PAKENHAM BOWLS
The first of the reverse rounds of the 2025/26 pennant season produced two very close games under the Paky Dome on Saturday.
Pakenham One (Div 1) was involved in a very loud, absolute nail-biter against Narre Warren One. After the completion of the first twenty ends each side had two up and two down with the visitors holding a slim three shot lead; however, at that stage one Pakenham rink was 10 shots down and had yet to register a score.
By the half-way mark, the Lions had two rinks well in front and one only just behind but with the fourth copping a flogging, the Panthers had doubled their overall lead to six shots.
By the start of the business ends Pakenham led on three rinks but had dropped further behind on the fourth, although the overall deficit had, by then, been reduced to just four shots; not insurmountable with twenty ends still to play.
Unfortunately, however, despite finishing with three rinks in front, with the final overall score at 75 to 77, Pakenham lost the game by just two shots.
Incredibly, despite the loss, by collecting six Pennant points the Lions moved up one rung on the ladder as Dandenong, which had been two rungs above them, was clean sheeted and failed to win any.
The best of the three winning rinks with 27 to 14 was “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), Ned Courtin (3), Claire Smyth (2) and Mark Ryan (L)…Nifty’s rink dominated all day.
The Ones will be away at Cheltenham for the last game before the Christmas break.
In round one of the 2025/26 season, Edithvale One celebrated the start of their year with a comprehensive win over Pakenham Two (Div 3) at Pakenham.
However, the reverse round at Edithvale on Saturday proved to be a far different game and the Twos had a real crack at pulling off an unexpected win and taking their revenge.
Edithvale’s plastic proved to be a tricky deck to play on, very much wind affected and with a number of frustrating quirks.
However, the visiting Lions made the most of their pre-game practice and after the completion of the first twenty ends left the locals a little shocked by grabbing an early lead of 17 shots to 13.
At that stage both sides had two up and two down.
By the midway point the Lions were in front on three of the four rinks but at that stage they only held a narrow lead of three shots with Grizzly’s rink in strife, down12 shots to three.
After the tea break however, as is often the case, the momentum shifted markedly and two of the Lions rinks which had been travelling well experienced setbacks (one major) while Grizzly’s rink started to turn the tide on its opponents.
At the same time though, Vince Bevilacqua’s crew began to dominate and Darren Webbs’s team remained in touch, just two shots in arrears.
At the start of the run home, Pakenham still held a three-shot lead but at that stage had only one rink in front.
By the completion of play, Grizzly’s crew had fought back to salvage a draw, Darren’s rink got up by two shots and Vince’s crew won by nine shots.
Unfortunately, however, after all that effort, the Lions fell short by a single shot overall.
Pakenham’s best rink with 20 shots to 11 was the international combination of the “Two Amigos” Vince Bevilacqua (S) and Luis Aguilar (3), together with Joe Van Zuflen (2) and Fernando Aguanta (L).
The Twos remain in seventh position on the ladder, well behind Berwick Three in sixth.
They have the opportunity to make up some of that ground against Berwick at home in round eight.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) was involved in yet another close finish at home against Mulgrave Country Club.
By the completion of the first twenty ends, at 14 all, there was nothing between the two sides although the Lions had two up and one all square at that stage.
However, by the half-way point the situation had swung in favour of the visitors who led by 41 shots to 32 by then and had two up and one level.
With three quarters of the match completed, Pakenham had reduced the deficit to just four shots but at that stage had only one rink in front with another level.
Mulgrave then marginally outscored the locals in the run home to finish the day eight shots in front with two up and one level.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 19 to 17 was Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (S), Paul Currie (3), Trent “Rowdy” Bedford (2) and Jan Moore (L).
The Threes sit on the fourth rung of the ladder, ironically six points ahead of Mulgrave and 10 behind Carrum.
They will be away at Carrum next weekend.
Pakenham Four (Div 6) also played Mulgrave (Six) but had to make the trip to Jell’s Road and they were handicapped by being short one player before they even started.
There were no indications during the early stages of that game of the carnage which was to come; after the completion of the first twenty ends both sides had two up and two down and although the locals then led by 21 shots to 15 there was no immediate cause for alarm.
However, during the next phase of the game the locals more than doubled their visitors’ score to arrive at the midway point with three up, one all square and a score of 58 shots to 27.
After the break, all four of the shell-shocked Lions’ rinks virtually stood still for twenty ends or so.
By the start of the business ends Mulgrave was well up on all rinks and had an overall lead of 103 shots to 30!
Pakenham’s players seemed to awaken from their slumbers during the run home but only put up token resistance to finish their day soundly beaten with a scoreline of 45 shots to 126 and collected zero Pennant points.
The Fours are in sixth spot on the ladder, now just four points ahead of Dandenong.
They will be home to Dandy next round.
MIDWEEK
The Midweek teams continue to carry the flag for Pakenham, with both recording wins last Tuesday.
Pakenham One (Div 1) was away at Cranbourne.
That game was quite close at first and after completing the first twenty ends the Lions had just one rink in front with a narrow lead of 15 to 14.
By what would have been lunch time (but coach “Nifty” does not like a break, plus the game was started early) Pakenham had two up and at 35 to 29, a modest six-shot lead.
From that point the Lions continued to slowly accumulate shots and by the start of the run home were in front by 49 shots to 36, still with two up.
The game was completed with Pakenham winning comfortably with 67 shots to 50 with two up.
With 33 to 17, the better of the two winning rinks was Terry “TMac” McRedmond (S), David Saint (3), David Leitch (2) and Mark Ryan (L).
With all top four teams winning last Tuesday, there was no movement at the top and the Ones remain on the third rung of the ladder, just two points behind Mulgrave but 11 ahead of Narre.
They have a chance to consolidate that position with a home game against Narre in the last round before Christmas.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) had a real battle at Noble Park which went right down to the wire, with the outcome only decided over the last couple of ends.
It did not take the Lions long to become accustomed to Noble Park’s grass and after fifteen ends each side had one rink up while the third was level at seven all.
However, at that stage the locals held an overall 15 to 13 lead.
With “Stormin” Norm Box’s rink leading the way and Stevo’s crew not far behind, Pakenham then dominated play for the next period of the match to arrive at the half-way mark with two up, one level and a lead of 33 shots to 26.
After the break, Noble Park pushed back hard but by the start of the business ends the Lions were still in front with had two up and one down, although their lead had been reduced to just four shots. Then, with only two ends to play on each rink, Noble Park snatched back a narrow, two shot overall lead and it was game on.
Over those final ends, Bruce McGennisken’s rink – which had been up by two shots after 19 ends – dropped two shots enabling Noble Park to salvage a 14-all draw on that rink.
Norm’s crew picked up one but dropped two to go down by two but Stevo’s mob, which had been down by three shots, picked up a pair of fours to finish five up and hand Pakenham the overall win by just three shots…it doesn’t get much tighter than that!
Best rink with 25 to 20 was Lindsay Stevenson (S), Joe Van Zuflen (3), Frank Webber (2) and Jane Ryan (L).
Again, with all of the top sides recording wins, there was no real movement in the top four and Pakenham remains in fourth spot, four points behind Narre Warren and 23 ahead of Cranbourne. They have a chance to take third position this week with a home game against Narre.
HI-LO
The winner this week was Lindsay Stevenson with number 42.
-Des Leigh-
