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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant round 13: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Gavin Carmichael, Shane Carmichael, Ed Hung 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Joel Thomas 3)
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael 3, John Gray 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Mark Ljubic, Matt Ljubic 2, Kate Carmichael 1)
– Dunkley Scales 8 (Shannon Bowen, Andrew Cannard 3, Arthur Paar 1) d Tankard Dental 3 (Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman 1)
PENNANT TWO:
– Pinnacle Packers 7 (Peter Midgley 3, Terry Martin 2) d Spanline 4 (Matthew Burns 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Reece Kurrle 1)
– Tankard Dental 10 (Matt Avers, Josh Carmichael 3, Ross Humphreys 2) d Fishers IGA 1 (Leon Brown 1)
– Max Miller Carpets 8 (Ashley Morrison, Cole Keegan 3, Aidan Moore 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Arnold Jago, Tony Malycha 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Rod Healy 3, Jai Green 2, Jol Peters 1) d Fishers IGA 3 (Tom Douglas, Jeremy Corrin, Colin Moore 1)
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Edwards 3, Rachel Fitzpatrick, Paul Fitzpatrick 2) d Bishop Builders 3 (Peter Kelly 2)
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Karly Leach, Leonie Dunkley 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Paul Fitzpatrick 1)
PENNANT FOUR:
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Quentin Clark 2, Kim Avers, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Kumail Jaffry 3, John Fitzpatrick 2)
– Fishers IGA 8 (Soyel Zahidi 3, Cambell McKenzie 2, Ben Hosking 1) d Sunny Daily 3 (Paul Reyes 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
Shannon Bowen led Dunkley Scales to a dominant win in Rnd 13 action. Placed second with 2 rounds to go they look primed to have a big say in finals.
PENNANT ONE:
By winning their fourth match in as many rounds Max Miller Carpets have grabbed outright third position on the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant one ladder with two rounds to play. This form has been a turnaround for the Carpeters as they only managed three victories in the first nine rounds of play.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Gavin Carmichael, Shane Carmichael, Ed Hung 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Joel Thomas 3)
In this round thirteen match, on the grand stand court, they came up against the Joel Thomas led Weightmans Packaging who were equal on points and sitting by percentage in fourth spot. The first three singles went as expected although Weightmans Bernadette Fitzpatrick did extend Shane Carmichael before he won 11-8 12-10 11-9. The Carpeters took a two rubbers to one lead after the first block of three singles.
The first doubles was important and it would be
Joel Thomas and Michael Hogarth who levelled the match at two rubbers all when they outlasted the Carpeters pair of Gavin and Shane Carmichael in a lengthy five setter 8-11 11-7 1-11 11-7 11-6.
The next two singles again went as expected and the score line now stood at three rubbers all. It was at this point that the Carpeters were able to take the ascendancy with the in form Ed Hung playing well to defeat Michael Hogarth in straight sets. Hung then teamed up with skipper Gavin Carmichael in the second doubles to defeat Joel Thomas and Bernadette Fitzpatrick in a cliff hanger 12-10 8-11 11-8 10-12 11-9.
With three singles to play Max Miller Carpets now took a 5-3 lead. Joel Thomas for Weightmans arrested the run on of the Carpeters defeating Gavin Carmichael in straight sets before Shane Carmichael then accounted for Michael Hogarth 11-5 11-8 11-7 to get the Carpeters the result they were looking for. Carpeters Ed Hung then played steady table tennis to defeat Bernadette Fitzpatrick to give Max Miller Carpets a 7-4 win and outright third place on the ladder.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Wayne Carmichael 3, John Gray 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Mark Ljubic, Matt Ljubic 2, Kate Carmichael 1)
After a resounding loss last round top team Fishers IGA were back on the winning list this round on the stage court, albeit narrowly, when they defeated fifth placed Mallee Bearings 6-5. Mallee Bearings are used to these close score lines and this was their eighth match in thirteen rounds decided by the barest margin one way or the other.
