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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant results Round 15: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Kevin Johns, Matt Ljubic 2, Mark Dorman 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Mark Ljubic 3, Nicholas Dorman 1)
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael, Leslie Ncube 2, Shane Carmichael 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 4 (Joel Thomas 3, Leon Brown 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael, Matt Avers 2) d Mallee Bearings 3 (Rick McMeekin 3)
PENNANT TWO:
– Mallee Meats 6 (Arnold Jago 3, Ashley Morrison 2) d Pinnacle Packers 5 (Peter Midgley 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Paul Fitzpatrick 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7(Lee Thomas, Connor Lavery 2, Andrew Alderton 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin 1)
– Fishers IGA 6 (John Gray 3, Brendan Alderton 2) d Bishop Builders 5 (Peter Bishop 2, Josh Carmichael, Jeremy Corrin 1)
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Reece Kurrle 3, Andrew Jones 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Rod Healy, Arthur Paar 2, Tony Malycha 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Mallee Meats 7 (David Sergi 3, Quentin Clark 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Russell Walder 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Kerry Wallace 3)
– Tankard Dental 7 (Michael Hensgen, Claire Ljubic 3) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers, Shirley Whitecross 1)
The aggregate race was tight in all three pennants over the Winter 2015 season. We congratulate Reece Kurrle (P2 -37 wins @ 82%), Joel Thomas (P1 – 42 wins @ 100% and Quentin Clarke (P3 – 39 wins @ 87%) on their solid form throughout the season.
PENNANT ONE:
Weightmans Packaging in a strong display against form team Mallee Bearings, in round fifteen of the Sunraysia Table Tennis Association, have secured the minor premiership by finishing first on the ladder and this week will play Fishers IGA in the second semi-final to decide who will be the first team to make it to this season’s grand final.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael, Matt Avers 2) d Mallee Bearings 3 (Rick McMeekin 3)
Against Mallee Bearings, Weightmans proved too consistent with Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael and Matt Avers all winning two singles each. They were also able to secure both doubles and in doing so won the match eight rubbers to three. Despite his team losing Rick McMeekin for Mallee Bearings finished the season strongly to win his three singles and in doing so he finished second to Joel Thomas in the singles aggregate race.
In his second singles match of the night McMeekin received a real scare from the fast improving fourteen year old Matt Avers. 
At one stage Avers took a two games to one lead and in the fifth almost had the experienced McMeekin on the ropes when Avers took a 7-3 lead. McMeekin, despite being under pressure, continued with his heavy top spin forehand loop and clawed his way back to win an outstanding match 11-6 6-11 9-11 11-6 11-9. This had been a great battle and the highlight match on centre court.
– Fishers IGA 7 (Wayne Carmichael, Leslie Ncube 2, Shane Carmichael 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 4 (Joel Thomas 3, Leon Brown 1)
Second placed Fishers IGA proved too steady for fourth placed Exposed Signage / Apparel winning seven rubbers to four on the grand stand court. This was closer than the score may indicate as there were five five setters throughout the match. The best of these was the singles between Joel Thomas and Fishers skipper Wayne Carmichael.
For the first time this season Thomas actually trailed one game to two in a match and Carmichael was placing the pressure on. Spectators were entertained in what was one of the best matches of the season. Thomas had to lift a gear and he was able to do this in the fourth and then grab the ascendancy in the fifth to win 7-11 11-8 7-11 11-2 11-8. This had been another excellent contest between Sunraysia’s best two players.
The doubles as usual can be crucial and by winning both Fishers were able to maintain control despite Thomas winning his usual three singles. For Fishers Wayne Carmichael won two singles as did team mate Leslie Ncube who played a key role for his team. 
Fill in Shane Carmichael won a five setter in the first match of the night against the unlucky Ed Hung who later lost another five setter to Ncube.
Exposed Signage/ Apparel now meet Mallee Bearings in this week’s knockout semi-final.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Kevin Johns, Matt Ljubic 2, Mark Dorman 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Mark Ljubic 3, Nicholas Dorman 1)
In the contest of fifth placed Max Miller Carpets against bottom team Tankard Dental the Carpeters combination were left to lament what could have been after their 7-4 victory. They finished one win short of fourth with a stronger percentage and would think, if only, of their six narrow 5-6 losses throughout the season. 
Number three player Kevin Johns played a key role in the victory winning two singles both in five sets against much younger opponents. Johns match against Nicolas Dorman went on and on with Johns winning 6-11 10-12 11-8 11-8 and an amazing 18-16, spare a thought for the umpire, Jackson Murphy.
Johns also teamed with in form Matt Ljubic in the second doubles for the first time this season to win in straight sets against Nicholas Dorman and Jackson Murphy.
