SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Braemar College enjoys stay in America
Bowie Elementary School students learned about Christmas in Australia firsthand on Friday morning.
Thanks to a traveling bunch of basketball players and school officials from Braemar College, a school located north of Melbourne, Victoria.
The main building in the college, Braemar House, dates back to the late 19th century. This is a co-curricular private school.
Braemar is one of eight schools playing the Bowie Invitational boys’ basketball tournament. They have two teams, one playing in the varsity division and the other in the freshmen group.
“Everyone is so welcoming in Texas,” said Paul Warner, head of the Harry House at Braemar College.
Warner also serves as a physical education teacher and grade-level leader at the school. He is one of the chaperones on the trip.
Braemar – save for 19 hours worth of jet lag – arrived in the United States on Tuesday to begin a whirlwind tour of America that won’t end until Dec. 22.
The school is slated to face American high schools from all around the country – including the New York City area and North Carolina. The boys are staying with host families, and Koni Jones has served as Bowie’s coordinator of housing.
“We love Bowie High,” Warner said. “The facilities are crazy good. The people have been lovely and friendly and the students here have been so hospitable to us.”
Warner’s child, Manon, will be entering Braemar College next year.
In the foyer leading to the high school gymnasium, there’s a painted sign saying, “Welcome Australians.”
There have been other gestures of international favor and goodness all around Bowie High School.
So, what did the elementary school students learn about Christmas in Australia?
They learned reindeer don’t transport presents; rather that duty is fulfilled by kangaroos with pouches full of gifts. Yes, Santa Claus has a different crew in Australia.
Food is both similar and different. Turkey is served. But, so are steak and eggs and pavlova, a dessert featuring kiwi and strawberries on top.
Already, the tour has been a busy one for the group.
The students participated in a training session with Tony Swindle at his center in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on Wednesday.
On Wednesday evening, the team attended a college basketball game between Texas Christian and NCAA Division I No. 22 Southern Methodist. The Mustangs topped the Horned Frogs by three points 70-67. Thursday morning before driving up to Bowie, the team toured AT&T Stadium, which was an immense thrill for Warner. Read more in the Dec. 5 edition of The Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Braemar College’s players pose for a photo for their families back in Australia. The team is on an extended tour of the United States through Dec. 22. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
Bowie softball had a historic season, where the squad made the postseason for the first time since 2019 and knocked a top seed from the playoffs, come to an end April 29.
No-4 ranked Tuscola Jim Ned got out to a quick start and took an 11-1, five inning win in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs. Bowie had its season end at 19-15.
With a large crowd at Weatherford High rooting them on, Bowie took the field looking to knock out another top seed, as they did with Early last week.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Bowie will have two track athletes at the State track and field meet May 14 with top two finishes at the Region 1-3A track meet at Abilene Christian University May 1-2.
Tyler Richey finished 2nd in the pole vault with a 15’ leap. Richey was also 9th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.39. Sophomore Braden Willett was 3rd in the 1,600-meters with a school record best of time of 4:21.93. Willett was 4th in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:29.71.
Several other Rabbits and Lady Rabbits competed at the regional meet. The 800-meter relay foursome of Colton Dosch, Richey, Finn Riddle and Jaxon White finished 6th with a time of 1:30.24 while the 1,600-meter relay team of Dosch, Judah Livsey, Riddle and Blaine Leonard finished 8th with a time of 3:30.76.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Saint Jo’s boys and girls track teams took top honors at the Region III-A track meet at Hewitt Midway High School May 1-2 and will send several athletes to the state track and field meet May 16 in Austin.
The boys were led by Damon Byrd who won both the long jump with a 22’9 ¾” leap and triple jump with a 45’ 10 ½”. Byrd also won the 100-meter dash with a time of 1.03 and was a member of the victorious 800-meter relay along with Trent Gaston, Barrett Johnson and Lee Yeley with a time of 1:30.80.
Yeley won the high jump with a 6’ leap. Byrd, Yeley, Dominic Luna and Gaston combined for a 2nd-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay with a time 3:32.81. Gaston was 2nd in the 110-meter hurdles with a tie of 16.09. Johnson was 2nd in the 400-meter dash in 50.75, Ayden Giambruno was 6th in the 3200-meter run in 11:05.24 with Yeley 8th in the 200-meters with a time of 25.61.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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