Lithgow has another three state champions to add to its growing list of young sports stars in Logan Hunter, Mitchell Brain and Dane Guffogg.
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The Lithgow High School students helped their Western region team take the gold at the Combined High Schools state hockey championships.
The tournament was held in Murwillumbah just below the Queensland border and wrapped up on Thursday.
Western triumphed over the Hunter region in a nail-biting final which went to golden goal extra time.
After leading 1-0 at halftime, Western went behind in the second half before fighting back to level the scores 2-2 before the final whistle.
But the game continued with both sides dropping two players to be down to nine and then another two to make it seven on seven.
Western claimed the winning goal in the second added period of six minutes to be named the best side in the state.
Coach of the Western region boys hockey side and principal of Peak Hill Central School Scott Olsson was full of praise for the three Lithgow High School students.
“Logan was rewarded by being named in the NSW CHS team,” he said.
“He played exceptionally well as a goalkeeper but also played on the field.”
Dane played a pivotal role in the final when the teams were down to seven players a side despite injuring his knee earlier in the tournament.
“Like a true tough Lithgow youngster he stuck with it and played really well,” Mr Olsson said.
Mr Olsson also described Mitchell as a “fantastic kid to coach”.
“So much so I gave him my Coach’s award at the end of the tournament.
“I just thought he played really, really well and was like the all the kids just a credit to himself and credit to his family and a credit to Lithgow High School.”
Fellow Lithgow High School student Bill Eustace also qualified to represent Western but did not make the trip for the state tournament.
Full list of results:
- South Coast 1 vs Western 2
- Western 4 vs Riverina 1
- Sydney North 3 vs Western 1
- North West 0 vs Western 3
- Western 2 vs Sydney South West 0
- Western 3 vs Hunter 2