Goulburn Valley Playing Area will have a plethora of representatives flying the flag for the region at this year’s Victorian State Bowls Championships after an impressive showing against Murray Playing Area in the regional playoffs at the weekend.
The top bowlers from the two regions went head-to-head on Sunday at Shepparton Golf Bowling Club, vying for a spot in Bowls Victoria’s showpiece event, to be held in Bendigo in April.
The GVPA was in stellar form on the day, emerging victorious in seven of the eight winner-takes-all finals.
Having already battled it out against the top players from their respective competitions, the MPA and GVPA then faced off in the knockout finals.
In the men’s singles, Tallygaroopna’s Mitch Sidebottom set the tone for the Goulburn Valley with a convincing 25-14 win over Tocumwal’s Rodney Brown.
Shepparton Golf’s Carla Miles also advanced through to the state championships after she defeated Jenny Warfe of Cobram 25-19.
In the pairs, again it was the GVPA that had wins in the men’s and women’s events.
Di Hands and Kate Bush of Shepparton Park beat Ann Dealy and Pam Smith from Numurkah 20-10, while Brett Gunning and Ashleigh King (Shepparton Golf) prevailed over John McKenzie and Barry Cosgrove (Wunghnu) 17-9.
It was a similar story in the fours as Tatura men’s quartet Brendon Boyd, Nicholas Boyd, Brian Mandersloot and Mitchell Reeves prevailed over their Numurkah opponents 16-8.
The women’s fours team from Shepparton Park triumphed as well, defeating Cobram 19-9.
Hands and Bush were part of Park’s team alongside Margaret Thorne and Sue Tyson.
The fours will be the second event Hands and Bush take part in at the championships, having also won the women’s pairs.
Kyabram’s David Cartwright, Brent Reiner and Joshua Cartwright bested Barry Cosgrove, Joseph Luci and John McKenzie of Numurkah 20-5 in the men’s triples.
The MPA had its lone victory in the women’s event, with Tocumwal trio Leigh Hansen, Cheryl Townsing and Effie Eaton defeating Tatura’s Dot Best, Margaretha Cerini and Leonie Freeman 17-14.
The 2023 state championships will be held from Saturday, April 22 to Sunday, April 30.