In the father son clashes Tankards Nicholas Dorman repeated his earlier in the season defeat of father Mark winning 11-6 11-8 11-6., while Mark Ljubic reversed a last round loss against his son Matt to win in four sets 5-11 11-8 11-8 11-9. Ljubic senior went on to win three singles in one of his better matches of the season.
PENNANT TWO:
Three of the four matches in this last round held interest so far as the make-up of the final four and the individual aggregate count were concerned. Mallee Bearings captain Reece Kurrle was tied with Lee Thomas at the head of the aggregate ladder – his team faced the dangerous Arthur Paar led Tankard Dental who themselves were desperately holding on to second spot on the ladder. A loss could see them in trouble. Weightmans Packaging faced off against MJM Automotive, could MJM captain Geoff Wright foil Lee Thomas in her bid for three wins? And could Weightmans Packaging defeat MJM Automotive and displace Tankard Dental in second spot? And finally, Fishers IGA captain John Gray was an outside chance for the aggregate, was Bishop Builders captain Peter Bishop going to spoil John’s party?
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Reece Kurrle 3, Andrew Jones 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Rod Healy, Arthur Paar 2, Tony Malycha 1)
This game had a lot at stake. Tankard Dental held second spot on the ladder, but with an inferior percentage to that of Weightmans Packaging, who were a game behind. A loss by Tankard Dental and a win by Weightmans would see Weightmans get the “second chance” game in the finals.
Also, as mentioned, Reece Kurrle was equal to Lee Thomas on the aggregate ladder, both on 34 games. Arthur Paar is capable of defeating anybody in this grade, so
Reece was very careful in his match with Arthur, although in their two meetings this season Reece has won them both, one in three sets and the other in four.
Well, that answer was given in the first rubber of the match. Reece and Arthur met in that first game, the win going to Reece 8, 5 and 9.
Tankard took the next two rubbers: Rod Healy easily defeating Andrew Jones in three sets 4, 5 and 4 and then Tony Malycha having to work to best Quinton Clark, who was subbing for Peter Edwards. Malycha took the win in four sets.
Kurrle and Clark then downed Paar and Healy in four sets in the first doubles to even the score.
From then on, the lead alternated: Jones, after his disappointing loss to Healy, lifted his work rate against Arthur Paar. He looked good after the first two sets, leading 11-8, 11-7, but it was not enough. Paar held the important third set 12-10, then got better as the match progressed, taking the last to 6 and 4.
Next up Kurrle dropped a set to Malycha, but was comfortable in winning 11-3, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6.
Healy made it 4-3 to Tankard Dental after a near-loss experience to Clark. Clark led two sets to love 12-10, 11-9 and Healy was looking everywhere for solutions. Healy eventually wore Clark down to win the final three sets 7, 3 and 8.
Mallee Bearings made it 4-4 in the second doubles: Kurrle and Jones besting Paar and Malycha in five sets 8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8.
And so for the sprint home, the last round of singles, each side needing two to win. Andrew Jones made short work of Malycha, winning in straight sets; Paar evened the score again, but only after a huge struggle against Quentin Clark. Clark once again led two sets to love, 13-11, 11-9 and Paar was almost done in three sets, but took that set 14-12. Paar took the last two 5 and 7 and knew how close he was to being rolled.
The match then was decided in the eleventh rubber and Kurrle showed why he is now the aggregate winner; although his opponent Rod Healy tried hard and matched Kurrle at times, the Mallee Bearings captain had him covered, and took the rubber 11-4, 13-11. 11-9.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 25 games to 19.
– Weightmans Packaging 7(Lee Thomas, Connor Lavery 2, Andrew Alderton 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin 1)
Weightmans Packaging captain Lee Thomas wanted two things from this game – a win for the team so they would give themselves a chance of taking second on the ladder from Tankard Dental, should Tankard Dental lose, and three singles victories for herself in pursuit of the aggregate trophy.
Well, Lee got one of those wishes; her team now gets the “second chance” match in the first finals game.
Her hope of three singles wins was extinguished in her first rubber of the night, when she met opposing captain Geoff Wright. Perhaps it was nerves, who knows, but in a very timid display, Lee conceded the match 5, 5 and 4 to Wright, and to give MJM Automotive a 2-0 lead at that stage.
Wright continued on, taking three singles for the game, but only Terry Martin could add one more.
After her early disappointment, Lee and her teammates got on with the job of winning the match.
Connor Lavery, as always, was a great back-up to his captain, again taking two singles wins to put with Lee’s. Number three Andrew Alderton chipped in with one, and to polish the night, the Weightmans team took both doubles. The first went to five sets. After leading 2-0, Thomas and Alderton had to fight off Wright and Martin, who levelled at 2-2 to take the game to the fifth. The Weightmans pair were better prepared for the fifth, and took it 11-7.
The second doubles featuring Thomas and Lavery against Wright and Tom Morrison was over in four, despite some spirited opposition from Wright and the younger Morrison.