Early Mallee Bearings took a narrow lead and the match to and froed with Fishers levelling the match by winning the first doubles in a great five setter when Wayne Carmichael and John Gray outlasted Mark and Matt Ljubic 11-13 11-9 11-6 6-11 11-6. Fishers then took three of the next four rubbers to go on and narrowly win.
For Fishers 
Wayne Carmichael won three singles and participated in both doubles victories. While Mallee Bearings won more singles matches, with Mark and Matt Ljubic winning two each and Kate Carmichael one, it was their inability to win a doubles which now leaves them two wins outside the top four with two rounds to play.
– Dunkley Scales 8 (Shannon Bowen, Andrew Cannard 3, Arthur Paar 1) d Tankard Dental 3 (Mark Dorman, Nicholas Dorman 1)
Second placed Dunkley’s Scales continued their excellent form this round again defeating their opponents 8-3 for the second round in succession. This time it was Tankard Dental on the receiving end, on centre court, as the Dunkley’s pair of Andrew Cannard and Shannon Bowen won three singles each as they did last round.
Andrew Cannard again recovered from a two game deficit against the opposing number one, this week it was Mark Dorman, to go on and win in five sets. Cannards’ team mate Shannon Bowen also had a tough five setter against Dorman winning a top class match 7-11 11-7 9-11 12-10 11-4. 
Dorman gained some revenge when he teamed with son Nicholas to defeat Cannard and Bowen in the first doubles in what was a superb match which was indicated by the score line of 8-11 7-11 11-9 11-9 16-14 a great comeback. Dunkley’s number three Arthur Paar also chipped in to help the cause by winning a singles and teaming with Bowen to win the second doubles.
PENNANT TWO:
Max Miller Carpets upset ladder leaders Weightmans Packaging, Tankard Dental thrash Fishers IGA, and Spanline continue their drift downwards, this week defeated by Pinnacle Packers.
– Max Miller Carpets 8 (Ashley Morrison, Cole Keegan 3, Aidan Moore 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Arnold Jago, Tony Malycha 1)
After winning their last nine matches, Weightmans Packaging copped a reality check this week at the hands of Max Miller Carpets. The Carpeters outplayed the Weightmans trio to record a big win.
Captain Ashley Morrison and number two Cole Keegan were on fire, both taking three singles wins against a side which had averaged six singles wins per week in recent matches. This week they could only score two between the lot of them !!
Morrison in particular, was in great form. He dropped but one set (10-12) in all his matches, the first against the very consistent Arnold Jago. After that he was back to his best, finishing off Jago 4, 7, and 9. In the next round against Tony Malycha, who has had a good year, it was 9, 7 and 7, and finally he demolished Sony Sefer 9, 2 and 3 in the final round of singles. For the so-called “Dream Team”, this round was a nightmare.
Weightmans Packaging, then, scored a few crumbs. Both Tony Malycha and Arnold Jago downed Aidan Moore in four and three sets respectively, and together they defeated Morrison and Moore in the second doubles in straight sets.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 25 games to 17.
– Tankard Dental 10 (Matt Avers, Josh Carmichael 3, Ross Humphreys 2) d Fishers IGA 1 (Leon Brown 1)
Tankard Dental’s captain Ross Humphreys has been coaching his two young teammates all year, and this week it all came together when they thrashed Fishers IGA.
Tankard’s dropped only one rubber in the entire match, and guess who dropped it. Captain Ross !!
There was not really much opposition to the Tankard Dental trio – with six three set matches, and only two five setters, the winners did pretty much as they liked.
Josh Carmichael started the ball rolling in the first rubber, upsetting Fishers captain Leon Brown in straight sets, 9, 9 and 9. Carmichael continued in that vein for the rest of play, needing only three sets against Geoff Peters (5, 8 and 10) and Seval Fuat in the final round of singles (5, 6 and 9).
