Students bowl over crowds at State Finals

Above: Slater Mason and Riley Gerick from Gympie’s James Nash State High School, who were crowned the winners. 

Young bowlers from all over Queensland descended on the City of Moreton Bay recently for some friendly competition as part of this year’s Secondary Schools Cup State Finals.

Eighteen teams took part in this year’s event, which was held across two days on August 23 and 24 at Club Pine Rivers in Bray Park.

Club Pine Rivers Bowls Manager Ryan Burnett says this year’s competition was the biggest and best one yet.

“There were 18 teams from all over Queensland as far north as Townsville and Mackay, and all the way down to the Gold Coast,” Ryan says.

“There was one local school which was St Benedict’s.

“I think this is the most teams we have had since it started, which was great to see.

“The whole event was a big success – we had lots of spectators here at the club and lots of people who watched the live stream.”

After two days on the green, Slater Mason and Riley Gerick from Gympie’s James Nash State High School were crowned the winners.

This was the third year in a row the school has won the State Finals.

To see more photos from the event, click through the gallery below.

How the competition works

Teams who compete in the Secondary Schools Cup State Finals must have two players (two females, two males or a mixed team) and must attend the same secondary school.

At least one student per team must be a non-affiliated player (not a member of a bowls club). An exception will be made if the non-affiliated team member joins a bowls club and becomes an affiliated member during the course of this competition.

Secondary Schools and Bowls Clubs are encouraged to align together to host an intra-school playoff who will then proceed to an interschool Bowls District Playoff.

One winner from each Bowls District will then advance to State Finals, which is what was held here in Moreton Bay.

The competition has been running since 2005.