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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant round 5: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Shannon Bowen, Andrew Cannard 2) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Shane Carmichael, Ed Hung 1)
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Jackson Tung, Kevin Johns 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Joel Thomas 3)
– Tankard Dental 7 (Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Mark Ljubic 3)
PENNANT TWO:
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Tony Malycha 3, Arnold Jago, Matthew Burns 1)d Tankard Dental 5 (Matt Avers, Ross Humphreys 2)
– Spanline 9 (Andrew Jones, Peter Bishop 3, Peter Fitzpatrick 1) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Ashley Morrison, Aidan Moore 1)
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Terry Martin, Peter Midgley 3) d Fishers IGA 3 (Geoff Peters, Seval Fuat, Leon Brown 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Pinnacle Packers 9 (Rachel Fitzpatrick 3, Peter Edwards, Paul Fitzpatrick 2) d Fishers IGA 2 (Jeremy Corrin, Jai Green 1)
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Helen Frania, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Bishop Builders 5 (Mick Bacon, Jeff Hards 2)
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Rod Healy, Jai Green, Jol Peters 3) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Karly Leach, Sam Hensgen 1)
PENNANT FOUR:
– Sunny Daily 7 (Paul Reyes 3, Shirley Whitecross, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Kim Avers, Quentin Clark 2)
– Fishers IGA 9 (Soyel Zahidi 3, Ben Hosking, Campbell McKenzie 2) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Kumail Jaffry 2)
The clash of the Titans. With both players going in undefeated into Rnd 5 the much anticipated clash between Wayne Carmichael and Joel Thomas delivered plenty going to a tense 5 setter.
PENNANT ONE:
Fishers IGA with a 6-5 win over fourth placed Weightmans Packaging have remained undefeated over the first five rounds of the Sunraysia Table Tennis winter pennant.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Jackson Tung, Kevin Johns 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Joel Thomas 3)
This match included the much awaited singles clash between perennial singles aggregate winner 
Wayne Carmichael and Joel Thomas back in the STTA for the first time for several seasons. 
They did not disappoint and their singles clash was decided in the fifth when Thomas took the points 11-8 in what was a memorable match for the spectators looking on.Both players played some brilliant shots and this was undoubtedly the singles match of the season.
Fishers were pressed all the way by their opponents and at five rubbers all Fishers veteran Kevin Johns outlasted Michael Hogarth to win 11-8 7-11 14-12 8-11 11-8 to give his team the narrowest of victories. Earlier Hogarth was involved in another thriller again going down narrowly 11-13 in the fifth against Jackson Tung. These scores indicate how close these two teams are. Fishers lost both doubles as Joel Thomas enjoyed a good night winning his three singles and the two doubles he participated in, however the evenness of the Fishers combination of Wayne Carmichael, Jackson Tung and Kevin Johns all winning two singles each gave them the hard earned points.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Mark Ljubic 3)
With their second win in as many rounds after a slow start to the season, Tankard Dental have moved into the top four for the first time. With each of their team Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman and fill in John Gray winning two singles each they were successful 7-4 over Mallee Bearings who were in second position going into this round. In the first match of the night, on centre court, 
Nicholas Dorman recovered from a two games to love deficit against Matt Ljubic to win 9-11 10-12 11-6 11-6 11-2. Playing a crucial role for his team young Dorman later defeated Kate Carmichael 11-9 in the fifth in another hard fought win.
For Mallee Bearings skipper Mark Ljubic played well to win three singles, the highlight match being his five set win over Mark Dorman after losing the third 0-11. The final score in Ljubic’s favour 8-11 11-8 0-11 13-11 11-8 indicated a topsy turvy match.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Shannon Bowen, Andrew Cannard 2) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Shane Carmichael, Ed Hung 1)
In the remaining match on the stage court the “dream team” Dunkley Scales moved to out right second on the ladder when they recorded their third win of the season 6-5 at the expense of Max Miller Carpets. The key to this victory was the success in both doubles both being won in five set tussles. In the first Andrew Cannard and Shannon Bowen were out of the blocks early against the Carmichael brothers Shane and Gavin winning the first two games before getting up in the fifth 11-7.
