After five rounds of the 2025-26 Campaspe Playing Area weekend pennant, Rochester finally got on the board, taking down Tongala on Saturday.
Playing on its home turf of Rochester Bowls Club, the host cruised to a 15-61 to 1-47 victory that has launched the side into sixth position on the ladder.
Rochester’s Richard Feuk and Tongala’s Matthew Liverton couldn’t be split, drawing 19-all, before Timothy Quinlan and Leslie Walles ran over the top of Stephen Hammond and Bradley Tinning, 23-12 and 19-16, respectively.
Lower grades
It was a full slate of games in division three. Echuca soundly defeated Elmore 16-74 to 0-52, Rochester sneaked past Tongala 13-59 to 3-55 and Stanhope got a tight victory over Lockington, 12-55 to 4-52.
It was a straight sets exit for Elmore as all of Kenneth Wills, Gary Williams and Garry Stoll were defeated comfortably by Echuca skips Greg Clymo, Trevor Rickard and Maxwell Bennett.
Like division one, Rochester brought down Tongala in an albeit tighter fashion, as Rochester’s David Murray and Tonny’s Bernadette Tinning drew the third rink 18-all.
Tonny’s Peter Kesson put the pressure on, taking down Rochy’s Graeme Chambers 26-14, before Jane McCallum won the day for her side with a 27-11 victory over Hayden Crilly.
In division four, Rochester triumphed over Tongala 14-59 to 2-56 and Deniliquin RSL took down Lockington 14-65 to 2-61.
As a club, it appeared Rochy had Tonny’s number this time. Rochy won two rinks courtesy of Wesley Bertuch and Jenny Major to sail home, with Tonny’s Jennifer Reid winning the third rink.
It was a spirited effort by Lockington, winning one rink through Denise Gilmore 26-20 but, it wasn’t enough to stop Deni RSL as Niels Hilton and Rob Marchetti got the job done.
In a division five local derby, Rochester fell to Lockington 2-34 to 12-38.
It was a tight contest, with both sides splitting a rink.
Rochester’s Joan Limbrick defeated Lockington’s Leon Laffy 21-19.
However, Lockington’s Kalvan Stout did enough to win his rink and the day, defeating Mick McArdle 19-13.