Medicine Hat Memorial Tournament

The Medicine Hat Lawn Bowling Club held its only Bowls Alberta sponsored tournament this weekend.

The Medicine Hat Memorial Triples Tournament was held this weekend by the local club, with 15 teams, totalling 45 players, from Highlands LBC, Commonwealth LBC, Royal LBC, Calgary LBC, and Medicine Hat LBC taking part in the action.

Medicine Hat’s tournament is the only tournament on the Bowls Alberta calendar that gives lawn bowlers who don’t normally play in provincial championships a chance to play. Teams are supposed to be made up of a mix of veterans, novices and beginners.

Saturday saw teams play five games, with teams divided up into four groups and play continuing on Sunday. The first couple of games on Saturday morning provided a challenger for bowlers, as they to adjust the playing on a wet green due to the rain storm.

By Saturday afternoon, as the temperatures rose, the lawn bowls got faster and faster and made for some good games.

Wes Bresee, Jim Clegg and Sam Ferrier of Medicine Hat LBC won the eighth annual trophy with a 7-4 score over Keith Bacon, Kathryn MacGregor and Mike Belliveau of Calgary LBC.

On the B side, Ed Gallacher, Chris Bezovie, and Blair Whitman from Highlands LBC of Edmonton defeated Barb Moll, Curt Moll and Eric Moll of Medicine Hat LBC 7-3.

The C champions were Barb Spencer, Tony Spencer and Monika Pachon of Highlands LBC. They defeated Mike McGee, Brian Hutcheon and Frances Poelen of Commonwealth LBC of Edmonton.

The D champions were from Calgary LBC. Peter Ballinger, Jo Anne Liberty and Laura Levesque beat Susan Kitzen, Deborah Mlinaritsch and Ann Black of Highlands LBC.

The Ben Osterman Award was awarded to the top skip, as voted on by participants, to two skips this year. Keith Bacon and Peter Ballinger, both of Calgary LBC tied in voting. The participants felt both skips displayed the virtues of a good skip – good sporting behaviour, knowledge of the game, hard work, and competitiveness.

Barb Moll, Curt Moll and Eric Moll were awarded the Howard Davison Award, as voted on by participants, for being the team the late Howard Davison would have wanted to play with.

Davison treasured fun, good sporting behaviour, laughter, competitiveness, and time with friends and family.

Moll Defends Men's Singles Championship

Curt Moll successfully defended his men's singles championship with a 13-5 win over Mike Gilchrist. Gilchrist actually started strong by going up 5 after only two ends. However, Moll wouldn't allow Gilchrist to get another point for the entire match and won the last 10 ends. It was Moll's fourth men's championship since 2017.

In the bronze medal game, new bowler Cave Starling defeated Doug Sanregret 12-10. 

On the B side, Sam Ferrier took the gold with an 11-9 win over Frank Buck. Braydon Gordon took the bronze last week with a lost to Buck. 

Medicine Hat Memorial Tournament 2022

The club played host to the Medicine Hat Memorial Triples Tournament for the first time since 2019. Six teams from three different clubs attended - Medicine Hat LBC, Lethbridge LBC, and Highlands LBC (Edmonton).

Teams played 5 round robin games against one another over the course of two days and it culminated w
ith teams being seeded into the A, B, or C finals.

Richard Turner, Thelma Melnichuk, and Katherine Kerr from Highlands (3-1-1) went up against Barb Moll, Curt Moll, and Eric Moll from Medicine Hat (3-2). The Turner rink came out on top with a 9-5 win to take the Medicine Hat Memorial Trophy. 

Wes Bresee, Mike Gilchrist, and Jean Bresee (3-3) from Medicine Hat went up against Bill Black, Ann Black, and Sandra Angell from Highlands (2-2-1). The games was tied at four going into the eighth. The Bresee rink managed to score a point to take the 'B' Championships 5-4.

Scott Packer, Esther Rodzinyak, and Robert Rodzinyak of Lethbridge (2-3) went up against Linda Bower, Frank Buck, and Joyce-Ann Bacon of Medicine Hat (1-4) and soundly defeated the Bower rink 20-1 in seven ends to take the 'C' Chammpionship.