ACROSS the Ballarat-Highlands Bowls Region 2025/26 season, clubs will compete to win the prestigious Pennant flags.
Its Saturday competition commenced on October 4, with its division one draw wrapped around ten local clubs each putting up three teams to compete for the first three places on the seasons ladder.
Last season’s second and third place getters, Romsey and the Kyneton Golf club respectively, played at Kyneton where the host team celebrated three rink wins and an overall 69-47 victory.
Kyneton Golf claimed first position on the new ladder and Romsey have some work to do since they finished last.
Kilmore drew Trentham for their much anticipated first match at home on their newly laid green and they proved too strong for the visitors by winning all three rinks, 65 to 45.
Skip Tom Carroll led the way on rink 1, 20 to 15, while Daniel Carroll saw rink two finish with a confident 27 to 16 shot victory. On rink 3, skipper Daniel Noonan’s team finished with a 18-14 win.
Broadford, for their fifth season in the competition also hosted Lancefield. Their green has been freshly renovated with sand to level the surface and their speed rating was 13.96 seconds.
At the bookend of Broadford’s teams, they claimed victory to secure third with a final result of 69 to 49.
Rink one, led by Skipper David Ellis finished in front, 19 to 16, and Skip Robert Chapmans team 3 finished 30 to 10, but in between Lancefield , led by Skip Andrew Brandolin fared well, winning 23 to 20.
Last season’s champions, Kyneton, drew an away match against Gisborne.
Gisborne’s first team spoiled their day, 29 shots to 15 but Kyneton’s second and third team returned the favour to defeat the club 34 to 10 and in a closer game, 22 to 21.
It was a Kyneton win, yet the days total scores percentages delivered the club fourth place on the ladder.
Diggers Rest defeated Woodend at home, in a similar scenario, teams one and three, won 26 to 16 and 21 to 14, and in between Woodend won 26 to 13. The teams sit just below the top four ladder leaders in fifth and sixth positions, respectively.
Next week, in division one round two, local clubs Kilmore and Broadford compete at Kilmore, who have recruited new players.
The team to watch is Kyneton Golf, and they are playing away against Woodend, while Kyneton are hosting Diggers Rest and its sure to be a great round.
Division two games commence on Saturday October 11, with eight clubs in the series. There is a local game with Broadford 2 hosting Kyneton 2 while Kilmore 2 is travelling to play Kyneton Golf 2. Further afield, Romsey 2 are hosting Gisborne 2 and Diggers Rest 2 are hosting Macedon 1.
The 2024/25 premiers were Kyneton Golf 2, followed by Woodend 1 on 171, Macedon 1 on 157 and Kyneton 2 on 146.
Division three commenced its season on Saturday with nine teams in the competition and Gisborne drew the first bye.
Romsey claimed a confident victory over Trentham in all three rinks, 25 to 13, 31 to 10 and 31 to 23 and top spot on the competition ladder.
Last seasons pennant winners, Mt Cottrell 1 hosted Woodend 2 and the visitors were up for the challenge.
While the 2024-25 premiers stole the points, 18 to 17, 16 to 19, and 18 to 15, the final result sees the clubs sitting on fourth and fifth ladder positions, respectively.
Kyneton 3 and Lancefield 2 had a similar scenario, 32 to 12, 23 to 16 and 21 to 13 yet the games were not so close.
Kyneton is second on the ladder and Lancefield is in the bottom, slightly above Trentham.
Runners up in last season’s competition, Kilmore, hosted Macedon 2 and won their first rink, 25 – 14. However, the visitors bested the team two and three scores, 25 to 14, and 21-25. Macedon 2 are a team to look out for as they secured third position and Kilmore are in sixth place.
In round 2, Mount Cottrell 1 have drawn the bye, and Kilmore will travel to play Kyneton 3. Romsey will play away against Woodend and Broadford do not a division 3 side.
