Winter 2026 Season – Rnd 2 Wrap

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Scoresheets-R2_Winter-2026-1.pdf

PENNANT ONE

Close matches were the order of play again in round two of the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant and while both Regional Taxation Services and Cookes Pools & Spas remain undefeated it is still difficult to pick a standout team at this early stage of the season.

In the washup of singles matches Cookes skipper Kate Carmichael remains the only player undefeated winning six from six.

– Cookes Pools & Spas 6 (Kate Carmichael 3, Liam Wood 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Arhuang (Wong) Lau 2, Russell Walder, Leon Brown 1)

As usual her match this round against Mallee Bearings’ number one Arhuang Lau was a highlight when these two played out an entertaining four set match won by Carmichael.

 Apart from Carmichael winning three singles, fill-in Liam Wood played a key role winning two singles, his four-set win over Russell Walder in the first match of the night was crucial and later with his team in front 5-4 he defeated Leon Brown to bank the four points for Cookes. Wood capped off a successful night by combining with Carmichael to win the first doubles.

 The only five set singles was the last match of the night when Mallee Bearings number three Russell Walder outlasted Ashley Morrison 13-11 in the fifth in a marathon. Both players put on a great display and Walder facing a straight sets loss recovered to grab the third and go on to take the match 8-11 6-11 13-11 11-8 13-11 in a thriller.

– Regional Taxation Services 7 (Jackson Tung 3, Rohan Reimers, Lee Leeson 1) d Choices Flooring Mildura 4 (Jamie Kealley, Thanh Nguyen 2)

 With a 7-4 victory over Choices Flooring Mildura, Regional Taxation Services have moved to top position on the ladder. Choices skipper Jackson Tung was the player of the match winning three singles as well as taking part in both doubles’ successes. Included in his three singles wins was a four-set defeat of young talent Jamie Kealley. Kealley has a good recent record against Tung and when he took the first game there were worrying signs for Tung, however by staying closer to the table he took the second narrowly before controlling the third and fourth comfortably.

Tung’s teammates Rohan Reimers and Lee Leeson both won important singles, the first match of the night featured Leeson against the improving Marcus Cimino and the victory in four sets by Leeson was crucial for her team. Later she combined with Tung to win the second doubles in five sets over Kealley and Cimino.

For Choices Flooring Mildura Jamie Kealley won two singles as did teammate Thanh Nguyen who scored an impressive five set victory over the in-form Rohan Reimers. Nguyen has now taken two good scalps in the first two rounds and his form is good.

– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Mark Dorman 2, Jamie Kealley, Kate Carmichael, Eddie Re 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Shannon Bowen 2, Reece Kurrle, Jason Gifkins 1);

 In a very close encounter Weightmans Packaging recorded their first victory with a 6-5 result over flag fancy Tankard Dental. Veteran Mark Dorman again won two singles for Weightmans and his five-set victory over the hard-hitting Reece Kurrle was crucial in banking the four points. Dorman took the first two games by the narrowest of margins before Kurrle fought back to level the match, in the fifth Dorman took the early ascendancy and Kurrle could not match the pace. Dorman took the points 11-9 13-11 3-11 8-11 11-2, a strong finish.

 The doubles were shared in this close encounter and potentially the match decider was the five set slog between Weightmans fill in Edi Re, subbing for the injured Wayne Carmichael, up against Tankard’s energetic number three Jason Gifkins.

Gifkins earlier had gone down in five sets against Mark Dorman which would have given him confidence going in against Re and it was Gifkins who took the first game, Re bounced back to take the second and third and was looking more comfortable however Gifkins lifted to take the fourth and he then took the ascendancy in the fifth and at 10-7 he looked to be over the line however Re produced a stunning comeback to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat winning 7-11 11-5 11-6 7-11 12-10, an unbelievable finish.   

Of the four five set matches in this close encounter Weightmans Packaging were able to win three.

