By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a disappointing 208-pin loss to De Soto in last Friday's United Kansas Conference championships at Olathe, Seaman's bowling team team didn't have much time to dwell on that defeat, with the UKC meet the first of three events for the Vikings over a span of five days.
Seaman's boys claimed a Class 5A-1A regional team title on Tuesday at West Ridge Lanes and will try to repeat as the state champion next week in Wichita. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The defending Class 5A-1A state champions bounced back with a win at Emporia on Monday and then gained a measure of revenge with a 17-pin victory over De Soto in Tuesday's Class 5A-1A regional tournament at West Ridge Lanes.
Seaman coach Bob Benoit said that jumping right back into action after the UKC meet was good for his team.
"I think we needed it because the boys had had too many highs and lows this year,'' Benoit said. "And I felt like if we got them on a run and got them going and got them in that rhythm and timing that that would help propel thems here.
"We used the way we got beat at Olathe as motivation to try to beat (De Soto) here.''
All six Vikings rolled series of 613 or better in the regional meet, with senior Ethan Burns leading the way with a 703 series to finish third individually.
Riley Parkhurst finished sixth for the Vikings with a 655 series while Zander White was eighth with a 643 and Dominic Figuerora ninth with a 641.
Braxton Moore had a 625 series and Alex Presscott a 613 to round out Seaman's lineup.
Burns said that a ball change played a big role in his success on Tuesday.
"There was a ball that I picked up last week and I tried to throw it on Friday down in Olathe and I was just trying to figure it out the whole time,'' Burns said. "I went out and tried that ball again in Emporia and I didn't have to move hardly at all. It was beautiful.
"I threw it again today for about 90 percent of it and it was amazing. It felt really good.''
Topeka West finished fourth as a team, just nine pins behind Emporia for the final team berth, but West's Dason Tidwell and Alex Rutschmann earned indiviual berths for next week's state tournament.
Tidwell finished fourth individually with a 695 series while Rutschmann qualified with a 618 series.
The 5A-1A boys state tournament will be contested next Thursday, March 2, at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, with the competition getting under way at 1:40 p.m.
"I feel like we're ready,'' Burns said. "These last two meets we're on fire and I feel like if we have a good week and a half of practice, we're ready to repeat.''
CLASS 5A-1A REGIONAL BOYS BOWLING
At West Ridge Lanes
Team scores
Seaman 3,557, De Soto 3,540, Emporia 3,329, Topeka West 3,320, Shawnee Heights 3,076, Ottawa 3,021, Augusta 2,959, Hayden 2,955, Chanute 2,951, El Dorado 2,944, Circle 2,853, McPherson 2,775, Basehor-Linwood 2,725, Newton 2,650, Highland Park 2,095.
Individual results
1. Nate Green, Emporia, 717; 2. Antonio Miranda, De Soto, 715; 3. Ethan Burns, Seaman, 703; 4. Dason Tidwell, Topeka West, 695; 5. Colby Lovegren, De Soto, 691; 6. Riley Parkhurst, Seaman, 655; 7. Logan Jackson, McPherson, 653; 8. Zander White, Seaman, 643; 9. Dominic Figueroa, Seaman, 641; 10. Collin Bode, De Soto, 626.
Other Seaman -- Braxton Moore 625, Alex Presscott 613.
Other Topeka West -- Alex Rutschmann 618, Cole Rodriguez 612, Richard Haug 583, Josh Allen 556, Casey Ard 500.
Shawnee Heights -- Caden Cochrane 576, Henry Schattilly 576, Austin Cochrane 552, Josh Egly 542, Caden Evans 486, Donovan Davis 435.
Hayden -- Trevor Christy 577, Henri Pryor 562, John Strickland 539, Chase Blaser 529, Evan George 503, Ryan Spindler 410.
Highland Park -- Nathan Poe 434, Jayden Wilson 427, Aaron Poe 388, Cristian Reyes 363, Abran Lewis-Mendez 352, Henry Guerra 323.
Individual state qualifiers -- Dason Tidwell, Topeka West; Logan Jackson, McPherson; Shane Circle, Ottawa; Alex Rutschmann, Topeka West; Trenton Allen, Chanute; Alex King, Ottawa.
