Nichols Point Legends and Sarnia Sloggers have prevailed in predictable circumstances in the semi-finals of the Sunraysia District Tennis Association, which were played in near perfect conditions last Saturday.
The Division 1 results mirrored the ladder positions for the finalists.
Nichols Point Legends, playing on their home courts, proved too strong for Red Cliffs Rebels, winning seven sets to three.
Legends’ Nathan Swaeney continued a fine run of wins to finish the day with 24/8 and the evergreen Reg Arney also made it three from three.
Lisa Hill for the Rebels was their only three-set winner.
The other Division 1 semi had a very similar scoreline.
The strong Sarnia men’s combination of Ryan Samaras, Joel Hamilton and Warren Searle took advantage of a depleted Sacred Heart Guns side.
Club junior Derek Bagacay found the going tough in his singles against Samaras, but improved as the day progressed, leading to some entertaining men’s doubles.
Brianna Bagnall for the Guns has had a very successful singles season. Her win over Alana Wall was a near faultless exhibition.
Illness prevented Sacred Heart’s Kerrie Lynch from playing and gave the Sarnia women their first doubles win for a few weeks when Brenda Hornsby and Demi Turlan defeated Leanne Jordan and Tess Robinson. A 7-3 victory sets up a very juicy prospect for the grand final on Saturday.
After sitting on top of the Division 2 ladder for a good chunk of the season, Alcheringa All Stars found themselves agonisingly close but on the wrong side of the ledger in their semi-final against fourth-placed Wentworth Webels.
All Stars’ Reece Kurrle finished the day with 24/7 but this was offset by three set wins to both Caitlin and Alicia Hancock of Wentworth.
Once the calculators had been put away the final result saw the teams even on games, 55 apiece, but Webels took with the win six sets to three.
St Andrews Slammers’ win over Nichols Point Pointers was as scripted and although another 6-3 scoreline, Slammers’ 65 games to Pointers’ 40 was emphatic.
Tash Pedler for Slammers was the MVP with 24/4.
Will Wentworth take the Division 2 flag across the border or will Slammers maintain their great form and add a premiership photo to the Aero clubrooms?
The unbackable Nichols Point Diamonds won their semi against Alcheringa Almighties in Division 3A.
Club stalwarts Wendy Dickie and Geoff John were both unbeaten on the day as Diamonds triumphed seven sets to two.
With only four points separating St Andrews Spartans and Nichols Point DI’s, a close finish was to be expected in the Division 3A match but Spartans came out all guns blazing to win eight sets to one.
A Diamonds versus Spartans final might be closer than expected.
Unlucky not to make the A final series, Sarnia Saints were too strong for Wentworth Wascals in Division 3B, winning 8-1. They will be up against Red Cliffs Ratbagz, who defeated Sacred Heart Braves seven sets to two.
In one of the biggest wins of the season, Division 4 Kenny Park Magpies beat St Andrews Saints nine sets to zero.
In contrast, second-placed St Andrews Almost Skilled just held off Alcheringa Alfrescoes, five sets to four, 62 games to 56.
Magpies look a very good thing for the Division 4 title, but funny things have been known to happen in finals.
The two top teams of the year will be up against one another in the A Grade junior final.
Sacred Heart Gold beat Red Cliffs in the semi, 39 games to 26.
A big singles win by Leo Madafferi kept Red Cliffs in the hunt, but Derek Bagacay held his team together when needing victories in his last two doubles with Pranav Chowdhry and Nicola De Maria.
Sarnia Gold were untroubled by Sacred Heart Green, losing only one set in their 46 to 24-game victory.
Sarnia’s Aydin Yazici had a good win over his older and taller opponent Samar Warring.
But Sacred Heart’s Aaron Williams proved that size isn’t everything when he played a clever and consistent game to beat Cooper Young.
Young had the last laugh as he held the net position in the doubles to great effect.
All grand finals will take place at the Aero tennis courts in Eleventh Street.
Junior action begins at 9am and seniors take to the courts at 1pm.
Spectators are welcome, with coffee and kiosk facilities available.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
DIVISION 1
Nichols Point Legends 7(72) def Red Cliffs Rebels 3(50): Nathan Swaeney 24/6, Reg Arney 24/15 (Nichols Point), Lisa Hill 24/16 (Red Cliffs).
Sarnia Sloggers 7(60) def Sacred Heart Guns 3(50): Ryan Samaras 24/6, Joel Hamilton 24/12, Warren Searle 24/12 (Sarnia), Brianna Bagnall 24/4 (Sacred Heart).
DIVISION 2
Wentworth Webels 6(55) def Alcheringa All Stars 3(55): Reece Kurrle 24/7 (Alcheringa), Caitlin Hancock 24/14, Alicia Hancock 24/18 (Wentworth).
St Andrews Slammers 6(65) def Nichols Point Pointers 3(40): Tash Pedler 24/4 (St Andrews).
DIVISION 3 A
Nichols Point Diamonds 7(66) def Alcheringa Almighties 2(41): Geoff John 24/15, Wendy Dickie 24/10 (Nichols Point).
St Andrews Spartans 8(71) def Nichols Point DI’s 1(44): Chris Pattinson 24/10, Julie Dunn 24/16, Regina Warne 24/16, Kirsty Pattinson 24/10 (St Andrews).
DIVISION 3 B
Sarnia Saints 8(66) def Wentworth Wascals 1(26): Cooper Young 24/13, Aydin Yazici 24/4, Glen Hornsby 24/6, Maree Moore 24/2 (Sarnia).
Red Cliffs Ratbagz 7(63) def Sacred Heart Braves 2(48): Brent Byrne 24/11, Daniel Kampman 24/12, Maggie Finch 24/11 (Red Cliffs).
DIVISION 4
Kenny Park Magpies 9(72) def St Andrews Saints 0(26): Russell Walder 24/7, Matt Currah 24/13, Stephen Bennett 24/6, Mel Currah 24/7, Mandy Bone 24/13.
Andrina Mitcham 24/16 (Kenny Park).
St Andrews Almost Skilled 5(62) def Alcheringa Alfrescoes 4(56): Dale Irvin 24/11, Noah Rawlings 24/17 (St Andrews), Gen Dannenberg 24/16 (Alcheringa).
Grand final draw 2024 – All Matches to be played at Aero Ovals.
Division 1: Nichols Point Legends v Sarnia Sloggers
Division 2: St Andrews Slammers v Wentworth Webels
Division 3A: Nichols Point Diamonds v St Andrews Spartans
Division 3B: Sarnia Saints v Red Cliffs Ratbagz
Division 4: Kenny Park Magpies v St Andrews Almost Skilled
* All players to bring a plate for afternoon tea to share. Play begins at 1pm with presentations to follow. Balls will be supplied by the SDTA.
JUNIORS
A GRADE
Sarnia Gold 46 d Sacred Heart Green 24
Sacred Heart Gold 39 d Red Cliffs 26
B GRADE
Sarnia Gold 34 d Sacred Heart 16
Sarnia Blue 32 d Red Cliffs 20
C1 GRADE
Sacred Heart Blue 17 d Wentworth Blue 16
C2 GRADE
St Andrews 17 d Wentworth Red 10
D GRADE
Wentworth 18 d St Andrews 11
Red Cliffs Red 18 d Red Cliffs Blue 9
