A Highlands junior tenpin team recently earned itself a top five spot at a state competition.
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The Mittagong Lions junior tenpin team played their grand final in the NSW Junior Intercentre Tournament at Orange tenpin bowl on Saturday.
The Intercentre tournament is a statewide competition broken up into regions.
Mittagong was part of the greater Sydney region and finished 11th overall in the state. The top 12 teams in the state then went to Orange to determine the best junior team in NSW.
After leading the tournament for four games, the young Mittagong team played Windsor- the team siting in equal first- in its final match.
The winner guaranteed a finals birth but Mittagong was unable to claim the spot, going down by 11 pins.
Windsor went on to win the tournament defeating Maitland in the grand final match. Coach Luke Hannon said he was proud of his team.
“We came into the grand final from 11th spot and finished fifth overall so I’m proud of how the team performed and progressed on the day,” he said.
The team went into the game without captain Sam Sutton who fractured his foot during the week.
“It was hard for Sam to watch on the sidelines but the rest of the team stepped up, they work hard for each other and don’t want to let each other down. They truly work together as a team,” Hannon said.
Dylan Gordon and Morrisey Powell put Mittagong in a strong position and the two youngest members of the team Hayden Honey and Tyler Hannon bowled consistently above their average.
“This team will be together for a few more years and they impress me every time they hit the lanes. My satisfaction as a coach comes from improvement and seeing individuals reach their potential,” Hannon said.
He said tenpin bowling provided physical and mental health benefits through exercise and social interaction. “It is a skill based sport with a focus on general fitness, movement and targeting skills, while developing motor skills such as coordination and balance.”
Highlands Tenpin are always looking to recruit more juniors. Anyone interested can call 4871 1600.