The second doubles was closer with Bowen and Arthur Paar taking the points over Gavin Carmichael and Ed Hung 11-9 in the fifth.
For the Carpeters Gavin Carmichael recorded three singles victories, including a four set win over Shannon Bowen and a three set win over Andrew Cannard. These two players have enjoyed a good record over Carmichael in the past two seasons and Carmichael was focussed right from the start against these tough opponents. I
It was the inability of Max Miller Carpets to win a doubles which was costly as they flounder at the bottom of the ladder with one win in the first five rounds.
PENNANT TWO:
The Max Miller Carpets pair of Ashley Morrison and Aidan Moore last week helped Spanline to a win by filling in for Spanline’s absent Geoff Wright and Andrew Jones. This week Spanline repaid that kind act by thrashing Max Millers in their match-up.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Tony Malycha 3, Arnold Jago, Matthew Burns 1)d Tankard Dental 5 (Matt Avers, Ross Humphreys 2)
Weightmans Packaging are beginning to look threatening in this competition; for after a slow start to the season, they seemed to have found a secret weapon, Tony Malycha.
Last week Malycha, in helping his team to a 7 rubbers to 4 win over Pinnacle Packers, defeated aggregate leader Peter Midgley. Not bad for a number three.
This week Malycha went one better, playing just like a number one. Yes, he scored three singles wins, where his team-mates Matt Burns (subbing for Sony Sefer) and Arnold Jago could not.
Malycha is really playing in a purple patch at the moment. This week he made it look all so easy, defeating newly promoted Matt Avers in three (no shame to Matt there), then later downing opposing captain Ross Humphreys in straight sets 14-12, 11-4, 11-8 to demoralise Ross. He had to work a bit harder against the energetic Josh Carmichael, but still only dropped a single set in his 11-4, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 win.
And it was just as well that Tony was playing so well; his team mates could only scratch around for a single win each, both defeating Tankard’s Josh Carmichael, Burns in three 11-8, 12-10, 13-11 and later Arnold Jago needed the full five sets to get up against Josh. In fairness to Burns, he was filling in, and hasn’t picked up a bat since he filled in in one game last year.
Weightmans got home by virtue of a win in the first doubles, when Burns and Jago held off Humphreys and Carmichael in a keenly contested five setter. Burns and Jago only got the better of their opposition in the fifth set, after scores of 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10 in the previous four, they made the fifth look easy, taking it 11-6.
Over at Tankards, meanwhile, although losing here, there is certainly cause for optimism. Both captain Ross Humphreys and new number three Matt Avers took two rubbers each. Avers from this round onwards is permanently in Pennant Two, and the step-up from Pennant Three did not intimidate him in this contest. After losing to the rampant Malycha in the first round of singles, Matt took on the other Matt, Matt Burns. Although Burns was a bit match shy, he has plenty of talent, and is able to beat players who practice constantly even when he returns for a single match, as he did here. All credit to Avers then, he bounced out of the blocks taking the first two sets, 11-8, 11-7. Burns recovered in the next two, taking them 11-8, 11-9 to make it two sets all. Avers held firm, and was too good in the last winning it easily 11-4. Avers had less trouble with Arnold Jago, matching it with Arnold in the first two sets and taking them 12-10, 11-8. Even after Jago took the third 11-2, Avers did not waver from his game plan, and held Arnold off in the fourth 11-9 to take the win.
So it was probably only right that Avers should team with his captain Ross Humphreys to take the second doubles. They had the better of the Weightmans pairing of Burns and Malycha, winning in four sets 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 26 games to 20.
– Spanline 9 (Andrew Jones, Peter Bishop 3, Peter Fitzpatrick 1) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Ashley Morrison, Aidan Moore 1)
Spanline were once again without their captain, Geoff Wright, who is still recovering from a cartilage injury. This week Peter Bishop filled Geoff’s shoes, and helped Spanline to a very healthy victory.
Not too much can be said about this match really, as the scoring was almost all one-way.
