The 2021/22 Mount Gambier and District Tennis Association Division 2 season went down to the wire after a tense final round on Saturday.
After a tight season four teams remained in the mix for only two finals tickets and it all came down to one thrilling weekend.
Mount Gambier Blue was one of the many clubs in the hunt, but had to concede its hopes were effectively dashed as it sat on the sidelines and watched the battle unfold due to being handed the bye.
This left the likes of Reidy Park, Mount Gambier Blue and Mount Gambier Blue to slug it out in a battle for the ages.
Mount Schank got the luck of the draw enjoying a home fixture against wooden-spoon holders Mount Gambier Green.
Sensing it as the perfect opportunity to make a move up the ladder, the Mount Schank side made it count by playing attacking tennis.
The home side started the singles on the front foot and won the first four sets to make its intentions clear.
Brendan McInness got the ball rolling with a solid 6-3 win over Ben Kerin before Oscar Geddes took it a step further dominating his clash with Tim Benny.
The 6-1 win maintained Geddes’ perfect singles record in 2022 being his fourth from as many attempts.
Will Boston also enjoyed a comfortable four-game victory over Will Le Cornu, while Nell Eastough and Lucy Clarke wrestled with each other in the top singles clash.
After a tight tussle and many competitive rallies Eastough emerged on top 6-4 to maintain Mount Schank’s winning streak.
But that was broken by Grace Edwards, who was a class above Abbey Hood winning by the comfortable 6-1 margin.
Mount Gambier Green continued to build the strong momentum with Amelia Hancock overcoming Belinda Eastough 6-3.
The visitors hoped the breakthrough win would have been enough to get the side back in the game, but Mount Schank quickly re-established its dominance.
Strong doubles wins from the likes of Mcinnes, Geddes, Boston, Alex Laube, Eastough, Hood and Bella Laube ensured Mount Schank opened up a big enough gap to win the overall honours comfortably.
However, the victors did not take home the spoils from the doubles match of the day where McInnes and Alex Laube faced off with Kerin and Le Cornu.
The pairs slugged it out all afternoon with many rallies catching the crowd’s eye before it went down to a tiebreaker.
Under pressure Kerin and Le Cornu rose to take out the set, while teammates Clarke and Hancock also tasted success.
But Mount Gambier Green’s late doubles wins were not enough to stop Mount Schank from winning the overall battle 8-4 and more importantly, making a charge to finals.
Mount Gambier Blue was another finals contender, but had the misfortune of taking on the undefeated West Gambier Red at home.
The battle got off to an explosive start when Mike Cameron and Bryan Haywood duked it out across a nail-biting duel in the top men’s singles match-up.
Both players tested each other’s weaknesses across the endurance test before marching into a tiebreaker where Haywood managed to hold his nerve.
Haywood’s thrilling win gave West Gambier Red an early lead which it was not going to give up easily.
The ladder leaders showed their class winning four straight sets as Shaunn Robinson, Henry Haywood and Steph Ward also hit winners.
Desperate to get on the board and score enough sets to keep its season alive, Mount Gambier Blue hit back at the end of the singles.
Jodie Carey and Renae Cameron got things back on track for the home side by beating Elzette Le Roux (6-4) and Charlotte Patzel (6-0) respectively.
But normal service resumed as West Gambier Red dominated the doubles.
A 6-1 win by Bryan Haywood and Robinson set the tone with all male team contests going the side’s way in convincing fashion.
Mount Gambier Blue managed to show some fight in the women’s doubles with Carey and Renae Cameron winning their contest 6-1 over Le Roux and Dale Domleo.
However, the hosts success was short lived as Ward, Le Roux and Domleo cleaned up the other sets to ensure West Gambier Red finished a perfect home-and-away season in grand style.
The last finals contender was Reidy Park, which faced the daunting prospect of hitting the road and taking on a strong Glencoe outfit.
With big results needed to seal a spot in the top four, Michael Ellis showed Reidy Park was up for the fight by storming home in the opening singles clash of the day.
Coming up against Mark Feetom, Ellis showed no mercy and won 6-3.
He would have hoped the success would have inspired his team to something special, but Maggie Collins was the only teammate to join him in the winner’s circle.
Glenoe flexed its muscles as the likes of Sam Auld, David Cole, Chloe Watson and Alison Auld won the other singles to open up a big lead.
Once again Ellis started the doubles in hot form alongside Christopher Cowland to put Reidy Park on the board before the hosts collected a string of wins.
Feetom, Sam Hentschke, Sam Auld, Watson, Eliza Cole and Alison Auld were in fine form again with only Maddison Kelly and Tess Kenseley getting in their way.
Glencoe’s 8-4 triumph forced Reidy Park, Mount Schank and Mount Gambier Blue to endure a very nervous wait to discover their future as the results to filtered through.
Mount Schank’s win meant it rocketed up the order to steal third spot, while Mount Gambier Blue did enough to edge out Reidy Park in the fight for the fourth and final finals berth.
The MGDTA enjoys a weekend off before finals take centre stage.
