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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant results round 11: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Mark Dorman, Graeme O’Neill, Peter Midgley 2) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Shannon Bowen 3)
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Jackson Tung, Joel Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
PENNANT TWO:
– Fishers IGA 6 (Sony Sefer 3, Colin Moore, Seval Fuat 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Andrew Jones, Robert Chiswell 2)
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Daniel Jansen 3, Leon Brown 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Ross Humphreys, Matthew Burns 2, Karina Sullivan 1)
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Trevor Gebert, Ashley Morrison 3) d Spanline 4 (Arnold Jago, Alex Keegan, Laurie Plummer 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Matt Ljubic 3, Emily Carmichael 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Bernadette Fitzpatrick 2, Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Mick Bacon 1);
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Darren Greaves 3, Lachlan Kelly 2, Jeremy Corrin 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Emily Carmichael 2, Garry Hughes 1)
PENNANT FOUR:
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Claire Ljubic, Shirley Whitecross, Ellie Midgley 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (then 2m Helen Frania 1);
– Bishop Builders 7 (Paul Fitzpatrick 3, Sam Hensgen 2, Geoff Keegan 1) d Max Miller Carpets 4 (Ben Hosking 2, Cole Keegan 1)
PENNANT ONE
The biggest news and saddest this round was the departure of 14 year old Dillon Chambers from our competition. Dillon is off to Melbourne to further his table tennis and whilst it is sad that he has left it will be a major positive advance for his table tennis. During a break in play to wish Dillon all the best STTA president Mark Dorman spoke glowingly of Dillon and wished him all the best in his move on behalf of all the members and players of the STTA. 
Dillon has improved immensely over the past year and a half and is now a member of the Under 15 Australian training squad. This is a tremendous achievement for such a young player based this far from Melbourne. Mark mentioned that our association has been fortunate to have three players of the calibre of Wayne Carmichael, Joel Thomas and Dillon. All have been great role models for our association and great people to know as well. When Joel departed to Bendigo it was thought that we would not see a player of his ability for a long time and then a short time later Dillon arrived through the junior ranks. Can we now get another Dillon??
Good luck Dillon, we all will be watching your table tennis career as it further unfolds.
Dillon’s team Fishers IGA had the bye in this round while top team Mallee Bearings took on fourth placed Max Miller Carpets and second placed Weightmans Packaging took on fifth placed Pinnacle Packers. Unfortunately Packers number three, Lee Thomas has had to withdraw due to an ongoing shoulder injury and the bubbly “Lethal” will be sadly missed by her team mates.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Jackson Tung, Joel Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
Despite Wayne Carmichael winning three singles and featuring in both doubles victories it was not enough for the top team Max Miller Carpets and they went down 6-5 against the improving Max Miller Carpets. The Carpeter’s have now won three matches in the past four rounds a better record than any other team in pennant one. Are the Carpeters commencing a run that could possibly take them all the way?
They are an even balanced team and in this victory all their team members, Joel Dorman, Jackson Tung and John Gray won two singles each to show their evenness. If they are able to pick up a doubles along the way they will be difficult to beat. The second doubles in this match was a beauty with Jackson Tung and doubles specialist John Gray taking the first two games against Wayne Carmichael and Jackson Murphy however it wasn’t to be as Carmichael and Murphy finished strongly to win 9-11 9-11 11-9 11-7 11-7. Hung and Murphy were winless for Mallee Bearings and if either one can chip in with a singles Mallee Bearings will be a challenge with Carmichael in good form.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Mark Dorman, Graeme O’Neill, Peter Midgley 2) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Shannon Bowen 3)
Whilst Shannon Bowen showed his best form for the season winning three singles it was not enough for bottom team Pinnacle Packers and they went down 4-7 to Weightmans Packaging who are now firming as favourites for the 2012 pennant one flag. Bowen accounted for all his opponents in three sets including Weightmans number one Mark Dorman in a fine display. For Weightmans, Dorman, Graeme O’Neill and Peter Midgley all won two singles. 
In particular Midgley continues to show good form after being promoted from pennant two this year. He is training on Monday nights and this work is showing out in his results. He could be the X factor in how far the Weightmans outfit progresses this pennant.
Time is running out for Pinnacle Packers to play a part in the finals. With four rounds to play they are three wins out of the top four and will have to play well from hereon.
PENNANT TWO
First placed Fishers IGA took on third placed Tankard Dental, and second placed Spanline came up against fourth placed Mallee Bearings in this Round Eleven clash. Also tail-enders Pinnacle Packers and Max Millers Carpets fought to get off the bottom of the ladder.