Peter Bishop, not in a regular Pennant One team this year, filled in for Geoff Wright, and came away with three wins. Although opposing captain Ashley Morrison (who has also played in Pennant One) came close to toppling Peter, and when leading two sets to love 13-11, 11-9 seemed to have the upper hand, but Bishop struck back strongly, taking the remaining three sets 4, 6 and 7. That was as close as anyone came to defeating Bishop; Aidan Moore took a set from him in his match and Cole Keegan put up a determined fight before Bishop won 16-14, 12-10, 11-7.
Andrew Jones came up with three wins, too. After a five set battle with Aidan Moore, Jones surprised everyone one (not least himself) when he ran through Ashley Morrison 4, 5 and 4.
Both doubles rubbers went to Spanline and when added to the singles rubber contributed by Peter Fitzpatrick in his win over Cole Keegan, the team came away with nine rubbers.
Only Ashley Morrison and Aidan Moore worried the scorers for Max Miller Carpets. They both beat Fitzpatrick.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 27 games to 14.
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Terry Martin, Peter Midgley 3) d Fishers IGA 3 (Geoff Peters, Seval Fuat, Leon Brown 1)
Pinnacle Packers scored an easy win against Fishers IGA. Both Peter Midgley and Terry Martin took maximum singles wins, and the team helped themselves to both doubles.
Peter Midgley dropped only one set in his singles wins – this to opposing captain Leon Brown. Brown improved as the match progressed, but Midgley had his measure in the win 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 13-11.
Terry Martin took three wins, but almost lost his first clash, with Geoff Peters in three sets. Peters led 13-11, 11-6, and had his chances to close the match out in the third set, but Martin held on to take it 12-10. It seemed that Martin had Peters’ measure from then on, and although the match remained close, Martin held sway to take the last two sets 11-7, 12-10.
For Fishers IGA, their three rubbers came at the expense of Pinnacle Packers number three Glen Bell. None of the Fishers team dominated Bell, and it took each of them four sets to claim victory.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 13.
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PENNANT THREE:
Joint ladder leaders Bishop Builders went down to Mallee Bearings in this round, leaving Weightmans Packaging one game clear at the head after they defeated Dunkley Scales.
– Pinnacle Packers 9 (Rachel Fitzpatrick 3, Peter Edwards, Paul Fitzpatrick 2) d Fishers IGA 2 (Jeremy Corrin, Jai Green 1)
After a win-boosting confident start to the season, Pinnacle Packers had failed to add to their tally of wins until this round. Fishers IGA had recorded two wins to date and were looking to get their season going. This round however, put that thought on hold and once again, the Packers would be heartened by this win.
Rachel Fitzpatrick was back to her best taking three singles wins and playing in both winning doubles rubbers. As mentioned last week, although in a losing team then, Rachel played good table tennis in a losing side, this week she continued on, with her team-mates joining in the action. Her early matches were dominant wins, three sets over Megan Carmichael and finishing off Jai Green 11-0 in her four set win over him. The contest with Jeremy Corrin was a beauty, hard fought all the way by both, with the bounce of the ball going to Rachel 12-10, 9-11, 12-14, 11-7, 15-13.
Peter Edwards and Paul Fitzpatrick joined in the fun, both contributing two singles rubbers; Edwards gave Corrin two sets start 5-11, 8-11, before he got going. He took the next three 7, 4 and 4 to overwhelm his opponent. His next win, over Megan Carmichael was much closer, Carmichael matching Edwards set for set forcing the rubber to the fifth, which Edwards took 11-8, for a close win. Paul Fitzpatrick, after dropping the first set in his match with Jai Green, recovered to win in four, and he finished the night with a three set win over Megan Carmichael.
The Packers dropped just one set in the two doubles – Rachel and Peter Edwards dropped the first set 6-11 to Jeremy Corrin and Megan Carmichael, but were in control after that taking the next three 8, 3 and 4. The second doubles saw the two Fitzpatricks outplay Corrin and Green 6, 5 and 7.
