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Washburn women takes aim on 20th win against Pittsburg State Wednesday night
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn senior Payton Sterk is coming off a season-high 31-point performance with seven 3-pointers in last Saturday's win at Rogers State. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman girls win 5A regional bowling title, Heights qualifies both teams for state
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls bowling team added a Class 5A regional team title to its city and United Kansas Conference crowns Tuesday at Gage Bowl, with the Vikings taking the regional championship by a 2,958-2,904 margin over Emporia.
Claire LaDuke (facing) celebrates a strike with her Seaman teammates during Tuesday's Class 5A regional at Gage Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights also earned a berth for next week's state tournament at Wichita, finishing third as a team at 2,831.
Highland Park will also have a competitor in the girls state tournament, with Ra'Lynn Divers qualifying as an individual.
Claire LaDuke led the champion Vikings with a third-place individual finish, shooting a 565 three-game series while Seaman also got a sixth-place individual finish from Paige Snyder, who shot a 555 series.
The Vikings also got a 12th-place individual finish from Laci Cole (521), a 13th showing from Leah Crawford (516) and a 16th from Kayla Duncan (493) while Ava Carlson shot a 448.
Shawnee Heights bowling coach Scott Mercer talks to his girls team during Tuesday's Class 5A regional at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Addison VanMetre shot a 544 series to pace third-place Shawnee Heights with a seventh-place individual finish while the T-Birds' Lauryn Valdivia placed 11th (522), Emma Wederski was 14th (509), Tatum Simpson was 18th (482) and Bailey Liby was 19th (459). Reese Bell rounded out the T-Bird lineup with a 441 series.
Highland Park's Divers shot a 456 series to garner the fifth individual qualifying berth for state.
The city boys 5A contingent will also be well-represented at state, led by Shawnee Heights, which finished second as a team by a 3,417-3,275 margin to United Kansas Conference rival De Soto while Seaman and Highland Park combined for three individual qualifiers.
Evan Jones finished fifth with a 650 series to lead Shawnee Heights to a second-place team finish in Tuesday's Class 5A bowling regional at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Evan Jones shot a 650 series to pace Shawnee Heights with a fifth-place individual finish while the T-Birds also got a seventh-place finish from Braden Evans (637), a ninth from Trey Donath (622), and a 14th-place showing from Henry Schattilly (637). Chevy Stallbaumer added a 581 and Kaden Evans a 523 for Heights.
Seaman's Garrett Shaw shot a 666 series to tie for second and finish third on a tiebreaker in Tuesday's Class 5A regional at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman finished fourth as a team to miss a state team berth by one spot, but the Vikings got a second-place tie (third on a tiebreaker) from Garrett Shaw, who shot a 666 to earn the second individual qualifying berth.
Highland Park earned a pair of individual state berths, with Kayden King shooting a 638 to earn the third individual qualifying spot for staate and Isaac Barnes shooting a 617 to place 10th and earn the fourth individual qualifying berth.
CLASS 5A REGIONAL BOWLING
Renyer's 300 game highlights big regional performance for Hayden bowling
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's bowling teams had plenty to celebrate in Wednesday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional at Gage Bowl.
Hayden junior Reece Renyer (center) celebrates after his second-game 300 in Wednesday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Not only did both Hayden teams earn team berths for next week's state tournament in Wichita, with the Wildcat boys winning the regional team title and the Hayden girls finishing second, but junior Reece Renyer achieved every bowler's dream with a perfect 300 game in his second game of the day.
After a first-game 194, Renyer and fellow Wildcat junior Kelton Meier matched strikes over the first seven frames of the second game.
Hayden junior Reece Renyer reacts after a strike during his perfect 300 game Wednesday at Gage Bowl. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Meier's strike string temporarily ended with an eighth-frame spare before he struck out for a 278 while Renyer was able to go the distance for his first-ever 300.
"I was a little bit nervous going into that 10th frame,'' Renyer said. "It would definitely hit me when everyone would go quiet. That really got me and I got it done by taking deep breaths and Kelton guiding me the whole way.
"I had a 279 at state last year and that's the closest I had ever gotten.''
Hayden junior Kelton Meier finished second individually in Wednesday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional with a 682 series, including a 278 game. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Meier was oh so close to a 300 himself.
"I missed inside by like a board or two (in the eighth frame) and the outcome wasn't what I wanted that frame, but it was a really good game,'' Meier said. "I was just trying to stay up there with Reece that second game.
"We were counting down our strikes. After we struck our first frame we were like, 'OK, we have 11 left, 10 left, nine left.' It was so fun.''
Renyer stumbled a bit in the third game with a 158 after his emotional second game, but still finished the day with a 652 series to place third individually, right behind Meier, who rolled a final-game 228 to finish second with a 682 series, just 10 pins behind individual champion Kolten Powell of Ottawa.
Hayden, the defending 4A-1A state champ, won the team title by a 3,413-3,297 margin over Ottawa, as the Wildcats also got a seventh-place finish from sophomore Ashton Litke (611) and a ninth-place showing from sophomore Ben Mayer (589), while sophomore Andrew Lee (524) and junior Jason Ahlstedt (467) rounded out the lineup.
"I think we did really good today for how we've been doing throughout the season,'' Renyer said. "I think we might be a little bit behind (where they were in 2025), but I think we can pick it up going into state. We all had fun and we did what we could do.''
Meier thinks the Wildcats have the potential to make another state run next week.
"I think we're a very capable team this year and I think we showed that today, especially duing Baker,'' Meier said. "I think our overall score was one of the best we've shot all season, so we can definitely put it together when it really matters and I think we'll see that at state again.''
Hayden's girls punched their ticket to state with a runnerup team finish behind Ottawa (2,812-2,396) as senior Jenna Henkensiefken shot a 502 series, including a 213 game, to lead the Wildcats with a fourth-place individual finish.
Senior Izzy Glotzbach posted a seventh-place finish (445) while senior Emily Peterson finished ninth (424) and senior Kellyn Specht (385), senior Mayela Valdez (341) and senior Olivia Coyle (308) rounded out the Hayden lineup.
The Class 4A-1A state tournament will be held next Friday, March 6, at Wichita's Bowlero Northrock, with the boys competition at 8:50 a.m., followed by the girls at 1:40 p.m.
CLASS 4A-1A REGIONAL BOWLING
