By Abby Walter

One round remains in Central Wimmera Tennis Association before the top-four teams compete in a three-week finals series.

In pennant, Horsham Lawn defeated St Michaels by four games as both teams finished on six sets each.

With Horsham Lawn sitting top and St Michaels in fourth, the score proved it could be anyone’s game come finals.

There were three standouts during the game, with St Michaels’ Steve Schultz and Peter Hayes and Horsham Lawn’s Tahlia Thompson winning their three sets.

Cherie Wood and Gemma Walker, of Horsham Lawn, won two sets each and lost their third in tiebreak to Kassie Peachey and Barb Crough.

Drung South, in third, pushed itself to equal wins with Central Park, second, after a two-set victory on Saturday.

Aaron Jennings, of Drung South, was the only player to win all three sets for the day.

With doubles partner Harry Daniell, he defeated Reece Harman and Matt Jones in tiebreak.

Central Park’s Willow Sainsbury was the other winner of a tiebreak game, defeating Kate-Lyn Perkin.

Top-two Central Park and Horsham Lawn will play against each other in the final round, while Drung South hosts St Michaels.

If ladder positions remain the same following round 15, it will be two weeks in a row of the same games for the pennant teams.

In A Special, the top-four are locked in and the final round will determine which teams are in for a second chance come finals.

Horsham Lawn Gillespie, in first position, is on 10 wins, Natimuk is on nine wins but had one more bye than other top-four teams, and Kalkee and Horsham Lawn O’Connor are in third and fourth position, respectively, also on 10 wins.

Horsham Lawn O’Connor defeated Natimuk by four sets, while Horsham Lawn Gillespie defeated Central Park by eight sets and Kalkee defeated Brimpaen by 10 sets, showing that it will be another close competition come finals.

Natimuk will likely defeat Central Park in round 15, while Horsham Lawn Gillespie will play against Brimpaen and Horsham Lawn O’Connor will play against Homers. Kalkee has a bye.

A Grade’s ladder has been relatively stable in recent rounds and will likely stay the same following the final round.

Central Park, in top position, will play Horsham Lawn McGennisken, in fourth.

It could be an interesting game with Central Park coming off a surprising loss to Haven, while Lawn is riding a win.  

It continues to be a battle of the top four as St Michaels Red and Horsham Lawn come head-to-head, sitting in third and second respectively.

In B Grade, Laharum forfeited to Central Park, cementing Central Park’s number one position ahead of finals. Natimuk also proved why it was top-four material with a 12-set win against Haven.

Round 15 sees Horsham Lawn play Haven, while Laharum faces Natimuk. With Horsham Lawn in third position and Laharum in second, both on six wins, a victory in round 15 will confirm which team will have a second chance in the first week of finals.

The weekend of tennis was rounded out with Central Park hosting the third Wimmera Junior Points Tournament.

More than 70 juniors played 109 matches on Sunday, from under-12s to 15-and-older in doubles and singles.

This weekend, Horsham Lawn will host juniors from across the state for the Pat Cash Cup tournament.

Results

Seniors

Pennant: Drung South 7-71 d Central Park 5-70; Horsham Lawn 6-66 d St Michaels 6-62.

A Special: Horsham Lawn O’Connor 9-87 d Natimuk 5-80; Horsham Lawn Gillespie 11-106 d Central Park 3-78; Kalkee 12-100 d Brimpaen 2-66; Homers 11-100 d Drung South 3-62.

A Grade: Haven 8-78 d Central Park 4-69; Horsham Lawn McGennisken 10-89 d St Michaels White 2-46; St Michaels Red 12-96 d Drung South 0-58.

B Special: Laharum forfeited to Central Park; Natimuk 14-88 d Haven 2-36.

Juniors 

Open: Haven 3-25 d Homers 3-22; Brimpaen 6-36 d Horsham Lawn 0-16; Quantong 3-26 d Natimuk 3-24.

Section 1 Boys: Central Park White 3-31 d Central Park Blue 3-28; Horsham Lawn 6-36 d Homers 0-10.

Section 1 Girls: Homers 5-33 d Haven 1-22; Horsham Lawn Gold 4-30 d Horsham Lawn White 2-19.

Section 2 Boys: Homers 4-31 d Horsham Lawn Green 2-20; Horsham Lawn White 6-36 d Haven 0-13.

Section 2 Girls: Horsham Lawn Gold 5-32 d Central Park-Homers 1-16; Haven 5-32 d Central Park Blue 1-16; Central Park White 6-36 d Horsham Lawn Green 0-16.

Section 3 Boys: Haven 5-35 d Horsham Lawn Green 1-14; Central Park 4-28 d Horsham Lawn Gold 2-26.

Section 3 Girls: Haven Orange 5-33 d Natimuk 1-9; Haven Pink 1-17 d Horsham Lawn Gold 5-35.

Section 4 Boys: Central Park 5-34 d Horsham Lawn Red 1-22; Natimuk 4-31 d Horsham Lawn White 2-17.

Section 4 Girls: Central Park 6-36 d Homers 0-16; Horsham Lawn Green 3-23 d Horsham Lawn Gold 3-22.

Match Play Section 5: Haven Blue 5-23 d Central Park 1-13; Horsham Lawn Green 5-22 d Horsham Lawn Gold 1-11; Horsham Lawn White 5-20 d Horsham Lawn Yellow 1-13; Haven White 5-23 d Homers 1-10.

Match Play Section 6: Horsham Lawn Red 3-18 drew with Horsham Lawn Blue 3-18; Haven 5-23 d Central Park 1-5.

The entire February 21, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!