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Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Round 10: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Tankard Dental 6 (Nicholas Dorman 3, Mark Ljubic 2) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Matt Ljubic 2, Mark Dorman, Kevin Johns 1)
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Joel Dorman 2, Leslie Ncube 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 5 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Kate Carmichael 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Rick McMeekin 3, Michael Hogarth, Jackson Tung 1)
PENNANT TWO:
– Tankard Dental 9 (Arthur Paar, Tony Malycha 3, Rod Healy 1) d Mallee Meats 2 (Ashley Morrison, Cambell McKenzie 1)
– Fishers IGA 7 (John Gray, Seval Fuat 2, Brendan Alderton 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Reece Kurrle 2, Andrew Edwards 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Lee Thomas, Connor Lavery 2, Andrew Alderton 1) d Bishop Builders 4 (Peter Bishop 2, Josh Carmichael, Jeremy Corrin 1)
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Midgley, Bernadette Fitzpatrick, Peter Fitzpatrick 2) d MJM Automotive 3 (Geoff Wright 3);
PENNANT THREE:
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Daniel Griffiths 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Kerry Wallace 3)
– Mallee Meats 7 (Sam Hensgen 3, Quentin Clark 2, David Sergi 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers 2, Shirley Whitecross 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Michael Hensgen 3, Claire Ljubic 1)
Rnd 10 featured Fathers Mark Dorman and Mark Ljubic pitted against their sons Matt Ljubic & Nicholas Dorman. The boys had never beaten their fathers in Stta competition and the ‘President and Vice-President of the Stta’ had no intentions of the form guide changing any time soon. However the boys had different ideas.
PENNANT ONE:
Round ten of the Sunraysia Table Tennis will go down as the family round and featured results which may never have been witnessed in local table tennis. In the clash of fifth and sixth teams, appropriately on the grand stand court, Max Miller Carpets and Tankard Dental teams consisted of two fathers pitted against their sons.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Nicholas Dorman 3, Mark Ljubic 2) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Matt Ljubic 2, Mark Dorman, Kevin Johns 1)
The Mark Dorman led Max Miller Carpets were desperate for a win to keep in touch with fourth position on the ladder, 
however it was his son Nicholas Dorman for Tankards, who threw a spanner in the works winning three singles for the second time in his brief pennant one career. Included in his victories was an outstanding four set win over his father Mark 11-6 13-11 9-11 11-7 which secured Tankards the four points. Nicholas after a slow start to the season has now hit his straps and is playing excellent table tennis.
The first doubles was vital to both teams and it was the Tankards combination of Mark Ljubic and Nicholas Dorman who took the points over Mark Dorman and Matt Ljubic in straight sets.
In a further father son contest Matt Ljubic for the Carpeters outpointed his father Mark 12-10 11-7 10-12 12-10 in an entertaining match. In recent history records reveal that this would be the first time results of this nature have taken place.
With this 6-5 win, Tankard Dental have given themselves a mathematical chance of making the four with five rounds to play.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Kate Carmichael 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Rick McMeekin 3, Michael Hogarth, Jackson Tung 1)
After winning three matches on the trot, the only side to achieve this feat, third placed Mallee Bearings went into their match with some confidence against second placed Weightmans Packaging who were coming off a loss last round. Mallee Bearings started well winning the first two matches courtesy of Jackson Tung defeating the fast improving Matt Avers and skipper Rick McMeekin outpointing Kate Carmichael in a match of many outstanding rallies. From this point Weightmans were able to flex their muscles to win seven of the next nine rubbers to record a hard fought 7-4 victory. The doubles are always crucial and in this match it was no different with Weightmans winning both. The second doubles in particular was a highlight given the score line. Gavin Carmichael and Matt Avers were successful over Rick McMeekin and Jackson Tung 11-8 7-11 an amazing 22-20 12-10.
For Weightmans Gavin Carmichael won three singles, including a rare hard fought win over Rick McMeekin while daughter Kate won two.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Joel Dorman 2, Leslie Ncube 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 5 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung 1)
Ladder leaders Fishers IGA remained one win clear at the top of the ladder when they recovered from a 4-5 deficit to win 6-5 over fourth placed Exposed Signage/Apparel.
The consistent Graeme O’Neill was a late withdrawal for Fishers and he was replaced by Joel Dorman in his first match in the STTA for some time just to add to the family round theme.
