Sport

Tongala Primary School bowlers are second best in Victoria

By Oliver Shedden

Nov 6, 2025

Jed Brennan, Kane Pyke, Billy Dolling, Lucas Pyke, Tippi Holyman and Ella Forde came runner-up at the School Sports Victoria primary state finals in lawn bowls. Photo: Supplied. Photo by Supplied

After a fairytale run that saw them charge all the way into the School Sports Victoria primary state final, Tongala Primary School’s lawn bowls team are second best in the state.

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Tonny PS has a well-established and successful sport program for a school of 150 students, particularly in lawn bowls, fielding four teams and with 24 total students participating.

Tongala moved through the Campaspe interschool bowls rounds, winning the division, then winning the Loddon-Mallee tournament to punch its ticket to the state final in Sunbury on Wednesday, October 29.

In the first three preliminary rounds, the sole Tongala team to make it to the state finals defeated Buninyong Primary School 9-5, Plenty Parklands Primary School 10-4 and Yarrawonga College P-12 9-5.

At the big one against Cowes Primary School, it was level-pegging at 6-6 into the last ends before Cowes clutched up, stealing the game 8-6 with the last two bowls of the game.

With 2000 primary schools in Victoria, Tonny PS is second-best in the state for bowls, an achievement that principal Rob Hogan couldn’t be prouder of.

“It’s a fantastic achievement,” he said.

“Not just for the kids, but for the whole school because we have a really close relationship with the Tongala Bowls Club where we get some coaches to come and give the students some pointers.

“So, the kids are able to put in the time and the effort, we go over and train, and they really enjoy the game.

“It's a different sport to what is typically played, a lot of the students are normally footballers and netballers and cricketers and so on.

“So, lawn bowls is a different pace, I suppose, and to see them just get better and better and the students themselves getting better and better was a great highlight.“

Hogan has always been thrilled with the diverse range of sporting interests by students at Tonny PS, which allows the school to be involved in different competitions for sport.

This gives the students the ability to learn different skills and be able to find the perfect sport for each student’s abilities and confidence.

“It's fabulous to see so many kids putting their hand up and having a go at something that they've probably never even seen or watched before, let alone could compete in, which is great,” he said.

“Lawn bowls is a great sport for all students to play, there’s no physicality needed and so on.

“But, it's a real thinking game, and the kids have really learned how to not just bowl well, but also the strategy behind the game as well.”