By Colin MacGillivray

The stage is set for blistering action as the Central Wimmera Tennis Association prepares to host its junior and senior grand finals at Horsham Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday.

A senior pennant grand final rematch between reigning premier Horsham Lawn and last season’s runner-up Central Park is set to give the competition the ending it deserves.

Horsham Lawn has set the pace in 2024-25, dropping only one home-and-away contest en route to a top-of-the-ladder finish.

Lawn’s only loss came at the hands of Central Park however, with the Parkers – led by a dominant women’s division of Willow Sainsbury, Tara McIntyre, Frazer Shurdington and Sharon Clough – winning 9-91 to 5-79 in round three.

Since then Lawn has reasserted itself in the head-to-head match-up, winning three in a row including a 10-99 to 4-71 drubbing of the Parkers in the first semi final.

With the likes of Tahlia and Ella Thompson, Cherie Wood and Gemma Walker reversing their losses to the Parkers’ women and men such as D’Artagnan Walls, Graeme Wood and Lachlan Punchard asserting themselves, Lawn advanced directly to the grand final.

But Central Park showed why it remains a threat at the weekend, comfortably seeing off St Michaels 8-85 to 4-49 in a preliminary final, with the final two rubbers called off after the Parkers had the win in hand.

The result would have been even more lopsided if not for a trio of 8-7 tiebreak wins by the Saints’ men, with Steve Schultz and Peter Hayes defeating Reece Harman and Matt Jones; Eli Bailey and Nick Robertson beating Harry Allan and Brendan Nitschke; and Hayes and Robertson teaming to down Jones and Nitschke all by the same narrow score.

The Parkers’ women were particularly dominant, with Adele Joseph dropping only two games across her singles and doubles rubbers.

There is plenty at stake for both teams, with Horsham Lawn aiming for its second consecutive pennant premiership, while Central Park will be keen to avoid a third straight grand final loss as it tries to secure its first pennant since 2014-15.

Other grades

The A Special division will also see the season’s two best teams go head-to-head, with Horsham Lawn Thompson and Central Park set to clash.

Lawn Thompson finished atop the ladder but fell to the Parkers in the first week of finals and was forced to earn its grand final berth the hard way, beating Natimuk 10-97 to 4-70 at the weekend. Little has separated the sides this season, with Horsham Lawn Thompson winning their round four encounter before a thrilling 7-84 to 7-84 draw in round 11.

St Michaels will enter the A Grade grand final as a warm favourite against Horsham Lawn McGennisken after defeating its opponent three times during the home-and-away season.

The Saints finished atop the ladder and defeated Haven to advance directly to the grand final, before Lawn McGennisken upset Haven 10-88 to 2-63 at the weekend to prevent a rematch.

Lawn McGennisken only barely qualified for finals with a 6-8 record, but is in hot form after winning its past three matches – including two finals – comfortably, and could test the Saints.

The B Special grand final will pit Horsham Lawn Tigers against Laharum after the Demons upset minor premier Drung South 12-88 to 4-59 in Saturday’s preliminary final.

The sides have met twice this season, with Laharum winning in round six before the Lawn Tigers struck back to dominate their round 13 encounter.

It will be an all-Central Park affair in the junior open grand final, with Central Park White to meet Central Park Blue. The White side is undefeated this season and will enter as a deserving favourite, while Central Park Blue advanced thanks to a nail-biting 3-31 to 3-30 win over Natimuk in Saturday’s preliminary final.

The section one boys grand final will see a showdown between Horsham Lawn Green and Central Park Blue, with Haven and Horsham Lawn Red contesting the boys’ division two grand final, while Horsham Lawn White and Haven will meet in the boys’ division four decider.

Junior girls’ grand finals will be between Horsham Lawn Green and Central Park Blue in division one; Haven and Horsham Lawn Gold in division two; and Horsham Lawn Green and Horsham Lawn Gold in division four.

Award winners

The CWTA hosted its award presentation ceremony following the weekend’s preliminary finals. Winners were –

Seniors: pennant women, Adele Joseph, Central Park, 70.67 per cent games won; pennant men, Steve Schultz, St Michaels, 71.79; A Special women, Maree Thompson, Horsham Lawn, 67.96; A Special men, Frazer Shurdington, Central Park, 62.68; A Grade women, Breanne Mills, Haven, 65.56; A Grade men, Simon Jinks, St Michaels, 63.05; B Special women, Charli Pietsch, Drung South, 66.92; B Special men, Hayden Fleay, Horsham Lawn, 71.47.

Juniors: open, Adele Joseph, Central Park, 77.63; section one boys, Yassasri Sumanapala, Central Park, 67.37; section one girls, Sienna Nitschke, Central Park, 71.56; section two boys, Lachlan Engert, Horsham Lawn, 68; section two girls, Charli Pietsch, Haven, 72; section four boys, Leroy Ward, Horsham Lawn, 70.24; section four girls, Maggie Kelm, Horsham Lawn, 67.5.

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