The only rubbers to go to the other end of the table were wins in four sets by Jeremy Corrin over Paul Fitzpatrick, and Jai Green over Peter Edwards.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 29 games to 15.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Helen Frania, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Bishop Builders 5 (Mick Bacon, Jeff Hards 2)
Mallee Bearings was another team with just one win to its credit, and that only recorded last week. They probably didn’t expect a win here, against the team which was sitting on top of the ladder. But a change in team line-ups put a different complexion on the game, and Mallee Bearings came away with the win.
Bishop Builders have lost their biggest asset, captain Matt Avers. Avers has been promoted to Pennant Two, and has been replaced by Peter Kelly, although Kelly was unable to take part in this match. For this match then number two Mick Bacon assumed the captaincy and number three Jeff Hards moved up to number two. John Fitzpatrick came in to fill the vacant number three spot.
Over at Mallee Bearings, captain Peter Mikaeil was absent, so Sabrina Fitzpatrick took the captain’s role, and number three Helen Frania took the number two spot. It was another Fitzpatrick, this time Therese, who stepped into what became the vital number three position.
The contest between the teams was close all night, and neither side could get a break on the other. When one side took a win, it was then matched by their opponents, and predictably, this meant that the result came to the result of the eleventh rubber between the two number three’s.
Having said that, Sabrina Fitzpatrick had her best night so far this season, taking all her singles, and one of the doubles. She was not really extended in any of her singles contests, with four set wins over Jeff Hards and Mick Bacon, and defeating son John in three.
Helen Frania took an important win in the very first rubber when she managed to overcome John Fitzpatrick. John was hitting the table with everything in the first two sets taking them 11-7, 11-8, but Helen kept putting the ball back and her experience helped her back into the contest. She took the last three sets 4, 1 and 4.
Over at Bishop Builders, Mick Bacon took two rubbers – defeating both Therese Fitzpatrick and Helen Frania in three. Likewise, Jeff Hards; he too defeated these two, also in three sets.
The doubles kept both sides in the contest, the Bishop Builders pairing of Bacon and Hards took the first in a very even contest against Sabrina and Helen Frania 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9. For the second doubles Bacon paired with John Fitzpatrick against Sabrina and Therese Fitzpatrick. The girls were too good for the boys, winning in four 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 11-4.
That set the scene for the final rubber. With scores locked at five rubbers all, the two young Fitzpatricks had to play off. On this occasion, it was the younger Therese who prevailed, defeating John 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7 to finish off a great night for her, as she also played in a winning team in Pennant Four.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 21.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Rod Healy, Jai Green, Jol Peters 3) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Karly Leach, Sam Hensgen 1)
Weightmans Packaging now sit one game clear at the head of the ladder after this confident win over Dunkley Scales. And once again, captain Rod Healy came away with three singles wins to keep his aggregate perfect.
Dunkley Scales got off to a good start with wins by number three Sam Hensgen over number two Jai Green and captain Karly Leach downing Jol Peters 6, 6 and 8.
Weightmans hit back, however, taking the next five rubbers. Rod Healy had little trouble with Leonie Dunkley, winning in three; Healy and Green, after a confident start in the first doubles, taking the first two sets 11-5, 11-5, then had to work very hard to get the win over Leach and Dunkley. The female duo evened the score, with wins of 11-4, 13-11 in the third and fourth. The Weightmans pair held firm, though, and came away with the win, with an 11-9 scoreline in the fifth set. That made it two rubbers all.
The next block of three singles all went to Weightmans, and with two of the rubbers going to five sets, Dunkley Scales certainly had their chances to take them. Jai Green dropped the first two sets to Karly Leach 8-11, 9-11, and came within a whisker of losing this rubber in straight sets, only holding Karly out in the third 16-14. Leach certainly lost momentum then, as Jai’s confidence grew, with Jai taking the last two sets 11-6, 11-9 to take a big win. In the next rubber Rod Healy dropped a set to Sam Hensgen before winning in four, 
and Jol Peters had to come from two sets to one down against Leonie Dunkley 11-5, 9-11, 5-11 before taking the final two sets 11-3, 11-9.
