Bay of Plenty Women's Fours 2023-24 Season
First of all, thank you to Te Puke for kindly offering their greens for this competition as again
they were playing awesome and the games over the weekend reflected that.
Of the 14 teams that started, half the field qualified with Ngongotaha once again having a
strong showing with two teams from that club making it through.
In the quarter finals the composite team skipped by Sue Hodges came from behind to steal a
victory against Lyn Bodger of Mount Maunganui 14-10. PK Tamehana’s team had a rip
snorter against Kathy Dempster-Rivett’s composite combination, absolutely blocking them
out 22-4, with each player on fire. In the last of the quarter match ups Char Beckett’s team
had a great start but it was the comeback from opponent Gayle Melrose and her Tauranga
team that had everyone on their feet. Mary Campbell led the fight back with some
outstanding lead bowls in the last five ends. But when they lost the mat on the extra end the
opposition went short and with Ngongotaha holding one shot, Melrose let loose with a
runner, collided with two other bowls and almost stopped her bowl on the lip of the green to
win the game. Unfortunately, for her, it fell into the ditch and the game was lost 17-14.
In the semi finals, it was the turn of Beckett’s team to run hot, led off by Huia Ratana, one of
the most consistent lead bowlers in the Bay. Unfortunately it was against their compatriots,
Tamehana’s team, who were forced into playing heavy shots early and weren’t at any stage
allowed to settle eventually losing 21-5.
In the other semi it was a game of two halves with Hodges’ team mounting a comeback to
almost grab victory from Angela Stephen’s composite team. If it wasn’t for such a great
game by Jocelyn Holten and some amazing last bowl saves by Stephen herself, the game
could have easily slipped away. Stephen’s team winning 13-11.
The final between Beckett’s team and Stephen’s combination was a classic with it all coming
down to the last bowl. Once again the front end of the Ngongotaha outfit of Ratana and Mina
Paul were outstanding making it hard for opposites Rachelle Morrison and Caitlin Thomson
to compete. But it was Holten and Stephen at the back end of their team that enabled points
on the first few ends providing them with a strong start. However the relentlessness of the
front end of the Ngongotaha team eventually took its toll and the fight back was on which
gave them the lead 14-13, for the first time after fourteen ends. With only two ends to go the
crowd became extremely vociferous, riding each bowl like a final should. After the dust
settled it came down to a Stephen bowl to force an extra end. She came up agonizingly
close but on this occasion was unable to produce the save after having such an amazing
game.
So, in the final outcome it was the Ngongotaha team of Ratana, Paul, and Mere Eden
skipped by the ‘cool as a cucumber’ Beckett that won 16-14.