With this win, Weightmans levelled with Tankard Dental on ten wins, but take second by virtue of better percentage is that of wins against games played. In this case Weightmans have won 94 of the 165 rubbers played throughout the year, (11 per night, 15 rounds), whilst Tankard Dental have won 88 of their 165 rubbers.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
– Fishers IGA 6 (John Gray 3, Brendan Alderton 2) d Bishop Builders 5 (Peter Bishop 2, Josh Carmichael, Jeremy Corrin 1)
John Gray was keeping an eye on the Mallee Bearings-Tankard Dental and Weightmans Packaging-MJM Automotive matches throughout his contest against Bishop Builders. 
Gray, an outside chance for the aggregate prize, needed both Reece Kurrle and Lee Thomas to score only two, while he needed to score three. John scored three, but so did Reece, so John tied with Lee for second.
As for the game, Bishop Builders were in a contest with Pinnacle Packers for second-to-last spot on the ladder, neither side wanting the wooden spoon. Going into this match they were equal on three wins, and separated by just one rubber, Bishop Builders having won 61 of their previous 154 rubbers, and Pinnacle Packers had won 60 of theirs. It was close.
Bishop Builders put up a good fight in this game, although with John Gray taking three wins, and his number three Brendan Alderton two, the pickings were slim. Bishop Builders captain Peter Bishop took two, and Josh Carmichael and Jeremy Corrin one apiece, both defeating Jason Gifkins, who subbed for an absent Seval Fuat. The failure of both of these two players to defeat Alderton cost them the match.
The doubles were shared – both fairly short and sharp affairs: Bishop and Carmichael conceded just nine points to Gray and Jason Gifkins, and later Gray and Alderton downed Bishop and Corrin in straight sets 4, 7 and 9.
Peter Bishop took his opposite number John Gray to five sets, but the game was not close, Gray won 11-3, 5-11, 11-2, 5-11, 11-5.
The match was decided in the eleventh rubber, when Brendan Alderton defeated Corrin in three to take the match 6 rubbers to 5.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 19.
– Mallee Meats 6 (Arnold Jago 3, Ashley Morrison 2) d Pinnacle Packers 5 (Peter Midgley 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Paul Fitzpatrick 1)
These two sides have played twice this year, and Mallee Meats have won both times, 6-5 in Round 1 and 7-4 in Round 8. The Packers were looking to finish the year with a win, if not a win, then not lose badly, and hopefully not finish with the wooden spoon.
In the event, Mallee Meats had the game all but won by the conclusion of the sixth rubber, when they led 5-1.
Those five rubbers came from firstly Arnold Jago in three sets against a very determined Paul Fitzpatrick, Arnold winning 11-8, 11-9, 16-14, then Ashley Morrison taking only three sets to defeat Peter Fitzpatrick, the first doubles, and Peters Midgley and Fitzpatrick started well, taking the first set 11-4, but lost the next three 5, 7 and 5, next, the upset of the night, and the game which won the match for Mallee Meats, Arnold Jago at his best, defeated Peter Midgley in five absorbing sets. In the end Arnold had won just three points more than Peter, but they were in the last set. The score read: 11-6, 6-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8. Morrison then made it win number five with a three set win over Paul Fitzpatrick.
Pinnacle Packers then took the next three rubbers, to add to a win in the second rubber played; Peter Fitzpatrick struggled, but defeated Cambell McKenzie, Peter Midgley and Paul Fitzpatrick in a strong performance defeated Ashley Morrison and Cambell McKenzie in the second doubles 12-10, 11-5, 13-11, and Peter Midgley downed Ashley Morrison in the battle of the captains in four sets to put his side just 4-5 down with two to go.
Arnold Jago put an end to the run of wins to Pinnacle Packers when he immediately defeated Peter Fitzpatrick in four sets.
Paul Fitzpatrick finished off a strong showing with a forceful three set win over Cambell McKenzie in rubber number eleven to finish the night.
Unfortunately for Pinnacle Packers, they could not reverse the position with Bishop Builders, and so remained at the bottom of the ladder, with just one rubber the difference.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 19.
PENNANT THREE:
In an exciting final round of home-and-away matches, Weightmans Packaging, against the odds and with a bit of help from Tankard Dental, made it into the finals, at the expense of Dunkley Scales.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail, Russell Walder 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Kerry Wallace 3)
After the conclusion of the last round, Weightmans Packaging looked like they had run out of time and matches to make this year’s finals. They had just lost their third straight match, and had to line up against the second top team in this round, and to make the finals had to beat that team, while Dunkley Scales, with whom they were fighting for fourth spot, played bottom-of-the-ladder Tankard Dental.
All these considerations however, did not seem to enter into the thinking of the Weightmans Packaging trio, who played a workmanlike game to take the win.
