Hornsby Rockets Invitational 2012

The Invitational is an annual two day tournament, hosted by Hornsby Rockets Ten Pin Bowling Team Inc, at AMF Hornsby.  This year, about 100 bowlers will attend, from six clubs, bowling in singles, doubles and teams events. That is a lot of bowling!

Day 1, today, was relatively quiet with Hornsby Rockets and Illawarra Strikers competing - tomorrow will be another story, with all the other clubs arriving for a 9.30 am start.

Competition was keen today, and the Hornsby Rockets acquitted themselves well.  Here are a few highlights ...

8:50 am: the banners are hung ...

the lanes are oiled ... ready for play!

Patron, and State MP for Hornsby, Matt Kean officially opened the tournament (with Rockets captains, Natham Constable and Georgie du Pille)

Bowlers stretched, warmed up, threw a few practice balls ...

... and play began.

Matt spent some time with the players, and Tim explained some of the finer points of the game.

 

Strikes started to mount up early ...

 

... including these two in a row for Georgie in her first game - a great confidence boost!

 

Mark Lagden was the highest scoring Rockets member, in a single game today, with this very impressive 230 ...

... note his Turkey (3 strikes in a row), followed two frames later by a 4-bagger (4 strikes in a row)! Congratulations, Mark!

Also scoring over 200 were Jenny Jones (with a 216, and a broad smile, below), Kevin MacPherson (with a cool 209), and Adam Mandarano (with 204 in his last teams game). David Hunter scored his first ever 4-bagger rounding out his first game in the teams event; Angela Moxham bowled well all day, including a 66 over-average of 171; and Tayla Walley bowled her highest ever score of 140 during the doubles event.

Our thanks to:

• the parents and carers who volunteered to support the players, score, sort out any lane hitches, and cheer the players on;
• to Illawarra Strikers and their supporters for travelling up from Wollongong to compete;
• the Rockets Committee members who planned and organised the staging of the event, especially to Annette Seymour, and to Lesley and Natham Constable who managed entries, play and scoring (three enormous tasks);
• and to AMF Hornsby for their assistance and financial support, and for their continued interest in the Hornsby Rockets. 

More news after tomorrow!