By Tara Murray
Club Sunbury will go into the Bowls Victoria weekend pennant division 1, section 1 finals on the back of a big win against another finalist.
Having already secured a top two spot and second chance, Sunbury made sure it entered finals with some good form.
Facing Kingsbury on Saturday, Sunbury was able to avoid the rain and delay that plagued other sides as it played under the dome in Sunbury.
All four rinks were close, but Sunbury did enough to get the full points, winning 83 (18)-69 (0).
Marc Bullows’ rink won 20-17, Mark Cowan’s rink won 19-18, Josh Leszczynski rink won 22-13 and Lauchlin Davies’ rink won 22-21.
Sunbury’s David Glennon said they were really happy with that result.
“It was a good win for Sunbury and it locked in second spot,” he said. “We now face Glenroy next week and it was looking like it would be the case.”
Cowan said that Bullows and Leszczynski were both standouts along with Bailey Moffatt.
Sunbury finished in second, 16 points behind Glenroy.
It will be a tough challenge with Glenroy the only team that Sunbury hasn’t beaten this season.
In both matches, Glenroy has won 18-0 with the most recent of those matches in the final game before Christmas.
Glennon said it didn’t get much tougher than facing Glenroy at Glenroy. Sunbury also doesn’t have the best finals record in recent seasons.
Sunbury will be boosted by the return of Carla Krizanic, who missed the weekend’s win.
The winner will then move into the grand final the following weekend, while the loser will play the winner of Deer Park 2 and Kingsbury in the preliminary final on Sunday.
Sunbury’s top three sides all made finals, with the other two teams at home on Saturday in semi finals.
“Three out of six teams have made finals,” Glennon said. “At one stage it looked like it would be better than that.
“We’re excited for next week.”
It will be a big week for Club Sunbury, with the Bowls Premier League being held this week.
Club Sunbury-based Melbourne eXtreme will be hoping to build on a finals performance in the last BPL tournament.
eXtreme will also be represented in the second edition of the Junior BPL Challenge and will be aiming for back-to-back titles.
It will be a new line up for the junior eXtreme team with Akasha Fortune, Joshua Leszczynski and Eridani Wheeler making up the team.
The first two play in Club Sunbury’s top pennant side.
Meanwhile in the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region Highlands division 1, the top four is set heading into the final round.
Kyneton has locked in top spot, with Romsey and Kyneton Golf to fight it out for second spot.
Kilmore sits in fourth, but can finish as high as third.