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Daniel Jansen 3, Leon Brown 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Ross Humphreys, Matthew Burns 2, Karina Sullivan 1)
These two teams were fifth and sixth on the ladder going into this match, equal on twelve points, but separated by percentage. Pinnacle Packers Captain Daniel Jansen picked up another three games to remain at the top of the aggregate ladder with Sony Sefer, who did the same in his match. Jansen is carrying the load for his team, he won all he played in, three singles and two doubles without dropping a set, and only Leon Brown could add a further rubber to the team’s tally, to give them the win at 6 rubbers to 5. Glen Bell seems to have found a home with Pinnacle Packers, and is now regularly playing number three for them. His return to the game after some years away, has reminded him how tough it is in this pennant. Whilst Glen did not overly trouble the opposition’s number one and two players, Matthew Burns and Ross Humphreys, he almost pulled off the game against Karina Sullivan. Sets alternated throughout the match, but unluckily for Glen, he was the winner of the second and fourth sets, not the first, third and fifth !! 
Leon Brown fought hard for the team, taking both Matthew Burns and Ross Humphreys to four sets, only to lose, but did win in five sets against Karina Sullivan. Both the doubles matches went to the victors, and both in three sets, which is an indication of Jansen’s dominance on the table. For the losers, then both Matthew Burns and Ross Humphreys won two rubbers, neither of them being able to get near Jansen, and Sullivan chimed in with her win. Tellingly, as already pointed out, Max Miller Carpets did not win either doubles, and so they remained stuck on five rubbers for the night. Games went 22 to 17.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Sony Sefer 3, Colin Moore, Seval Fuat 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Andrew Jones, Robert Chiswell 2)
After leading 4 rubbers to 1, Tankard Dental slumped in the second half of this match, losing five rubbers in a row to concede defeat to ladder leaders Fishers IGA. Sony Sefer bounced back from his indifferent week last week, when he was beaten all-ends-up by Pennant Three regular and junior Bernadette Fitzpatrick, to take three rubbers. Sefer had to work for them though – Kyle Moore, filling in for Connor Lavery kept Sefer on the table for five sets, narrowly losing the fifth 11-9. Likewise, opposite number Robert Chiswell only lost in five sets, after leading two sets to one. 
Sony’s “easiest” match was against the ever-consistent Andrew Jones, but even that went to four close sets. Sony was backed up by Seval Fuat, who could only contribute one rubber, defeating Kyle Moore in five. Likewise number three Colin Moore chipped in with one, also defeating his son Kyle, but in three sets. Colin probably had the advantage that he knows Kyle’s game inside out, whereas Sony and Seval possibly have not even played him before. Kyle did prove his worth though, when he and Robert Chiswell teamed in the first doubles to out-play Sefer and Colin Moore. In what was a close match, Chiswell and Moore won 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7. Both Robert Chiswell and Andrew Jones won two singles rubbers for the losers, and lost a high standard doubles match against their opposite numbers Sefer and Fuat. It was only in the final set that the Fishers pair asserted any authority on the game, after being down two sets to one, and took it 11-7, 11-13, 10-12, 12-10, 11-4. This was a high class match all night, there were six five set matches, and for the second week in a row, Fishers have won, but scored less games than the losing side, this week the margin was Fishers IGA 23 to Tankard Dental 24.
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Trevor Gebert, Ashley Morrison 3) d Spanline 4 (Arnold Jago, Alex Keegan, Laurie Plummer 1)
Mallee Bearings number one Trevor Gebert returned after a two week break, and immediately stamped his authority on this game. By winning all his singles rubbers and helping Ashley Morrison in the second doubles, 
Gebert stopped Mallee Bearings’ slide down the ladder and helped set up a percentage boosting 7 rubbers to 4 win. Three teams are now equal on 24 points, Spanline, Tankard Dental and Mallee Bearings, with Mallee Bearings remaining in fourth spot due to inferior percentage. Gebert had little trouble with Arnold Jago, winning in three, took a little longer to overcome Laurie Plummer, but taking that in four, and then had to deal with the youthful exuberance of Alex Keegan, who gave Gebert his toughest match of the night, but keeping Keegan out to win 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8. Ashley Morrison backed up his captain, also capturing three singles rubbers, keeping him in a solid third on the aggregate, only three games behind joint leaders Daniel Jansen and Sony Sefer, and three games clear of fourth-placed Andrew Jones. Interestingly, Morrison also had the most trouble with Keegan in his three wins, he likewise defeated Arnold Jago in three, but very close sets, 11-9, 12-10, 13-11, accounting for Plummer in straight sets, but having a battle on his hands with Keegan, who loves to play a fast top-spin game. Keegan took the first 15-13, before Morrison countered in the second and third 11-8, 11-2. Morrison almost closed out the match in the fourth, leading late in the set, but Keegan did not change his game plan and got the better of Morrison to take that set 13-11. Morrison once again asserted his authority in the fifth, taking it 11-7. Spanline were without their captain “Fast and Furious” Arthur Paar, hence the inclusion of Alex Keegan. This is the third time these two sides have played this season, and honours have gone to Mallee Bearings on each occasion, 7-4, 6-5 and 7-4. Games went to Mallee Bearings this time, 27 to Spanline’s 14.
