LAWN BOWLS
WEST GIPPSLAND
FOURTH-placed Trafalgar hosted second top team Traralgon in overcast and blustery conditions to headline the 11th round of West Gippsland Bowls Saturday pennant.
Traralgon took control of the match from the outset and was never headed by a disappointing Trafalgar outfit.
The visitors went into the break with a 44 shot advantage after Glen Scott, Abe Roeder and Ross Sizeland’s teams exacted wholesale damage.
The only shining light for Trafalgar was Paul Dawson’s team, which went into the break level with Chris Ward and company.
The rink was an even affair right up to the final bell leading to a 20 all draw.
Scott’s side finished up with a 34/11 win, complemented by a 36/12 victory by Roeder’s rampaging rink and Sizeland’s superb 27/15 triumph.
The final score was 117/58 and 19 points to one in Traralgon’s favour, marking a complete reversal to the scorecard in their round four meeting.
Morwell Club obliterated Drouin, taking all 20 points in a 109/82 shot win, a feat emulated by Yallourn which defeated Moe 125/81.
The other top division match was an 18 point to two victory for Traralgon RSL over Morwell.
Division two
THE division two clash between top team Warragul and second placed Neerim District was a close affair all day, resulting in a three shot win to Warragul, 103/100.
Clive Padgham’s team took on Roger Till’s men and, after an even first 10 ends, Padgham picked up 22 shots to seven to win by 18.
Padgham’s team won an impressive 17 ends in all.
Ken Scammell’s arsenal matched up against Shane Hogan’s and had a dream start to be 9/1 up after three ends.
They led by eight shots at times but Neerim fought back on each occasion, reducing the final deficit to just one shot.
Bill Clappers’ team played Angus McGillivray’s outfit and the score was 10 all after 12 ends.
Clappers’ quartet lost the plot from there on out and found themselves 12 shots down after 21.
They fought it out to the final bell to lose by six.
The final rink saw Gary Johnson’s team line up against Peter Brooks’ and they were never really in the game.
They did get within three shots at end 20 but lost the last five to go down by 10.
Strzelecki under 25
THE regional under 25s was played at Yinnar Bowls Club on Sunday 15 December, where the field was reduced to four bowlers because of non participation.
The Traralgon brothers, Vin and Will McIlwain, played off against each other to determine the challenger to face Chris Bortignon from Trafalgar in the final.
Vin was too good and defeated his younger brother 25-7.
An exciting final saw Vin came from behind on the last end to score three shots, resulting in a one shot 25-24 win.
Vin will now head to Moami on 19 January to represent Strzelecki against the other 15 regional representatives.