PENNANT TWO:

Mallee Meats 7 Michael Tan (2), Harry Gujral (2), Deegan Kerslake (1) defeated Pinnacle Packers 4 Duy Truong (3), Peter Midgley (1), Steve Parker (0).

Mallee Meats took out a decisive 7-4 win over Pinnacle Packers in round 2, although Packer’s captain Duy Truong showed good form, winning his three singles matches.

First up, Midgley struggled against Kerslake, taking the win in four sets 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6. This was followed by captain Tan comfortably downing Parker in straight sets 11-8, 11-6, 11-6, while opposing skipper Truong had some trouble against Gujral but eventually took the rubber 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, giving his side the lead at 2-1. Next was the first doubles match in which Meats just managed to slip by Packers in a nail-biting four-setter 12-10, 11-13, 17-15, 11-8.

Tan was all fired up now, taking another smooth win over Midgley 11-8, 11-8, 11-7. Truong, however, didn’t back down as he cut down the young Kerslake in straight sets 11-1, 11-3, 11-5. With the overall score now 3-3, Gujral defeated Parker in four sets 11-9, 11-2, 9-11, 11-4, putting his team one rubber ahead as they went into the second doubles. Packers did their best, winning the first set 13-11, but Meats proved too strong, winning the last three 11-7, 11-7, 11-7.

Former teammates Tan and Truong then faced off, with Tan steaming ahead in the early sets 12-10, 11-6, but Truong then finding his Achillies heel and coming back for the win 11-8, 11-7, 13-11. The score now sitting at 5-4, No. 2’s Gujral and Midgley were up next.

But Gujral seemed to have Midgley figured out, taking the win in straight sets 11-7, 11-3, 11-6, cementing the win 6-4. Even though the win was decided, the best was saved till last as Kerslake and Parker engaged in a tight five setter. Parker got the advantage early on, winning the first two 11-7, 11-7, then Kerslake found his rhythm and decided to come back from two sets down, which he did in spectacular fashion 11-7, 18-16, 11-6.

Final score 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 17.

Choices Flooring 8 Therese Fitzpatrick (3), Josh Arnold (2), Shiva Rottela (3) defeated Sammy’s Slammers 3 Quentin Clark (1), James Jarvis (0), Ryan Hensgen (0).

Hard-hitter Quentin Clark’s season was off to a rocky start with a devastating 8-3 loss in his team’s first round. Clark took one singles win over Josh Arnold and with his teammates won both doubles matches.

Rottela took the first win of the night, downing Jarvis in three 11-7, 11-9, 11-8, whilst Fitzpatrick backed him up by defeating Hensgen in like fashion 11-5, 11-7, 11-6. Clark then cut in with a win over Arnold, dropping the first set but staying steady to win 10-12, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7. Sammy’s Slammers then took the first doubles, looking confident with a straight set win 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, bringing the score to 2-2.

But it was here that Choices Flooring launched an attack that Sammy’s Slammer wouldn’t be able to recover from. Jarvis tried his best against Fitzpatrick but lost in four 7-11, 8-11, 11-8, 4-11 and then in the upset game of the night, Rottela defeated Clark after five gruelling sets. Rottela cut deep, taking the first two sets 11-7, 12-10, Clark then gathered all his strength and snatched up the next two 11-8, 11-8, but then he seemingly went to pieces as Rottela took the fifth and final set to win 11-2. Arnold then got his team their fifth rubber by besting Hensgen 11-5, 11-1, 11-4, as the two sides went into the night’s second doubles match. Sammy’s Slammers knew it was do or die, and they successfully bought themselves some time, winning 11-8, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9.

Moving into the final three singles, it was Clark versus Fitzpatrick. One would think that Clark stood a good chance of beating Fitzpatrick on any night, and now was the time to do it but Fitzpatrick stood her ground, taking the win 11-7, 11-9, 11-7, and winning the night 6-3. A significant victory for captain Fitzpatrick and a very disappointing result for Clark. To wrap things up, Arnold defeated Jarvis 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 and Rottela downed Hensgen 11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3.

