Prior to the 20 shot round 11 loss, 11-81 (16-2), Stanhope remained in the race for the finals — although facing a tough draw to end the season with matches against three of the top four teams.
There are four rounds of home-and-away competition remaining, with Stanhope sitting sixth on the ladder — 37 points behind fourth ranked Shepparton Park.
In those final four weeks Stanhope faces the team it needs to displace this weekend, Shepparton Park, before confronting third ranked Tallygaroopna, bottom team Mooroopna and Kyabram — a make-up round due to the round nine washout — in the final week on February 25.
The final four looks locked in place, despite their being a month to play, Shepparton Golf still 16 pennant points clear on top of the ladder despite losing its first match on the weekend to second ranked Kyabram.
Tallygaroopna and Shepparton Park would have to fill in a huge hole in order to miss the finals.
The season has produced its share of highlights for Stanhope, in particular skipper Greg Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, bowling with Austin Maxwell, Michael West and Barry Fletcher, beat Hilltop’s Paul Newman 33-30 on Saturday. His rink was the only winner of the match.
The Stanhope skip is the third ranked skip in the competition, despite Stanhope being outside the top four, having won seven of his nine matches.
Lead bowler Maxwell is the second seeded leader in the GV division one competition and Barry Fletcher is ranked fifth (six wins and two defeats) this season of all the third bowlers in the GV.
Hayden Crilly lost by just one shot on his rink, but the blow out on Ben Fletcher’s rink — he lost by 22 shots — and the 10 shot defeat of Tim Hancock, turned the match in Tatura’s favour.
— Stanhope’s division three team, in spite of being second from bottom, is just 15 points outside the top four.
With three wins and six defeats it has only one less win than fourth ranked Mooroopna, showing signs of hope by running second ranked Nagambie to within 13 shots on the weekend.
Stanhope won two of the four rinks and eventually lost 85-98 (4-14), with Kenneth Hoppner and Brian Stokes both scoring wins.
Hoppner (ranked the ninth best skip in the competition) and Stokes (15th seed) are Stanhope’s two best performed bowlers this season in division three.
In the final four matches of the season, Stanhope faces the team it needs to oust in order to make the finals, Mooroopna, before matches against Shepparton Park (fifth), third ranked Rushworth and, finally, bottom ranked Avenel.
— Kyabram teenager Olivia Cartwright claimed the Campaspe playing area women’s singles state title a fortnight ago, beating reigning champion Sandra Connolly in a 25-12 scoreline.
Moama Steamers coach and decorated Scottish lawn bowler Kevin Anderson was the 2022-23 Campaspe men’s singles champion. He dominated his compatriot Peter Campbell in the final, winning 25-6, to claim the crown.
Anderson last weekend won the Campaspe champion of champions title at Mathoura, beating Deniliquin’s Jamie Shields in the final 25-11.
Anderson’s fiancée, Cass Millerick, won the women’s final against Rich River’s Liz Easther 25-18.
Tongala’s Bernadette Tinning lost in the quarter finals of the competition.
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