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GOLDEN SQUARE has ended the premiership streak of Bendigo East after winning Friday's BBD midweek pennant division one grand final.
Square capped its stunning late season turnaround with a 68-65 victory over powerhouse East at Bendigo.
Bendigo East was gunning for its sixth premiership in a row, but was forced to play catch-up all game after Square made a strong start.
The Golden Square rink of Veronica Groves set the tone early as it raced to an 18-5 lead against Judy Davey.
After being under the pump early Davey fought back, with the final margin four shots in favour of Groves, 23-19.
Julie Ross was also a winning skipper for Square, with her rink defeating Ann Borham 22-21.
Bendigo East's only winning rink was that of Helen Clough, who defeated Patti Pain 25-23.
Bendigo East had started the final end of the game, to be fought out between Ross and Borham, trailing by five shots.
Borham won the final end, but only picked up two shots as Square celebrated a premiership that was looking unlikely when they were 16 points out of the top four with three rounds remaining.
But after clawing their way to third, Square then beat Inglewood and Bendigo - both by 10 shots - in cut-throat finals before continuing their momentum in the grand final to win their first premiership since 2014.
"We didn't think we'd get to the finals late in the season," Square skipper Julie Ross said.
"To tell you he truth, I don't know how it clicked, but we got on a bit of a roll."
Of the five games Bendigo East lost this season, three were to Golden Square.
"Golden Square got away to a really good start, but we came back fantastically to get within three shots," East skipper Ann Borham said.
"Golden Square played an excellent game of bowls today and I wish them all the very best in the region finals."
The next step for Golden Square will be on March 28 when it plays the Campaspe midweek pennant premier in the region finals, with that game expected to be at Moama.
Golden Square joins Kangaroo Flat (division two), Woodbury (division three), Castlemaine (division four) and Strathfieldsaye (division five) as midweek premiers.
* Grand final result:
Golden Square 68 def Bendigo East 65.
Veronica Groves 23 def Judy Davey 19.
Julie Ross 22 def Ann Borham 21.
Patti Pain 23 lt Helen Clough 25.
* Golden Square's premiership team - Ruth Pearce, Wayne Robins, Julie Robins, Veronica Groves, Barry Hogan, Dawn Jennings, Yvonne Robinson, Patti Pain, Mary Cusack, Trevor Schill, Mardi Chisholm, Julie Ross.
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