (Sk) A. Petchell Jim Stein Andy Lill---------------------15
J. Morgan (Sk) R. Donald S. Back Vaughan Colley -----------------15

Jim McKenzie (Sk) M. Hansen Rod Kimble J. Irwine---.----------22
Peter Bacich (Sk) Mark Lindsay Alex Gryta Peter Gason---------14

G. Vaughan (Sk) R. McMillian Ian Rewell T. Churcher -----------21
M. Krajancic (Sk) V. Santostefano N. Sutton R. MacKenzie ------23

Greg Reagan (Sk) T. McCormack J. Walker R. Halse--------------27
T. Williams (Sk) J. McIntosh G. Wilson J. McCormack-----------22

FIRST SEMI-FINAL

THORNLIE 92 (3) def MORLEY 63 (1)

Forget about the ‘Ali Shuffle’ what about the ‘Morley Shuffle’ were my thoughts when I saw the makeup of their rinks. I was told the changes were due to a combination of injuries, illness, work and travel commitments. However despite the makeup of the new look rinks, Morley got away well early particularly on the Aungier and Neilson rinks where they established good leads. Squaring the ledger for Thornlie was the Vaughan rink that also got away well from their opponents. With 41 ends gone we saw three rinks just about level pegging but the Glyn Vaughan rink was the difference in favour of Thornlie being up 16 to 5.
The future the game went, however, the more Thornlie started to assert their authority on 3 of the 4 rinks while. The Neilson rink for Morley was flying the flag. Thornlie went on to win comfortably.

Paul Pohe (Sk) A. Petchell Jim Stein Andy Lill--------------14
W. Neilson (sk), J.Sheridan M. Robinson G. Britten -------24

Jim McKenzie (Sk) M. Hansen Rod Kimble J. Irwine---.----27
Peter Aungier (Sk)A. Barron A. Elmer Bill Urquhart -------17

G. Vaughan (Sk) R. McMillian Ian Rewell T. Churcher -----30
G. White(Sk) ) John Hall Mark Callcott Bob Giekie ---------10

Greg Reagan (Sk) T. McCormack J. Walker R. Halse--------21
G. Grieve (sk),Joe Heiden M. Ford Travis Ingram ----------12

SECOND SEMI-FINAL

YOKINE 83 (5.5) draw with DALKEITH-NEDLANDS (2.5)

Should Rod Heaton give up his day job and become a motivational speaker or a fortune teller? I reckon one of the two following what he wrote in his Yokine preview leading up to this game.

What a game and what drama towards the end. It was absolutely gripping. Any disharmony that may have affected Yokine during the home and away series was gone and from the outset the doggies were very vocal in their support of each other.

They got away well and for the majority of the game seemed to have Dalkeith-Nedlands in their keeping but mainly on the back of the Edmonds rink who were well in control over the Morgan rink from the start. After 45 ends there were three tight rinks but Edmonds was out in front 21 to 6.

The Marco Krajancic verses Jamie O’Keefe rink was falling further and further behind the others as end after end was killed. The further the game went on the closer the scores became. The Thornlie game and the other rinks of this game finished. Yokine hand a sizable lead going solely on the results of the three finished rinks thanks to the Edmonds and Co while Marco and Jamie still had about six ends to play.

On the second last end Jamie’s rink dropped a 4 to hand Dalkeith- Nedlands the overall aggregate lead by 3 shots and it looked like curtains for Yokine. However Jamie and his boys fought back and after the last bowl was played Jamie was holding two shots and a measure. When the players couldn’t separate the third bowl the umpire was called. It was clearly very close but the umpire finally gave the third shot to Yokine to the cheers of the doggies and they lived to fight on from a 80 shot each draw.

That meant all 4 rinks were to play a final further end. You could feel the tension with every bowl and every end was a beauty. First end completed - Davis by 1 for Yokine. Second end completed – Morgan one for Dalkeith-Nedlands. Third end completed and again only one shot in the result – O’Keefe 1 for Yokine. Again drama – the players couldn’t separate the shot bowl on the Williams verses Heaton rink so again to the umpire.
If one to Dalkeith-Nedlands they would have to play another extra end each and it was already nearly 3 o’clock.
One to Yokine and they win the match. After another careful measure – YOKINE Win

Jamie O’Keefe (Sk) A. Durrant J. McGrath Wayne Coffey---------13
M. Krajancic (Sk) V. Santostefano N. Sutton R. MacKenzie ------21

Scott Edmonds (Sk) D. Kellond Tony Kay Ian Goghill ------------29
J. Morgan (Sk) R. Donald S. Back Vaughan Colley ----------------16

Alan Davis (Sk) Juris Lorencs John Gallop Chris Busing ---------14
Peter Bacich (Sk) Mark Lindsay Alex Gryta Peter Gason ---------18

Rod Heaton (Sk) Ian Cooper John Bills Bill Morrison -------------24
T. Williams (Sk) J. McIntosh G. Wilson J. McCormack------------25



EXTRA END PLAYED

YOKINE 3 DALKEITH 1

YOKINE DAVIS 1
YOKINE O`KEEFE 1
YOKINE HEATON 1
DALKEITH MORGAN 1