Again Joel Thomas one three singles and in the second doubles he partnered Leon Brown to defeat Wayne Carmichael and fill in Joel Dorman 12-14 9-11 12-10 11-8 13-11 a great match however they came up one win short losing the first doubles in five. For Fishers apart from that doubles win Wayne Carmichael and Joel Dorman won two singles, Dorman accounting for Leon Brown in the first match of the night in a thriller 11-9 9-11 11-8 8-11 12-10. Team mate Leslie Ncube chipped in with an important win with the scores locked at five all.
PENNANT TWO:
In a big round of table-tennis, teams first and second on the ladder met, also teams third and fourth played. And at the bottom of the table, Pinnacle Packers moved ahead of Bishop Builders in taking their second win.
– Fishers IGA 7 (John Gray, Seval Fuat 2, Brendan Alderton 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Reece Kurrle 2, Andrew Edwards 1)
The two teams, which up to this point, appear most likely to play off at the end of the season, met in this round.
Fishers are still looking good for an appearance at the end of the season, Mallee Bearings not quite so.
The Fishers IGA team took control of the match, winning all the important rubbers. Captain John Gray took three wins; despite taking one set Reece Kurrle could not really get a foothold in the clash of the number ones. Seval Fuat backed up with two wins. Fuat was impressive in his game against opposite number, Andrew Jones. Jones, not an easy to player to put away, was despatched by Fuat on this occasion in four sets, 11-2, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7. 
And number three Brendan Alderton defeated his opposite number to give his side six singles rubbers.
Gray and Alderton, after dropping the first set in the second doubles 9-11 to Kurrle and Peter Edwards, made it look easy after that, taking the next three 6, 6 and 7.
Gray, despite having missed two games, and provided he does not miss any more, is again a chance to take the aggregate. He is now only three games behind current leader, Reece Kurrle 22 games to 25.
As a result of this loss, and with a win by Tankard Dental in their match, Mallee Bearings drop to third on the ladder.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 15.
– Tankard Dental 9 (Arthur Paar, Tony Malycha 3, Rod Healy 1) d Mallee Meats 2 (Ashley Morrison, Cambell McKenzie 1)
With only one rubber difference in their combined wins and losses for the season (Tankard Dental have won a total of 55, Mallee Meats 54, whilst Tankards have conceded just one game fewer 44 to Mallee Meats 45), this game promised to be a close affair.
Unfortunately for Mallee Meats that is not the way it turned out. With their ever reliable number two Arnold Jago a non-starter, the Mallee Meats team were already at a disadvantage. And things only went downhill from there.
Up against a team which is rediscovering its form, Mallee Meats were at the mercy of their opponents.
Tankard Dental captain Arthur Paar was at his best, picking up three wins, and with a weekend away at Country Week before the next round, he is once again in dangerous form.
Likewise Tony Malycha. 
Malycha has the ability to be as damaging as a number one, and he proved that again in this game. His defeat of opposing captain Ashley Morrison showed he has not lost his touch; coming from two sets to one down to win 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Added to wins in both doubles, Paar and Malycha in four sets against Morrison and fill-in Glen Bell, and later Paar and Healy 4, 4, and 6 against Morrison and Cambell McKenzie, Rod Healy added a further singles rubber to give their team a great win, second spot on the ladder, and a handy boost in the wins for and against.
Tankard Dental are now outright second and, if their form continues, might be the team to meet Fishers at the end of the season.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 30 games to 12.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Lee Thomas, Connor Lavery 2, Andrew Alderton 1) d Bishop Builders 4 (Peter Bishop 2, Josh Carmichael, Jeremy Corrin 1)
Weightmans Packaging can probably thank an erratic Josh Carmichael for this win.
Carmichael played as he knows he can in the first round of singles, when he met Weightmans captain Lee Thomas. Josh took his time, picked his shots, and eventually saw Lee off, winning the match in five sets 2-11, 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 15-13. But then it all came undone. Carmichael firstly fell to Andrew Alderton in four sets, and in the final round of singles Connor Lavery ran through him 0, 6 and 7. From what looked like a three game haul, turned to one.
For their part, Weightmans Packaging as a team, played well. Captain Lee Thomas, after that loss to Carmichael took her remaining two rubbers, importantly defeating Bishop Builders captain Peter Bishop. 
Connor Lavery also picked up two; Carmichael as explained, and also Jeremy Corrin. And number three Andrew Alderton added that one rubber at the expense of Carmichael.
That gave Weightmans five rubbers, and they also demonstrated their strength in the doubles. Thomas and Alderton, after dropping the first set, defeated the apparently stronger pairing of Bishop and Carmichael. Later Thomas and Lavery were much too good for Bishop and Corrin, winning 4, 7 and 9.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 17.
