FIVE juniors last week proved the future of Orange tenpin bowling is in good hands.
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Nick Flannery, Micaylah Downey, Sam Flannery, Harry Betts and Joel Patey represented NSW at the East Coast Challenge Cup (ECCC) in Toowoomba and brought home a boot load of prizes.
Flannery and Downey enjoyed some of the biggest success by winning their respective masters events.
Flannery took out the under 21 open boys’ masters after leading the field following four qualifying games.
He then won four of his five match play games to win the masters crown by 27 pins.
Flannery also won the under 21 open boys’ singles on the first day of the ECCC, was second in the doubles with Cameron Johnson and helped NSW to third in the teams.
The 16-year-old said he was excited with his results, especially with the way he bowled for his singles win.
“I had to pull it out,” he explained.
“There were a lot of quality bowlers there from Queensland and Victoria. I found the line quick and I knuckled down.”
This was Flannery’s third ECCC and said it was easily his best results.
Downey made her ECCC debut this year and the quiet 11-year-old was outstanding.
She helped NSW finish second in the under 21 graded girls’ teams event.
Her consistency across the competition meant she took out the under 21 graded girls’ all events.
In the masters event, Downey was third after the four qualifying games.
She didn’t hold back in the match play, winning all five games to take the title by a huge 203 pins.
Downey, who was the youngest member of the NSW under 21 graded girls’ team by five years, said it was the toughest competition she had bowled in but she had fun.
Flannery and Downey weren’t the only Orange bowlers to perform well.
Sam Flannery and Betts combined to finish second in the under 21 graded boys’ doubles.
Betts and Patey joined with Isaac Cresswell to win the triples.
Patey, Betts and Sam Flannery were all part of the NSW combination that finished third in the teams event.
In the masters, Patey was fourth, Sam Flannery came in sixth and Betts finished eighth.
The next event on the junior calendar for the Orange bowlers is the Sydney Junior Cup this long weekend.
Competitors bowl on Saturday and Sunday with the top 16 boys and girls moving into Monday’s match play rounds and the chance to claim the title.
Nick Flannery said his goal was to qualify for the match play rounds.
Downey is hoping to gain more experience in big competitions and have some fun.
michelle.cook@fairfaxmedia.com.au