Central Wendouree’s all-conquering division one midweek pennant bowls outfit has added a third-straight premiership to the trophy cabinet.
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The Bears produced a sensational performance on the big stage, thrashing City Oval in Monday’s grand final.
In the end, Central Wendouree prevailed by 40 shots, winning 90-50.
The side won all three rinks, with skippers Col Johnson, Joy Adams and John Quick all recording victories.
Monday’s success hadn’t always looked likely for the Bears, which finished second to the Hawks on the ladder.
During the regular rounds, City Oval was beaten just twice – not by Central Wendouree – and accumulated 42 more points than any other team in the competition.
Monday’s result was the third time in succession the Bears have beaten the Hawks in the decider and the fourth occasion in as many seasons they have battled out the biggest game of the year.
Central Wendouree player and manager Elizabeth Kierce said her side was a champion team rather than a team of champions.
“We really do rise at the big moments,” she said.
“We all worked really well together as a team and we were hunting there for our third premiership in a row.
“It hasn’t really quite sunk in yet, I suppose, but it has been a great season and we’ve had really good camaraderie all the way through.”
Kierce said there was a number of pivotal games during the regular season where her team could have slipped out of the top four.
“We had to really fight hard to get those points up,” she said.
“We are a fighting team and when we needed to, we were in there.”
Central Wendouree’s only two wins against City Oval in season 2017-18 came in the semi-final and grand final.
The club will now look to complete the division one double, with the Bears to meet Buninyong in the weekend pennant bowls grand final.
Also on Monday at Sebastopol Bowling Club, Clunes claimed the division two premiership.
The team prevailed by a solitary shot in the grand final against Webbcona, winning 62-61.
There was also a one-shot margin in the division three decider, with Sebastopol (1) beating Beaufort Golf.
In division four, Linton defeated Buninyong, while Ballarat North was too good for Avenue in division five.