ONE current and one former Manning hockey player have been named in Australian Country teams to tour Borneo and Hong Kong.
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Priya Bourke is in the Australian Country under 21 women's side, while Ben Ferguson has been selected in the open men's side.
Both were members of the NSW Country teams that played in the Australian Country Championships in Shepparton. Priya, was a member of the open women's side.
They were beaten 1-0 in the final by Queensland. Ben's open men's side claimed the gold with a 1-0 victory, also against Queensland. He will head to Hong Kong with the national country team, with Priya off to Borneo.
Priya said she was 'pretty happy' with her form at the championships.
"I was really excited when I heard I'd been selected in the Australian team,'' she said.
NSW started the campaign with a 7-0 win over Western Australia before downing South Australia 7-0.
However, they had a stumble when beaten 3-1 by Victoria then went down to Queensland before drawing against Australian Defence Forces.
Here they clicked back into form with a 3-0 win to claim a spot in the final.
Priya will now concentrate on club hockey with Chatham in the Manning division one competition, with her side struggling to stay in the race for the semi-finals.
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Ben started playing hockey with Chatham in the Manning juniors, progressing to first division, where he was a member of premiership winning sides.
He played extensive representative hockey as a schoolboy.
Ben now plays with Gosford in the Hunter-Coast Premier League and Briars in the Sydney Premier League. He has represented NSW Country for the past three years, although this will be his debut in the national side.
He usually plays striker although he was in the midfield with the NSW team. NSW beat Queensland 3-0 in the Australian final to continue the State's domination of the national championship.
Taree High into State finals
DEFENDING champions Taree High School stormed into the semi-finals of the NSW Combined High Schools girls hockey championships with an 8-1 thrashing of Orange this week.
The game was played in freezing conditions in Orange. Taree has won the championship for the past two years.
Taree High boys meet Moss Vale in Newcastle on Friday August 23 where a win will see them progress to the semi-finals, to be played on September 18/19,