PENNANT THREE
Matt Ljubic (Max Miller Carpets) and Darren Greaves (Weightmans Packaging) led their teams to victory in these Round 11 clashes. Both players won three rubbers, and stay first and second on the aggregate ladder, 25 and 24 games respectively.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Matt Ljubic 3, Emily Carmichael 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Bernadette Fitzpatrick 2, Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Mick Bacon 1)
Captain Matt Ljubic and his deputy Emily Carmichael set their team up for this clash, winning 3 and 2 rubbers respectively. Ljubic’s wins were not as easy as some he has had, first meeting the unorthodox Mick Bacon. Bacon, improving with every match this year, did enough to worry Ljubic, taking the second set in the process. Matt also lost the first set in his match with Bernadette Fitzpatrick, before getting the better of her in the second 12-10, and then drawing away 11-5, 11-5 in the third and fourth. Ljubic’s third win was over Sabrina Fitzpatrick in three sets. 
Carmichael lost to Bernadette in three, accounted for Sabrina Fitzpatrick in three, but like her captain, knew she had competition in Mick Bacon. Mick stuck with her in the first set losing 11-9, Emily raced away with the second 11-2, but Mick found some rhythm and took the third 11-5. Bacon was still in the contest in the fourth, and almost forced the tie into the fifth set, but narrowly failed to do so, losing the fourth 13-11. Both doubles went the way of the Carpeters, Ljubic and Carmichael losing only the third set against Bernadette and her mother Sabrina on their way to a 11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 win. Bernadette and Mick did a much better job in their doubles against Ljubic and number three Karly Leach, taking a tough first set 14-12, getting a bit lost in the second, losing 11-4. They came back strongly 11-5 in the third set to go to a two sets to one lead. Ljubic and Leach held the fourth 11-9 to level, and then were too consistent in the fifth, taking it 11-6. Games for Mallee Bearings came from two wins from Bernadette (Carmichael in three and Leach in three),and Sabrina and Mick Bacon one each at the expense of Karly Leach (four sets each). And although the victors won by 7 rubbers to 4, they did not translate that into a big game score, winning 23 games to 18.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Darren Greaves 3, Lachlan Kelly 2, Jeremy Corrin 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Emily Carmichael 2, Garry Hughes 1)
This was a match between teams top and bottom of the ladder. Emily Carmichael doubled up; whilst playing for “her” side Max Miller Carpets, she filled in as number one for Pinnacle Packers. Darren Greaves carried on his merry way, winning three singles rubbers, disposing of Leonie Dunkley and Gary Hughes in three sets, but he knew he had a game on his hands when he met Carmichael in the first game of the last round of singles. At that stage, the match was evenly poised at 4 rubbers all, and this was a crucial game. Darren took the first set in a hard fought 12-10. Emily responded immediately taking the second 11-9. Darren asserted his authority in the third 11-7, before outlasting Emily to take the fourth 12-10. Lachlan Kelly picked up two rubbers to add to his captain’s two. After losing to Emily Carmichael in three sets, he then beat Leonie Dunkley in three. 
Dunkley started strongly, taking the game right up to Kelly in the first two sets, but losing 11-9, 13-11. She faded in the third to lose 11-6. Kelly’s third match was against Gary Hughes. Kelly took the first comfortably 11-6, before Hughes won a marathon 17-15 second. Kelly was up to the task, and went to 12-10 for the third, before Gary ran out of puff in the fourth and Lachlan won 11-6. Number three Jeremy Corrin contributed one rubber, this against Leonie Dunkley in four sets. After being down a set, Darren Greaves and Lachlan Kelly hit back to take the next three sets in the second of the doubles against Emily Carmichael and Gary Hughes. Carmichael and Hughes looked to be a real chance in this match, taking the first set 15-13. However, Greaves and Kelly had other ideas, and carefully took the next three 11-9, 11-9, 11-9. For the losers, Emily Carmichael won two rubbers (both Lachlan Kelly and Jeremy Corrin in three) and Gary Hughes also had the better of Corrin, winning the first match of the night in four sets. Weightmans Packaging then, won 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 16.