Final score 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 13.

PENNANT THREE:

A mixed bag in pennant three this round , a close one that could have gone either way while the other was a one-sided affair with the Regional Taxation Services trio of Andrew Kremor, Brenden Johnson and Curtis Crabtree all in good form. 

In the close match of the round teammates Karly Leach and debutant Chris Cen both played well to win three singles each. Their team Exposed Signage / Apparel are the only undefeated team.

– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Karly Leach, Chris Cen 3) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Anthony Fox, Koby Grace, Yen Hwak 1)

A thrilling contest saw Exposed Signage & Apparel edge out Cookes Pools & Spas in a nail-biting finish on Wednesday night.

Exposed Signage & Apparel claimed the victory 6 rubbers to 5, narrowly winning the overall games 23–21 in one of the closest matches of the round.

The Exposed lineup of Karly Leach, Chris Cen and Hayden Wilson worked hard throughout the night to stay ahead in the contest against a strong Cookes Pools & Spas team featuring Koby Grace, Yen Hwak and fill in Anthony Fox who played for the absent Peter Fitzpatrick. The match remained tight from the opening rubbers, with both sides trading wins and neither able to build a significant lead.

Karly Leach was a standout performer for Exposed Signage & Apparel, producing a terrific night on the table with three singles victories, she helped her team maintain scoreboard pressure throughout the match. Late in the match Karly played Anthony in what proved to be a long five setter , Anthony worked hard to win the fourth 12-10 and level the match. The fifth was point for point until Karly broke away late to go on and win in five sets. Meanwhile debutant Chris Cen also made an important contribution with three singles wins, after losing the first two games 9-11 9-11 against Anthony, Chris scored an impressive five set victory to assist his team grabbing the four points, his was an impressive debut.  Hayden Wilson battled hard to support his team mates.

Cookes Pools & Spas had their chances and will prove to be competitive throughout the season , Koby Grace playing strongly and leading the charge for his side. Yen Hwak and Anthony Fitzpatrick also collected important rubbers to keep their team within striking distance all evening.

With the match locked in a tight battle, the final rubbers and accumulated games became crucial. Exposed Signage & Apparel managed to edge ahead in the overall game count, sealing a hard-fought 6–5 victory and taking the four premiership points from a contest that could easily have gone either way.

The result highlights just how evenly matched the teams are in this season’s Winter Pennant, with Round 2 producing one of the most exciting clashes so far. 🏓🔥

– Regional Taxation Services 9 (Andrew Kremor 3, Brenden Johnson Curtis Crabtree 2) d Weightmans Packaging 2 (Nhat Dat 2)

Regional Taxation Services (RTS) produced a dominant performance against Weightmans Packaging, securing a convincing 9 rubbers to 2 victory.

RTS set the tone early and maintained control throughout the night, consistently winning the key points across both singles and doubles matches. The trio of Andrew Kremor (3 singles and 2 doubles) , Brenden Johnson and Curtis Crabtree (won two singles each) combined strongly as a team, each contributing valuable wins to keep the pressure on their opponents.

Andrew was particularly impressive, playing a steady and controlled brand of table tennis to secure his singles matches and help anchor the team’s success. Brenden also showed great consistency, collecting important wins and combining well in the doubles. His five set win over Steve Pongrac was a thriller. Steve fought hard however

Brenden remained calm when the match was close and won 9-11 11-7 11-5 9-11 13-11 a great battle. Curtis rounded out the strong team performance with two downing talented fill in Jackson Solimo in five sets after trailing 0-2.

For Weightmans Packaging, Nhat Dat, Steve Pongrac and fill in Jackson battled hard and showed plenty of determination. Nhat managed to secure two singles wins for the team.