Whilst Fishers IGA captain Kerry Wallace was undefeated in singles play, her team-mates Joel Hogarth and Ben Hosking were unable to take a win against any of the Weightmans players, losing all their rubbers in three sets. Wallace herself, had to fight for her wins too. Although she downed opposing captain
Karly Leach in straight sets, her matches against Huseyin Ismail and fill-in Russell Walder both went to five. Walder, playing at number three almost got the better of Wallace, but Wallace eventually took the win 11-6, 11-13, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9.
With the win secured with six singles rubbers, the doubles proved entertaining. Wallace and Ben Hosking defeated Leach and Ismail in five sets in a match where neither side could dominate. The Fishers pair won 11-4, 6-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6. The second doubles between Wallace and Hogarth for Fishes and Leach and Walder for Weightmans was closer, the Weightmans pair winning 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7.
This upset win (Fishers had won seven of their previous eight, whilst Weightmans in the same time had won three) sees Weightmans tie with Dunkley Scales on six wins for the season.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 27 games to 14.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Michael Hensgen, Claire Ljubic 3) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Kim Avers, Shirley Whitecross 1)
Tankard Dental have threatened to do a lot of winning in the latter half of this competition; four of their last five defeats have been by the narrowest of margins, 6-5. Coupled with that, after not winning at all in the first eight rounds, they had, going into this game, won three of their last six matches. Their opponents here, Dunkley Scales, after winning five of the first six matches of the season, had since then, won just one match (against Tankard Dental 6-5 !!).
This was a danger game for Dunkley Scales, for, sitting in fourth on the ladder, but with a worse percentage that Weightmans Packaging who were one game behind, they needed to win this match to keep their spot for the finals.
Things started badly for the Dunkley Scales team when they fell to 3-1 after the first doubles. 
Kim Avers had defeated Andrew Edwards, but then Michael Hensgen defeated Shirley Whitecross, and Claire Ljubic went to five with Sabrina Fitzpatrick, winning 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7. The first doubles was a three set win to Hensgen and Ljubic against Fitzpatrick and Whitecross.
In the next block of singles, Dunkley Scales only took a single win, Sabrina Fitzpatrick against Andrew Edwards, whilst Tankards took two: Hensgen in a good five setter against Kim Avers 11-8, 11-2, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, and Claire Ljubic in a tight three set match against Shirley Whitecross 11-9, 12-10, 11-9.
Dunkley Scales took the second doubles in three sets, but the game had really got away from them by then, as they then trailed 3-5 with the final round of singles to come.
Tankard Dental made no mistake about the win, taking the first two rubbers in this block of three: Hensgen downing Fitzpatrick in four sets, after dropping the first, and hard-hitting Claire Ljubic disposing of Kim Avers 6, 7 and 3. Shirley Whitecross picked up the last rubber for the ladies’ team, with a four set win against Andrew Edwards.
That was not the result Dunkley Scales were hoping for, and it saw them bumped from the finals by Weightmans Packaging.
Both Michael Hensgen and Claire Ljubic took three singles wins for Tankard Dental in this match, in a sign of what this side could have achieved had it had a settled line-up throughout the competition.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
– Mallee Meats 7 (David Sergi 3, Quentin Clark 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d MJM Automotive 4 (Mick Bacon 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
Both these sides have made the finals, Mallee Meats on top of the ladder, and MJM Automotive in third.
Mallee Meats captain
Quentin Clark did enough to ensure he took the aggregate trophy for the year; going into the match he had a two game break on Kerry Wallace in second spot, and Quentin won two matches here – although the failure to again win three might have been because he was also filling-in in Pennant Two.
Be that as it may, the real surprise here was that Mallee Meats number three David Sergi took three singles wins, outshining his better credentialed team mates Clark and Sam Hensgen.
Mallee Meats were never in trouble in this game – after seven rubbers the score was 5-2. The five wins came from Sergi in three over John Fitzpatrick; Hensgen in a tight three setter against Sarah Hogarth 15-13, 11-9, 11-9, the first doubles in three sets to Clark and Hensgen against Mick Bacon and Hogarth, Sergi defeating MJM Automotive captain Mick Bacon in five sets 11-7, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 and Clark in three sets against Hogarth.
MJM Automotive took the next two rubbers to see them trail 4-5; Bacon and Fitzpatrick too good against Hensgen and Sergi in the doubles (Quentin was off playing in Pennant Two), followed by Bacon defeating Hensgen in the first game of the final round of singles.
Mallee Meats took the next two rubbers to put an end to MJM’s mini comeback; Clark had to fight hard to down a determined John Fitzpatrick, winning 9-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4. And David Sergi rounded off a night to remember with a five set win over Sarah Hogarth. Down two sets to love, David fought back to win 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 in a remarkable performance.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 18.