Matt Avers, who is probably the most improved player in the club this season, played in those two five set contests mentioned earlier. He and Seval Fuat had a great tussle, before Matt took an 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5 win. In the next round of singles he too accounted for Leon Brown. Brown could not get the better of Avers, and the score shows that. Sets alternated to two sets all, with Avers going on to win 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 12-10. Matt’s third win was much easier, in three sets against Geoff Peters.
Ross Humphreys had taken two wins (against Peters in four sets, and Fuat in three), and was drawn to play his opposite number, Leon Brown in the final rubber. Perhaps it was the pressure of trying to emulate his young teammates, but Ross could not do what Carmichael and Avers had done, and went down to Brown in straight sets. Nothing to get too upset about, though !!
Both doubles went to these three same players – Humphreys and Carmichael had a great match with Brown and Peters, winning there 8-11, 13-11, 12-10, 13-11 in a very tight contest. The second doubles was a little easier – Humphreys and Avers downed Brown and Fuat 11-4, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4.
– Pinnacle Packers 7 (Peter Midgley 3, Terry Martin 2) d Spanline 4 (Matthew Burns 2, Peter Fitzpatrick, Reece Kurrle 1)
These two teams have both won only two of their last six matches; the difference is that Pinnacle Packers have won two of their last three, whilst in that same time, Spanline have not won any.
Spanline captain Geoff Wright was absent this week, replaced by Reece Kurrle. Kurrle played some good table tennis in this match, but was hampered by lack of match practice.
Pinnacle Packers captain Peter Midgley led the way for his team, again scoring three singles rubbers. He defeated Peter Fitzpatrick and Kurrle in three sets each, but had a lot of trouble with Spanline’s Matt Burns, who has taken over his team’s number two spot. Matt has been away from the game for a couple of years, and this is only his fifth game for the year. His return to form is impressive, and in this match gave Midgley something to think about, before going down. Midgley won 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9.
Terry Martin accounted for both Kurrle (three sets) and Fitzpatrick (four sets) to give his side a further two rubbers.
The Packers took both doubles too – Midgley and Martin in straight sets over Kurrle and Burns, 2, 9 and 7, and later Midgley and Glen Bell in a much better contest against Kurrle and Fitzpatrick. The Spanline pair knew they were in with a chance in this rubber, but the difference was the experience of Midgley for the Packers. Kurrle and Fitzpatrick could not do enough, and so the Packers pair took the win 11-13, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10.
For Spanline, the team all took wins over Glen Bell (Burns in four, Kurrle, showing glimpses of his talent, in three, and Fitzpatrick got his money’s worth, taking five sets). Burns, after losing narrowly to Midgley, also had a battle against Terry Martin, before winning 12-14, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5.
The final score line in this match is a little deceiving, however. Pinnacle Packers led 7 rubbers to 2 with two to play, before Spanline put a bit of respectability into their score by taking the final two rubbers.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 26 games to 16.
PENNANT THREE:
Weightmans Packaging untroubled in their win over Fishers IGA, Pinnacle Packers put the brakes on Bishop Builders recent run of wins, and Dunkley Scales just get home over Mallee Bearings.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Rod Healy 3, Jai Green 2, Jol Peters 1) d Fishers IGA 3 (Tom Douglas, Jeremy Corrin, Colin Moore 1)
Weightmans Packaging recorded another big win in this round, this time against Fishers IGA.
With the score at 2 rubbers all after four rubbers, they went on a rampage, taking the next six rubbers.
Once again, led by Rod Healy (whose stats seems to get better by the week), the winners were untroubled by the opposition.
It goes without saying that Healy won each of his singles rubbers in three sets; in the first he conceded 15 points (against the experienced Colin Moore), the second, against Jeremy Corrin, who is second to Healy on the aggregate, albiet 8 games behind, he conceded 21, and in the final rubber a miserly 6 against Tom Douglas.
Jai Green took two singles – against both Moore and Corrin, but falling to the Fishers IGA number three, Tom Douglas.
Jol Peters contributed a further one rubber to his team’s tally, defeating his opposite number Douglas in a tight four set contest, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12, in a match that could have easily gone to five sets.
