Horsham Lawn through to Grand Final

The Horsham Lawn Tennis Club are through to the Central Wimmera Tennis Association's grand final. They are in the hunt to defend their title, following a comfortable 10-4 win over Central Park at Horsham Lawn on Saturday.

Horsham Lawn's D'Artagnan Walls follows through a shot. PHOTO: CHRIS GRAETZ

Horsham Lawn had a great start winning three of the four doubles. Tahlia Thompson and Cherie Wood defeated Willow Sainsbury and Eve Wear 8-1, D'Artagnan Walls and Graeme Wood defeated Harry Allan and Brendan Nitschke 8-4, and Gemma Walker and Ella Thompson defeated Adele Joseph and Tara McIntyre 8-6.

Central Park's win came through Matt Jones and Reece Harman who defeated Lachlan Punchard and Jae McGrath 8-6.

Central Park remained in the match after the singles, winning two of the four sets. Willow Sainsbury defeated Tahlia Thompson 8-5 and Adele Joseph defeated Gemma Walker 8-1.

For Horsham Lawn, D'Artagnan Walls defeated Harry Allan 8-6 and Jae McGrath defeated Matt Jones 8-3.

Over the following six doubles sets, Central Park could only manage one win through Adele Joseph and Eve Wear defeating Gemma Walker and Cherie Wood in a thriller, 8-7, in the last set of the match.

In a strange occurrence, four of the five doubles that Horsham Lawn won were an 8-4 scoreline. Cherie Wood and Ella Thompson defeated Eve Wear and Tara McIntyre, Jae McGrath and Graeme Wood defeated Matt Jones and Brendan Nitschke, Tahlia and Ella Thompson defeated Willow Sainsbury and Tara McIntyre and D'Artagnan Walls and Lachlan Punchard defeated Harry Allan and Reece Harman.

The other doubles set was an 8-3 scoreline with Lachlan Punchard and Graeme Wood defeating Reece Harman and Brendan Nitschke.

Horsham Lawn president Brett Thompson praised the team's consistency since the Christmas break.

"Saturday was a very consistent team performance, and everyone contributed. I think the double combinations worked well, especially with the ladies," Thompson said.

"The Pennant team hasn't put a foot wrong since Christmas. They have played consistent tennis, and there are no weak links."

With the Grand Final three weekends away, Thompson said the players will still get plenty of practice.

"The club itself still has four senior teams in the finals, so we will have club practice every week for the next couple of weeks," Thompson said.

"In addition to that, I know a few Pennant players will play in a Labour Day tournament, so between playing tournaments, and training, everyone will still get plenty of tennis in them."

Central Park will now play St Michaels in the preliminary final on Saturday, March 15, following a thrilling 8-6 win over Drung South at Coughlin Park.

St Michael's had a great start, winning the first four doubles sets. Steve Schultz and Peter Hayes defeated Harrison Daniell and Dale Schmid 8-1, Mia Rees and Jess Cannane defeated Yolly Molineaux and Andrea Cameron 8-5, Eli Bailey and Nick Robertson defeated Mathew Hill and Aaron Jennings 8-7 and Kassie Peachey and Barb Crough defeated Sandra Casey and Tanya Sleep 8-7.

Drung South fought back in the singles, winning two. Their wins came through Mathew Hill who defeated Eli Bailey 8-1 and Yolly Molineaux who defeated Mia Rees 8-2.

St Michaels wins came through Steve Schultz who defeated Harrison Daniell 8-12 and Kassie Peachey who defeated Sandra Casey 8-6.

Trailing 6-2, and with six doubles sets left, Drung South didn't give up. They won four of the last six sets to close out the match.

Dale Schmid and Aaron Jennings defeated Peter Hayes and Nick Robertson 8-7, Andrea Cameron and Tanya Sleep defeated Barb Crough and Jess Cannane 8-5, Tanya Sleep and Yolly Molineaux defeated Mia Rees and Barb Crough 8-7, and Mathew Hill and Dale Schmid defeated Eli Bailey and Peter Hayes 8-4.

St Michaels wrapped the match up with wins through Kassie Peachey and Jess Cannane who defeated Sandra Casey and Andrea Cameron 8-5, and Steve Schultz and Nick Robertson defeated Harrison Daniell and Aaron Jennings 8-2.

RESULTS - SEMI-FINALS 1/3/2025

Pennant: [SF1] - Horsham Lawn 10 - 99 def Central Park 4 - 71; [SF2] - St Michaels 8 - 90 def Drung South 6 - 83.
A Special: [SF1] - Horsham Lawn Thompson 3 - 72 def by Central Park 11 – 102; [SF2] -Horsham Lawn Gillespie 6 - 91 def by Natimuk 8 - 74.
A Grade: [SF1] - St Michaels 9 - 85 def Haven 3 – 62; [SF2] - Central Park 2 - 60 def by Horsham Lawn McGennisken 10 – 88.
B Special: [SF1] - Drung South 5 - 53 def by Horsham Lawn Tigers 11 – 81, [SF2] - Laharum 13 - 84 def Central Park 3 – 47.

JUNIOR TENNIS RESULTS - SEMI-FINALS 28/2/25 & 1/3/25.

Junior Open: [SF1] - Central Park White 6 - 36 def Natimuk 0 – 12; [SF2] - Central Park Blue 4 - 31 def Quantong 2 - 19.
Section 1 Boys: [SF1] - Central Park Blue 2 - 23 def by Horsham Lawn Green 4 – 31; [SF2] - Horsham Lawn White 4 - 26 def Central Park White 2 – 25.
Section 1 Girls: [SF1] - Horsham Lawn Green 4 - 30 def Central Park Blue 2 – 17; [SF2] -Haven Red 2 - 24 def by Central Park White 4 – 31.
Section 2 Boys: [SF1] - Haven 5 - 34 def Horsham Lawn Green 1 – 14; [SF2] - Horsham Lawn Red 6 - 36 def Central Park White 0 – 13.
Section 2 Girls: [SF1] - Haven 3 - 30 def Horsham Lawn Gold 3 – 23; [SF2] - Horsham Lawn Yellow 1 - 22 def by Horsham Lawn Green 5 – 33.
Section 4 Boys: [SF1] - Horsham Lawn White 4 - 28 def Haven Yellow 2 – 22; [SF2] - Central Park 4 - 31 def Haven Purple 2 – 23
Section 4 Girls: [SF1] - Horsham Lawn Green 4 - 27 def Horsham Lawn Gold 2 – 21; [SF2] - Horsham Lawn White 3 - 31 def Haven Gold 3 – 23
Match Play Section 5: [SF1] - Central Park 4 - 21 def Haven 2 – 17; [SF2] - Homers forfeited to Horsham Lawn Gold.
Match Play Section 6: [SF1] Natimuk 6 - 24 def Central Park Blue 0 - 6; [SF2] - Central Park White 4 - 18 def Haven Yellow 2 – 10.