2011 ONTARIO FOURS CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN SARNIA

Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like both with bowls two days old.
Sarnia gave it all to us and the bowlers gave it right back with same old, same old, some surprises and games that weren't decided to the last bowl.
We had Lumley, Nesbitt and McKerihen gather the medals but not. We saw the break through of the Roth clan, nearly by the Fitzgerald group and short by inches by the experienced Welsh.
Another well run Provincial by the Sarnia Lawn Bowling Club, a location that is becoming a fixture in Championship play.

D9 Sheila Lumley(S), Mary Meldrum(V), Linda Baron(2), Heather Comba(L) GOLD

Round 1 D9 (20) D6 (16); Round 2 D9 (15) D7 (7); Round 3 D9 (18) D13 (7); GOLD D9 (16) D3 (4)
An important match to start the tournament and the winner would have a rolling start down the golden hill. The number 5 ranked Lumley team were up against the top ranked Marg Lepere, Katherine Smith, Wendy Devonshire, Sherry Riddick Niagara Falls group and it was as advertised. Lots of scoring but Sheila and friends prevailed and they sailed to the crown by steadily increasing their margin of victory each game.
An interesting side story was Heather played with Laura Seed last year and with both on new teams, it is a double success story. Off they both go to Toronto in August.

D6 Dave Houtby(L), Hugh Branston(V), Weston Nesbitt(2), Herb Nesbitt(S) GOLD

Round 1 D6 (23) D14 (1); Round 2 D6 (13) D13 (12); Round 3 D6 (21) D3 (12); GOLD D6 (15) D4 (9)

Of course when you are playing in the event, you miss all the exciting finishes. However it is easy to see that The Niagara Falls team had a battle with Gord Legacy, Ron Geniole, Martin Foxhall and David Llewellyn from D13. The verdict was in doubt to the last bowls of the game. Gold or not often only inches of difference. Many people told me that although the gold game was 6 shots apart at the end, it was nip and tuck with two ends to go. Larry and James McLellan along with Chris Johnson were on the cusp of victory along with Skip Jurgen Fessler who was waving the magic wand this game and doing a lot of tucking to keep the suspense high until near the end. But the methodical, consistent skilled play of 3 vets and Nesbitt the younger was again a proven winning formula.Speaking of Weston he played very well over the two days with limited time to chase the tournament schedule. And I must mention Dave Houtby playing lead.What a skilled player to have setting the table for his teammates to dine.

D11 Laura Seed(V), Lisa McKerihen(2), Kelly McKerihen (S), Heather Battles (L) SILVER

R1 D11(11) D14(10); R2 D11(18) D12(9); R3 D3(15 D11(13); R4 D11(18 D16(2); R5 D11(14) D3(13)

SILVER D11(18) D2 (16)

Did I say a McKerihen made it to the Canadians!That is usual but not one but two and both aren't Steve.

Now that will catch your attention.The female two aren't surprising when you see these offspring put down a smooth bowl with a distinct genetic connection. Kelly is now well known in her own right with her international experience and along comes Lisa who has the technique to follow the family tradition.

Talk about an interesting road these ladies followed to get to the GTA for a summer treat.. Up 11-0 in Game 1 they held on to edge the 2010 Provincial Novice Champs + 1 by one point. Doreen Souch(S), Sue Logeman ,Priscilla Downs, Nicky Chamois from D14 showed this next level is within reach.

Along comes D3 Laura Ritchie(S), Elaine Clayton,Yvette Vanderpost, Jan McLean in Round 3 and lo and behold this put together team at the last moment won their 3rd straight game on Day 1. Off to the Gold game go the Ritchie team and the McKerihen team will have to start a new climb toward the podium.

Just one round later these same two teams meet again and the drama is even heavier.

D3 are up 1 in the game, last end. D11 are laying 1, 8 inches in front of the jack with Laura Ritchie having both bowls to come. Laura continues her deft tournament touch by curling around the shot bowl to lie 1 and game 6 inches in front of the jack.

One bowl and tournament continuance rested in Kelly's hand. She surveyed the head, stepped confidently to the mat and with her drive caught the side bowl and picked the shot clean without jack movement.

Laura came up just short with her final bowl and with a measure D11 were in the 'B' final.

A dandy final it was. D2 Noreen Welsh(S), Julie Fowler, Cathy Townsend and Karen Robinson kept battling back until with the last bowl in Noreen's hand the final result was in doubt. Earlier Lead Heather Battles drew two beauties for D11 just in front of the jack and although D2's Cathy Townsend did cut it to 1 point down , the Battles' shot bowl prevailed and bumped the final margin to 18 - 16.

D1 Tom Roth(S), Wray Roth(L), Ron Whitehead(2), Jim Roth(V) SILVER

R1 D1(20) D5(12); R2 D3(18) D1 (14); R3 D1(23) D15 (8); R4 D1(13) D12(12); R5 D1(17) D2(7);

SILVER R6 D1(16) D7(12)

Family feud is upon us. The Roth's are claiming squatters rights to new Provincial territory and the Besters might not take kindly to this intrusion. It is Dad Wray with his sons Tom and Jim and Tom's son in law Ron married to his daughter Michelle. I know,I know, the woman folk have long ago made their presence known with Canadian gold for Erin, Canadian Silver for Jim's wife Sue, Provincial titles for Michelle, Laurie and Verna but this is mano a mano on the fields of green.

It is one of those situations where Dad Wray has been playing a long time and playing well but never had the opportunity to play in the Majors. Well he and the boys have made it happen.

They lost in the 2nd to D3 Wayne Wright(S), Don Caswell, Kody Olthof, Bob North and edged

D12 Dave Johnson(S), Bruce Lynn, Rick Matthews, Aldo Milani by a 13 -12 score and otherwise sailed

to the "B' final against D7 Darryl Fitzgerald(S), Andrew Wagner, Kevin Schinbein and Derrick Bruder.

The match was tight and going into the final end D1 were in front 14-12. Wray was around the jack with his pair and after Kevin raised some hope, Jim drew shot, a pattern repeated all weekend. Andrew was close but still 2nd shot and Jim drew another. The verdict was sealed and no man was going to put asunder.

Your first one is always a surprise but the clan is good and the parade has just started.

BRONZE