Weightmans took both doubles contests to coast home winners.
Fishers did take three rubbers, but never threatened Weightmans after the fourth. Moore and Corrin both defeated Jol Peters, whilst Tom Douglas downed Jai Green.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 14.
– Pinnacle Packers 8 (Peter Edwards 3, Rachel Fitzpatrick, Paul Fitzpatrick 2) d Bishop Builders 3 (Peter Kelly 2)
Pinnacle Packers put an end to Bishops Builders recent run of wins in this Round 13 match.
Outstanding for Pinnacle Packers was their number two, Peter Edwards. Looking at the scores in Peter’s games, it must be concluded that he just loves playing. How else could you reconcile his match with Peter Kelly ? Edwards took the first two 11-9, 11-4, then scored only 4 points in the next two sets !! At that point he got going again, and took the fifth set 11-8. Earlier, though, he played a great match against Jeff Hards. 
Hards, playing at number three for the Builders, played two five setters in this match, and they were both beauties. In this rubber with Edwards, the first of the night, they set the scene for the remainder of the evening, and it was no wonder this match was the last to finish, quite some time after everyone else had packed up. Edwards took the first set 11-7, Hards the second 16-14, then Edwards 11-7, Hards responded 12-10, and the bounce of the ball went to Edwards in the fifth 12-10. And to make it a trifecta of five-setters, Edwards and Mick Bacon slugged it out in the second-to-last game. Edwards finally got the better of Bacon to win 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-5.
Edwards’ team-mates also had a good night. Both the Fitzy’s, Rachel and Paul scored two wins, and both against Bacon and Hards. Rachel did it easily against both of them, defeating both in three sets. Paul, too, defeated Bacon in three sets, but his match against Hards, the final one of the match, and even though the result was then 7-3 in his team’s favour, was played like the result depended on it. Hards took the first two sets easily, 4 and 5 before Paul got going. Paul took the next two 3 and 9 to set up a winner-take-all final set. And the two players did not disappoint, the fifth was close throughout, Paul had a couple of breaks but Hards recovered, even saving two match points, but in the end Paul made no mistake to take the set 12-10.
A win in the first doubles to the Packers Rachel and Peter Edwards over Kelly and Bacon in four sets, completed their tally for the game.
The only rubbers going to the Bishop Builders end of the table came courtesy of Peter Kelly’s wins over Rachel and Paul. He had to work for them too. Paul in particular put up a great fight, going down in five close sets. Score line there 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 12-14, 11-8. Kelly had it a little easier against Rachel, the first two sets were close, but he then assumed control to win 11-9, 12-14, 11-3, 11-9. The only other rubber for them was the second doubles when Kelly and Hards defeated Edwards and Paul in three sets.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 18.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Karly Leach, Leonie Dunkley 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Paul Fitzpatrick 1)
In the closest game of the round, Dunkley Scales got home in the final rubber of their contest with Mallee Bearings.
Mallee Bearings were without their captain Peter Mikhaeil. Paul Fitzpatrick subbed for him.
This was a close game throughout, the losers actually scoring more games than the winners, but of course they lost on rubbers. There were four five set contests (Paul Fitzpatrick in three of them).
Sabrina Fitzpatrick had the best night individually, as she took all her singles rubbers. This result now lifts her back into Super Eight contention, moving her to number eight, up from number ten. Sabrina was in fine form, dropping only one set in the course of these victories, that to Sam Hensgen in the first rubber. Her win in straight sets over Karly Leach was a surprise, as these two can usually be relied on to tie the table up for a full five setter. And in her win over Leonie Dunkley she conceded two points less than in her match with Karly, 23 to Karly, 21 to Leonie.
Despite this dominance by Sabrina in the singles, Dunkley Scales won more singles. Both Karly Leach and Leonie Dunkley defeated Paul Fitzpatrick and Helen Frania, and Sam Hensgen took the final rubber against Frania to give his team the win.