In the end, RTS proved too strong across the board, finishing the night with a 9–2 rubbers result and a 29–13 advantage in games.

It was a well-rounded performance from Regional Taxation Services as they continue building momentum early in the season.

PENNANT FOUR:

Two rounds played and all teams sit on one win , a great start to the season.

This round’s highlights , three singles to Maria Starikov enabling Dunkley Scales to win their first match despite Jake Hines winning his first singles for opponents Tankard Dental. After finally getting a flight from Egypt , quite a story, Kym Sykes made his STTA debut winning three singles for Mallee Meats in their 7-4 win over Weightmans Packaging. Welcome Kym !

– Dunkley Scales 6 (Maria Starikov 3, Rodney Galvin 2) d Tankard Dental 5 (Tom Gilmour 2, Darren Bottams, Jake Hines 1)

**Dunkley Scales Win Close Contest**

Dunkley Scales recorded a narrow 6 rubbers to 5 win over Tankard Dental in Round 2 of  Pennant Four.

The match was tightly contested all night, with both teams sharing the rubbers before Dunkley Scales Maria Starikov edged ahead of Jake Hines to secure the narrow victory.

Maria Starikov was the standout performer for Dunkley Scales, remaining undefeated in her singles matches and providing the backbone of the team’s success while skipper Rodney Galvin added valuable support throughout the evening winning two singles as well as combining with Maria to win the first doubles.

Tankard Dental tried hard throughout the match with Jake Hines and Darren Bottams both winning a singles each while captain Tom Gilmour won two singles to keep their team in contention until late in the match. Tom and Jake combined to win an exciting doubles 3-11 11-7 11-8 9-11 11-7 against dRod and Andrew Jeffries.

A big welcome back to the STTA to Darren Bottams  who was playing his first competitive match in approximately forty years. 

In the end, Dunkley Scales’ consistency across the night proved the difference in an entertaining and closely fought fixture.

The final result:-

Dunkley Scales – **6 rubbers, 23 games**

Tankard Dental – **5 rubbers, 16 games** 🏓

– Mallee Meats 7 (Kym Sykes 3, Nathan Beard, Costa Skiadis 1) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Glenn Leeson, Jakob Grzan 2)

These two teams produced an entertaining contest, with Mallee Meats claiming a solid victory over Weightmans Packaging.

The Mallee Meats lineup of Kym Sykes, Nathan Beard and Costa Skiadis proved too strong on the night, finishing with a 7 rubbers to 4 win and taking the overall games 25 to 21.

Despite the final margin, the match featured plenty of competitive rubbers, with the Weightmans Packaging team of Glenn Leeson, Jakob Grzan and Conner Burnett fighting hard throughout the evening. Several matches were closely contested, highlighting the depth across both teams.

In his first match in the STTA, Kym Sykes was a standout performer for Mallee Meats, delivering an impressive performance across the singles and contributing strongly in the doubles. Nathan Beard also played an important role, securing key victories that helped his side maintain control of the match. Fill in Costa Skiadis , subbing for Gary Leach, added valuable support with strong play and crucial rubbers that pushed Mallee Meats ahead on the scoreboard. This was Costa’s first match in a couple of years , his table tennis career delayed by a severe knee injury, great to see him back hitting the little ball over the net.

For Weightmans Packaging, Glenn Leeson led the charge with a determined performance and some well-earned singles victories. Jakob Grzan battled hard across his matches and also featured strongly in the doubles combinations, while Conner Burnett showed resilience in several tight games and tried hard to keep his team in contention.

In the end, Mallee Meats’ consistency across the night proved the difference, allowing them to secure the 7–4 result and take the four premiership points from a competitive Round two clash. Their success in both doubles played a big part in the victory. Overall there were five five setters played , with Mallee Meats winning four.

The Pennant Four competition is shaping up nicely early in the season, with strong individual performances and plenty of exciting table tennis on display. 🏓

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