PENNANT FOUR
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Claire Ljubic, Shirley Whitecross, Ellie Midgley 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (then 2m Helen Frania 1)
Every week we should expect the unexpected in this pennant, this round the girls bounced back after a three week losing streak when Mallee Bearings defeated Fishers IGA 7-4. In a stunning display Mallee Bearings Shirley Whitecross outlasted the more fancied Ryan Hensgen 8-11 11-6 5-11 11-9 11-8. Ryan was a true gentleman waiting until Shirley had been interviewed on the roaming camera before shaking her hand. 
Shirley had recovered from a one game to two deficit to record an excellent win playing very steady and consistent table tennis. Later she defeated fill in Michael Hensgen, Ryan and Sam’s brother, in another lengthy five setter. In all there four five setters in this match and they were all won by the “girl power” team indicating this was a close match and with a bit more luck Fishers could have snuck over the line. In fact Fishers did lead 3-1 before their opponents lifted and finished strongly to send a message to the other teams in pennant four that they are back and should be feared as the business end of the season looms.
Shirley’s team mates Claire Ljubic and Ellie Midgley also won two singles each. Claire had to fight off the improving Helen Frania to win in another close one 9-11 11-8 8-11 11-5 11-9. Claire and Ellie combined in the second doubles to defeat Ryan and Helen 8-11 11-7 11-9 6-11 11-3 in what was another excellent match.
This victory takes Mallee Bearings to second on the ladder one match behind Max Miller Carpets who stumbled this round. In the singles aggregate race Ryan Hensgen won two singles and courtesy of his loss to Shirley remains one behind his brother Sam who was also defeated this round.
– Bishop Builders 7 (Paul Fitzpatrick 3, Sam Hensgen 2, Geoff Keegan 1) d Max Miller Carpets 4 (Ben Hosking 2, Cole Keegan 1)
This was the battle of top team, Max Miller Carpets against bottom team Bishop Builders and in a top display Bishop Builders were too strong winning 7-4. The Builders put in a tremendous team effort constructing this victory with Paul Fitzpatrick,
Sam Hensgen and Geoff Keegan winning three, two and one singles respectively. Paul Fitzpatrick has enjoyed a very consistent past month and he is a handful for all the players in this pennant.
Sam Hensgen won two singles however found opposing skipper too tough just, with Hosking winning 6-11 11-8 11-2 10-12 15-13 a great clash with both players having plenty of advice for each other. Earlier Hosking had his hands full as the determined Geoff Keegan forced the match to a fifth and in an exciting finish Hosking won 13-11 8-11 11-8 9-11 13-11. Earlier in the season Hosking had defeated Keegan 12-10 in the fifth.
The Carpeter’s are now only one win clear at the top of the ladder however should be able to hold on to the double chance however funny things happen from week to week in this pennant and the top team will need to keep looking over their shoulder.
Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant results round 11: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Mark Dorman, Graeme O’Neill, Peter Midgley 2) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Shannon Bowen 3);
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Jackson Tung, Joel Dorman, John Gray 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
PENNANT TWO:
– Fishers IGA 6 (Sony Sefer 3, Colin Moore, Seval Fuat 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Andrew Jones, Robert Chiswell 2);
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Daniel Jansen 3, Leon Brown 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Ross Humphreys, Matthew Burns 2, Karina Sullivan 1);
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Trevor Gebert, Ashley Morrison 3) d Spanline 4 (Arnold Jago, Alex Keegan, Laurie Plummer 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Matt Ljubic 3, Emily Carmichael 2) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Bernadette Fitzpatrick 2, Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Mick Bacon 1);
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Darren Greaves 3, Lachlan Kelly 2, Jeremy Corrin 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Emily Carmichael 2, Garry Hughes 1)
PENNANT FOUR:
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Claire Ljubic, Shirley Whitecross, Ellie Midgley 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (then 2m Helen Frania 1);
– Bishop Builders 7 (Paul Fitzpatrick 3, Sam Hensgen 2, Geoff Keegan 1) d Max Miller Carpets 4 (Ben Hosking 2, Cole Keegan 1)