Karly defeated Frania in straight sets, but that pesky five-set specialist Paul Fitzpatrick made life hard for her. Karly was glad to get home 4-11, 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7.
Dunkley too, will probably consider herself a little lucky to have seen Paul off, also in five. That game really came to life in the final two sets. After three sets Leonie led 11-5, 4-11, 11-5, and it was at that point that both players dug their toes in and gave the match a real go. Paul took the fourth 12-10, and was only edged out in the last 9-11 for Leonie to take the win. Her win over Helen Frania was if anything even harder. 
In a very high standard match, Leonie just shaded Helen 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8.
Add to these singles wins the first doubles (another five setter, and of course involving Paul Fitz !!), Dunkley Scales accumulated their six rubbers. That match really see-sawed, and it was only the last set that saw it get down to business. Leach and Dunkley defeated mother and son Sabrina and Paul 11-5, 7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 12-10.
For Mallee Bearings, apart from Sabrina’s three singles wins, two further rubbers came from a three set win to Paul Fitzpatrick over Sam Hensgen, and the second doubles rubber when Sabrina and Helen Frania, playing together for the first time (and enjoying every moment of it !), downed Karly and Sam Hensgen in just four sets, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8.
A win here would have put Mallee Bearings equal fourth on the ladder with their opponents here and Fishers IGA, but as it is they are now two games behind Dunkley Scales, and only two rounds left to play in the competition. A berth in the finals seems most unlikely.
Having filled in here, and playing with his own team, Paul Fitzpatrick played eight rubbers, five of which were five setters. Great effort.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games to 23.
PENNANT FOUR:
This round featured positions one and two on the ladder playing each other, leaving three and four matching up against each other to complete the round. This was a busy night for John Fitzpatrick who lined up as a fill in in two matches.
– Fishers IGA 8 (Soyel Zahidi 3, Cambell McKenzie 2, Ben Hosking 1) d Sunny Daily 3 (Paul Reyes 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
Ladder leader Fishers IGA now remain undefeated after thirteen rounds courtesy of their 8-3 victory over second placed Sunny Daily who tried hard. The stand out player for Fishers was number three 
Soyel Zahidi who won three singles with all going to five sets. His most notable victory was against Sunny Daily skipper Paulo Reyes who later defeated singles aggregate leader Cambell McKenzie in another lengthy five setter 11-5 11-3 5-11 5-11 11-8. Cambell tried hard to get back into the match however Paulo remained calm to record a great win. This was the first defeat for Cambell in seven rounds and he has been in great form.
There were four five setters in the match with Fishers taking three of these. Sunny Daily was valiant in defeat even though the score line may not indicate this. With two rounds to play Fishers will now look to keep their winning run intact however for every win you may be closer to defeat, surely they couldn’t could they?????
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Quentin Clark 2, Kim Avers, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Kumail Jaffry 3, John Fitzpatrick 2)
This was a thriller and went right to the wire. Weightmans Packaging recoded their fourth win of the season accounting for Max Miller Carpets 6-5 in a thriller.
Despite Kumail Jaffry winning three singles and fill in John Fitzpatrick two, the Carpeters came up one rubber short despite leading 5-4 late in the match.
For Weightmans Quentin Clark continued his fine season by winning two singles for the tenth time in thirteen rounds indicating how consistent he has been, in addition he has won three singles on two occasions. With his team trailing 4-5 Quentin had to fight hard against John Fitzpatrick winning 9-11 11-9 14-12 11-9 to level the match. His team mates Kim Avers and fill in Therese Fitzpatrick won an important singles each. Therese won her match in four with the scores at five rubbers all.
Kim and Quentin, despite dropping the first game in their doubles match against Kumail and John, were able to win in four sets 6-11 11-7 11-1 11-9. Kim later teamed up with Therese in the second doubles to defeat Kumail and Sonya Shalliker 10-12 11-5 11-6 11-7. The doubles are a crucial component of the game and success in both ensured Weightmans would take the points in what was an entertaining match.
