TWO huge upsets have set-up the most unlikely of Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region grand finals with Sebastopol set to face Victoria for the title next weekend.
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Both teams had big wins over the top ranked club, BMS, on Saturday, Sebastopol dominating in a 103-69 win on Saturday, while Victoria came from eight shot behind at the half-way point to runaway to an emphatic 98-73 win.
BMS, so assured all season were left flailing on the fast greens at the Ballarat Bowls Club, with Sebastopol using the conditions to their advantage in a mammoth victory. It didn't improve at Webbcona on Sunday with the top team simply running out of puff in the run to the line.
On Saturday it was wins to Sebastopol's Paul Lovell who had an outstanding result against Phillip Clamp 28-11, Rob Baker was too good for Michael Storey 28-16 and Scott Roberts getting the job done convincingly over David Berry 21-14.
To qualify for Sunday, Victoria had to first get a result on Saturday, which they narrowly got with an 86-79 win over Webbcona. Stephen Britt, Craig Ford and Brenton Coad were the three skippers to score wins on Saturday giving them the extra chance to play which they took.
On Sunday, it was Craig Ford again who led the charge piloting a 31-16 win over Clamp, Britt got the job done by four against Michael Storey while veteran Barry Clark showed his years of experience skipping his team to a 24-13 win over Ryan Bedggood.
Victoria now has a chance to win back-to-back titles, something that looked a long way off early in the season. In fact it was only into February where it finally started to cement itself in the top four. The club looks to have timed its run to perfection.
Sebastopol is back in the decider for the first time since 2022 when it went down by 18 shots to Webbcona. Most of that team remains and there will no doubt be a burning ambition to put that result to bed once and for all.
The grand final will be held next Sunday at a venue to be determined this week, with either Webbcona, Ballarat or City Oval likely hosts.
SEMI FINALS - SATURDAY
Division 1
Webbcona 79 def by Victoria 86
Sarah Braybrook, Colin Young, Nathan Mahoney, Gary Johnson 19 def by Donna Leeson, Michael Curtis, Sunni Haynes, Stephen Britt 22, Chris Steenhuis, Ben Horwood, Andrew Ingram, Tony Lange 18 def by Kane Silbereisen, David Leeson, Tony Wood, Craig Ford 26, Ross Brown, Harold Worsley, Zac Stewart, Ben McArthur 27 def Paul Tudorovic, Michael Cunningham, Noel Verlinden, Barry Clark 14, Brett Collins, Wayne Pattie, Leah McArthur, Taylor Stewart 15 def by Kevin Haintz, Kevin Coad, Wayne Lynch, Brenton Coad 24
BMS 69 def by Sebastopol 103
Keith Urch, Craig Hurdsfield, Michael Jose, Philip Clamp 11 def by Fred Reus, David Ellis, Gregory Brown, Paul Lovell 28, Geoff Allan, Adam McLean, Lindsay Trounce, Michael Storey 16 def by Bruce Carter, Gary Green, Ian Warner, Rob Baker 28, David Andrews, Travis Preston, Robert Dickinson, Ryan Bedggood 28 def Kevin Lynch, Alan Jones, John Garvin, Will Matthews 26, Stephen Byron, Ross Jones, Darren Millar, David Berry 14 def by Anthony Beacham, Brian Johnson, Tim Beacham, Scott Roberts 21
PRELIMINARY FINAL - SUNDAY
Division 1
BMS 73 def by Victoria 98
Keith Urch, Craig Hurdsfield, Michael Jose, Philip Clamp 16 def by Kane Silbereisen, David Leeson, Tony Wood, Craig Ford 31, Geoff Allan, Adam McLean, Lindsay Trounce, Michael Storey 16 def by Donna Leeson, Michael Curtis, Sunni Haynes, Stephen Britt 20, David Andrews, Travis Preston, Robert Dickinson, Ryan Bedggood 13 def by Paul Tudorovic, Michael Cunningham, Noel Verlinden, Barry Clark 24, Stephen Byron, Ross Jones, Darren Millar, David Berry 28 def Kevin Haintz, Kevin Coad, Wayne Lynch, Brenton Coad 23
DIVISION 1 GRAND FINAL
SEBASTOPOL v VICTORIA - venue TBA
Division 2-9 Preliminary Finals, March 9 and Grand Finals, March 16.
