Ngongotaha continued their recent domination of women’s fours when Charlene Beckett, Janet Barnard, Janine Potroz and Mere Eden (pictured right) captured the latest Centre open championship.

It was back-to-back titles for Beckett and Eden on their home green as Ngongotaha beat Tauranga South’s Heather Gilbert, Pat Andrews, Robyn Matthews-Hunt and Christine Allan 12-11 in a thrilling final.

A solid Tauranga South always had a slight lead until the final two ends. They led 5-3 after five ends, 9-6 after nine and 10-8 after 12 ends. Then the action started.

Beckett had just drawn the shot on the 11^th end when five down on the head, a turning point. The 13^th end was called dead with the umpire unable to separate the two closest bowls.

On the 14^th end, Ngongotaha were four down when Barnard killed it with a weighted shot. On the replay Tauranga South picked up a single to lead 11-8.

Ngongotaha responded with two shots on the 15^th and it came down to a dramatic last end. Eden led off with two close shots and Allan rubbed off one of them for the counter.

Barnard just touched the kitty and it snaked back for Ngongotaha to hold two shots on each side of the kitty. Tauranga South missed with four run shots and Ngongotaha claimed a come-from-behind victory.

“We had the belief we could win it and we did it. It was neck and neck all the way through,” said Beckett who picked up her sixth centre title. Eden has now collected 21 titles while it was the first for Barnard and Potroz.

Ngongotaha has now won the Bay women’s open fours four years in succession. Last season the winning team was Beckett, Mina Paul, Huia Ratana and Eden. Before that PK Tamehana and Wendy Green skipped their sides to victories.

Beckett and co had another nerve-tingler in the semi-finals when they beat Omokoroa’s Sue Hodges, Ruth Lynch, Hien Mack and Hilary Lyons 16-15.

Again, Ngongotaha fought back from 11-15 after 12 ends, and picked up two shots and three singles over the closing ends.

In the other semi-final, Gilbert’s experienced combination overpowered another Omokoroa side of Angela Stephen, Jocelyn Holten, Rachelle Morrison and Caitlin Thomson 20-5, after collecting a two, three singles and a five over the last six ends.

There were seven qualifiers with Gilbert gaining the bye for the post-section play. In the quarter-finals, Stephen beat Mina Paul, Lynette McIntosh, Dorothy Wiringi and Huia Ratana 18-14; Hodges beat Venita Smith, Jasmine Merrick, Kate Robbie and Katarina Stepec 16-10; and Beckett beat clubmates PK Tamehana, Sue Crackett, Julie Kerry and Lillie McGregor 16-10.

Article added: Sunday 19 January 2025