Sport
26 July, 2024
Unexpected wins on the tables
THE last week of the season has been marked by unexpected wins at Orford and District Table Tennis.
With three of the results 6-5, the final round provided lots of close action.
Warrnambool Vikings suffered their first loss of the year, ending their championship run, while Myndarra caused an upset win when they defeated Attunga.
Tarrone won its second match of the year, defeating Orford, and while Port Fairy may have lost to Glengleeson, they have hung onto fourth by the narrowest of percentage points.
Finals will be played at the Orford Hall, starting at 7.30pm, as well as at the Warrnambool table tennis stadium.
Predictions from ‘Night Owl’ for the semi-finals:
A grade
Second semi-final: With the Warrnambool Warriors back to their normal players, the Vikings will recover from the loss of the previous week to earn the week off.
First semi-final: Attunga has won both matches against Port Fairy this year.
Val, Kelly and Ian Wortley have experience in finals and years of playing as a team while Port Fairy’s Fergus Monsborough is able to defeat all three, the team struggles to win both doubles.
B grade
Second semi-final: Myndarra at full strength earlier in the year was able to defeat Orford, however Orford won when Myndarra was down a player.
Myndarra’s Aaron, Ally and Jensen Rowbottom are a settled team but Orford have played four players, Russel Hussey, Jaydan Clapp, Chloe Bartlett and David Rowbottom, during the year.
Depending who is available for Orford, they could just win through to the grand final but Myndarra may have the runs on the board to earn a week’s rest.
First semi-final: Glengleeson will take on Tarrone, with both sides having a win so far this year.
Tarrone relies heavily on David Warhurst to win his three rubbers against Glengleeson’s Gareth Spring, Lindsay Morton and Mark Murray.
Steven Young and Peter Johnston struggle to give a helping hand so Glengleeson should earn the right to play the loser of the second semi-final.
Results from week 14:
Warrnambool Vikings lost to Warrnambool Warriors 5.19.385-6.22.395.
With six of the rubbers extend, it wasn’t an early night.
Long games also made for long rubbers.
Warriors’ Darren Smith defeated Vikings’ Tess Lee 9-11, 11-7, 12-10 and 11-3.
Warriors then went on to win the first doubles 11-7, 17-15, 4-11, 8-11 and 11-9 but lost the second 7-11, 14-12, 11-9, 9-11 and 9-11.
Gordon Gunn won his three rubbers for Vikings, filling in for Peter Owen.
Glengleeson defeated Port Fairy 6.23.374-5.17.367.
Glengleeson’s Gareth Spring showed his improvement this year when he defeated Andera Drendel, filling in for Fergus Monsborough, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11 and 12-10.
Andrea won an extended rubber against Lindsay Morton 8-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6 an d11-6.
Andrea also defeated Mark Murray 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9 and 11-9.
Glengleeson won the night by winning the second doubles, Mark and Gareth defeated Andrea and Ray Young 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 5-11 and 11-7.
Tarrone defeated Orford 7.21-4.18.
Some high scoring games meant this match wasn’t as one-sided as scores indicated.
David Warhurst won his three rubbers for Tarrone when he won the long rubber against Orford’s Russell Hussey 11-7, 10-12, 4-11, 11-6 and 11-6.
Peter Johnston won two rubbers while Steven Young one rubber when he defeated Chloe Bartlett 11-7, 11-13, 9-11, 11-8 and 11-6.
Russell was Orford’s best with two rubbers, while Jaden Clapp one rubber defeating Steven 11-6, 17-15 and 11-8.
Myndarra defeated Attunga 6.18.332-5.17.315.
Winning both the doubles set this win up for Myndarra, surviving a scare in the first doubles when they won 11-7, 12-10 and 17-15.
Aaron Rowbottom won his first three rubbers.
The only five game rubber for the night went Ally Rowbottom’s way when she defeated Gus Louny 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 6-11 and 13-11.
Ladder: Warrnambool Vikings 52, Warrnambool Warriors 48, Attunga 36, Port Fairy 24, Myndarra 24, Orford 16, Glengleeson 16, Tarrone 8.
