Three Cohuna bowls players were part of a regional team that took out the championship title at the Region Sides Championships late last month – the first time the team has won the championship in the event’s 50-year history.

Jarred Hammond and Harrison Keely of Cohuna Golf Bowls were part of the Murray Mallee Bowls Region side, which was victorious in the Men’s Silver Tier Championship at the 2023 Region Sides Championships in Echuca and Moama from May 26-28. Cohuna Golf’s John Keely secured the team manager role. Also in the team were Jason Lunghusen and Brody Harker from Barham, and Dale Hancock and Kane Wilson from Kerang.

Eight regions from across Victoria were represented in each of the silver and gold tiers, with each team consisting of up to 14 players. It is the first time Bowls Victoria has introduced the two-tier structure.

While it is the first victory for the team since the event’s inception, it had made the finals in 2013 and 2014, coming runner up both years.

The Murray Mallee team’s skill saw them undefeated over the seven rounds, drawing the first game and mutually agreeing to abandon the last round due to weather. In the final, Murray Mallee defeated West Coast to take out the title of 2023 Region Sides Men’s Silver Tier Champions.

Team member, Harrison Keely said that apart from trials and one practice match, this was the first time the team had played together. “It was a good weekend,” he said, “everyone played well. Overall, we didn’t lose for the whole weekend, which was a good effort.” 

“The first game against Wimmera, we were down by about 19 halfway through and fought back. We did well to get a draw there. We had a good start against Geelong on the Saturday morning. I think the middle game against Mornington Peninsula, we were down early as well and fought back and that came down to whoever won the last end. We won; we ended up picking up five shots on that last end to win by five. Then, in the first game Sunday morning, it was raining. We were playing Gippsland and we didn’t start all that well either, but fought back to get the win in the end,” Harrison said.

Here’s how they fared:

• Round 1: Murray Mallee drew with Wimmera 31 shots
• Round 2: Murray Mallee 34 defeated Ballarat Highlands 24
• Round 3: Murray Mallee 44 defeated Geelong 26
• Round 4: Murray Mallee 36 defeated Mornington Peninsula 31
• Round 5: Murray Mallee 51 defeated West Coast 24
• Round 6: Murray Mallee 36 defeated Gippsland 31
• Round 7: Match abandoned by weather against Strzelecki
• Final: Murray Mallee 39 defeated West Coast 35

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 8 June 2023.