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Midgley, Bernadette Fitzpatrick, Peter Fitzpatrick 2) d MJM Automotive 3 (Geoff Wright 3)
Not only were fathers playing their sons in Pennant One, this pennant also featured a match of that kind.
MJM Automotive were really on the ropes this week: Geoff Wright, who at any one time, carries more injuries than an entire football team, was in action, Terry Martin was too, but probably should not have been, with his bad back, and Ajay Chowdhry was absent, Paul Fitzpatrick filling-in there.
These factors, combined with Bernadette Fitzpatrick filling-in for Pinnacle Packers number two Ross Humphreys, conspired to give Pinnacle Packers their second win for the season.
Geoff Wright did his best, though. He won his three singles, but was unable to engineer anything in the doubles – the Packers took both of them.
Along with the doubles, the Pinnacle Packers team took two singles wins apiece to give them eight rubbers in total.
Martin was in obvious pain in all his matches, losing all his singles, and the doubles in three sets.
As for the father-son game, well, dad won this one, but son Paul was not disgraced. Paul’s game has improved immensely in the last eighteen months, and his game against his sister Bernadette earlier in the night showed how much. His now aggressive style netted him a set from Bernadette before eventually going down in four sets.
As a result of this fortuitous set of circumstances, Pinnacle Packers skipped Bishop Builders for seventh spot.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 11.
PENNANT THREE:
The clash between teams first and second on the ladder headed this round. Mallee Meats, who are in no danger of not finishing on top of the ladder, played MJM Automotive who, tied on points with two other teams, and only hold second by virtue of a better percentage.
– Mallee Meats 7 (Sam Hensgen 3, Quentin Clark 2, David Sergi 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
Mallee Meats came away with the four premiership points after this game, but their opponents gave them a big scare.
Mallee Meats boast the two big guns of this pennant, Quentin Clark and Sam Hensgen. These two sit first and second on the aggregate and have steered their team to a commanding position on the ladder, having lost only one game in ten rounds.
With the scores at four all at the conclusion of the second doubles, this game was still up for grabs.
In the first of the remaining games to be played, Mick Bacon met Hensgen. After two sets, Bacon led two sets to love in a close game 11-9, 14-12. However, it seems he had given all of his best, Hensgen then ran away with the game, taking the next three 2, 4 and 8.
John Fitzpatrick played Quentin Clark in the next game and came within a point of defeating the dominant player in this pennant. Fitzpatrick led 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 and held match point in the fourth before losing that set 10-12. Clark recovered enough to hold off the disappointed Fitzpatrick 11-7 in the fifth. A close call for Clark.
That was the match, then, for Mallee Meats – 
David Sergi making it a 7-4 result by defeating his cousin Anthony Sergi in four sets in the eleventh rubber.
MJM Automotive drop to third on the ladder with this loss.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 19.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers 2, Shirley Whitecross 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Michael Hensgen 3, Claire Ljubic 1)
Dunkley Scales just made it home against last-placed Tankard Dental to re-claim second spot on the ladder in this match.
The game was evenly poised throughout. Tankard Dental captain Michael Hensgen was the stand out player, taking three wins, however the Dunkley Scales pair of Sabrina Fitzpatrick and Kim Avers countered with two wins apiece, and importantly, both defeated the dangerous Claire Ljubic, keeping her to just one win for the game.
The doubles were shared, the Tankard pairing of Hensgen and Ljubic comfortably defeating Fitzpatrick and Avers in four sets 4-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7. It was the second doubles, though, which probably cost Tankard the win, as they went down 14-12 in the fifth.
With the scores at five all, 
Shirley Whitecross defeated Andrew Edwards in three sets to decide the match.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 19.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Daniel Griffiths 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Kerry Wallace 3)
Weightmans Packaging proved too strong for Fishers IGA in this game, denying Fishers the chance to cement third spot on the ladder in the process.
Weightmans Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail and Daniel Griffiths all took two wins apiece in a measured display, and Leach and Ismail controlled the first doubles against Kerry Wallace and Ben Hosking, winning it in three sets.
Fishers IGA captain Kerry Wallace was the undefeated player in singles competition, though. Her form here was impressive; after dropping just one set to Ismail 12-14, she dominated the other three sets winning them 8, 5 and 4. Her third win against her opposite number, Karly Leach, demonstrated her tenacity; she held the close sets, and took one easily, winning the match 13-11, 11-4, 12-10.
Fishers came into this game in fourth spot, two games ahead of Weightmans. They remain in fourth, but, with MJM Automotive being defeated by Mallee Meats, could have taken third.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 16.
