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.

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