Having come close to taking a win in the last three rubbers, but not doing so, Dunkley Scales were desperate to win the second doubles to give themselves any chance of overcoming Weightmans Packaging.
Karly Leach and Sam Hensgen faced Rod Healy and Jol Peters in this rubber and started well, winning the first set 11-8. The Weightmans pair hit their stride, taking the next two 11-6, 11-6 to edge their opponents. The Dunkley Scales pair were not intimidated, however, and held off their opposition to take the next two sets 11-8, 11-6, making the score 5 rubbers to 3.
However, that was the end of their challenge; the Weightmans team taking the last three rubbers – Healy in three sets over Karly Leach, Jai Green winning in another five setter – this time against Leonie Dunkley, and Jol Peters after dropping the first set to Sam Hensgen, won in four sets to give his team a big win.
Final scorers: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 19.
PENNANT FOUR:
The feature in pennant four in this round was that the top two teams were successful against the third and fourth teams. Fishers IGA like their name sakes in pennant one remain undefeated after five rounds.
– Fishers IGA 9 (Soyel Zahidi 3, Ben Hosking, Campbell McKenzie 2) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Kumail Jaffry 2)
The star of this match was Fishers IGA number three Soyel Zahidi who won three singles including an excellent five set victory over Carpeters number one Kumail Jaffry who before this round had lost only one singles. The final score of 8-11 7-11 11-1 13-11 11-9 indicates what a top match it was. With Zahidi in top form and also partnering his skipper Cambell McKenzie to victory in the second doubles Fishers were able to win 9-2.
Zahidi’s team mates McKenzie and
“ Ice man” Ben Hosking both won two singles each in their big win.
– Sunny Daily 7 (Paul Reyes 3, Shirley Whitecross, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Kim Avers, Quentin Clark 2)
The highlight of this match was the form of Paulo Reyes who was on fire for Sunny Daily. Paulo not only won his three singles he also participated in both doubles victories enabling his team to win 7-4 over Weightmans Packaging.
The best match of this contest was the first doubles where Paulo teamed up with 
Shirley Whitecross to take the points 7-11 9-11 11-6 11-9 11-5 against Kim Avers and Quentin Clark in what was a great comeback.
Both Kim and Quentin won two singles each for Weightmans. Sunny Daily sit in second position two victories shy of the undefeated Fishers IGA.
Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant round 5: –
PENNANT ONE: – Dunkley Scales 6 (Shannon Bowen, Andrew Cannard 2) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Shane Carmichael, Ed Hung 1); Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Jackson Tung, Kevin Johns 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Joel Thomas 3); Tankard Dental 7 (Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Mark Ljubic 3)
PENNANT TWO: – Weightmans Packaging 6 (Tony Malycha 3, Arnold Jago, Matthew Burns 1)d Tankard Dental 5 (Matt Avers, Ross Humphreys 2); Spanline 9 (Andrew Jones, Peter Bishop 3, Peter Fitzpatrick 1) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Ashley Morrison, Aidan Moore 1); Pinnacle Packers 8 (Terry Martin, Peter Midgley 3) d Fishers IGA 3 (Geoff Peters, Seval Fuat, Leon Brown 1)
PENNANT THREE: – Pinnacle Packers 9 (Rachel Fitzpatrick 3, Peter Edwards, Paul Fitzpatrick 2) d Fishers IGA 2 (Jeremy Corrin, Jai Green 1); Mallee Bearings 6 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Helen Frania, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Bishop Builders 5 (Mick Bacon, Jeff Hards 2); Weightmans Packaging 8 (Rod Healy, Jai Green, Jol Peters 3) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Karly Leach, Sam Hensgen 1)
PENNANT FOUR: – Sunny Daily 7 (Paul Reyes 3, Shirley Whitecross, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Kim Avers, Quentin Clark 2); Fishers IGA 9 (Soyel Zahidi 3, Ben Hosking, Campbell McKenzie 2) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Kumail Jaffry 2)
For further information on Table Tennis contact Gavin Carmichael 0408 237 907 or 5023 7907.
