TopSports.news’ eight city boys bowlers to watch in 2022

By RICK PETERSON      

TopSports.news

Seaman junior Ethan Burns placed 13th-place in the 2021 Class 5A-1A state tournament, helping lead the Vikings to a third-place team finish. [File photo/TSN]

ETHAN BURNS, Seaman -- A first-team All-City selection in 2021, Burns finished off his sophomore season with a 13th-place finish in the Class 5A-1A state tournament, bowling a 643 series with games of 214, 213 and 216 to help Seaman win the third-place team trophy. Burns finished third individually in the Centennial League meet with a 660 series for the team-champion Vikings and was seventh at regionals with a 616 series as Seaman won the team championship.

Seaman junior Jack Easum helped the Vikings finish third in the Class 5A-1A state tournament last season, finishing 21st at state. [File photo/TSN]

JACK EASUM, Seaman -- Easum, a junior, placed 21st in the Class 5A-1A state tournament with a 615 series and a high game of 242 as the Vikings finished third as a team. A first-team All-City selection, Easum took 14th in 5A-1A regional competition with a 594 series as Seaman won the regional team title and he bowled a 591 series in the Centennial League tournament as the Vikings claimed the league championship. Easum rolled a 299 game in a regular-season quadrangular at Emporia.

ALEC GRANGER, Topeka High -- A senior, Granger earned second-team All-City recognition last season after qualifying for the Class 6A state meet as an individual. Granger posted a top-10 finish in the Centennial League tournament, taking 10th place with a 609 series.

MATT HARTTER, Washburn Rural -- Hartter, a senior, turned in an outstanding performance in the 2021 Class 6A state tournament, finishing sixth individually with a 675 series as Washburn Rural finished fourth in the team standings. Hartter's performance at state followed up a 13th-place finish in 6A regional competition with a 580 series.

JOSH HAMMONS, Washburn Rural -- A junior, Hammons won the boys individual title in a regular-season triangular with a 669 series and he went on to post a seventh-place finish in the Centennial League tournament with a 619 series and posted a 10th-place finish in Class 6A regional competition. Hammons helped Rural finish fourth at state.

WILLIAM SHAFFER, Shawnee Heights -- A junior, Shaffer was a Class 5A-1A state medalist for the T-Birds, finishing in18th place with a 618 series. Shaffer posted a ninth-place finish in the 2021 United Kansas Conference tournament with a 577 series, helping Heights finish second as a team.

Shawnee Heights senior Aidan VanMetre was a regional champion in 2021 and earned first-team All-City recognition. [File photo/TSN]

AIDAN VanMETRE, Shawnee Heights -- A senior, VanMetre was a 5A-1A regional individual champion with a 681 series as Shawnee Heights finished second as a team. VanMetre posted a fifth-place finish in the United Kansas Conference tournament with a 592 series as the T-Birds finished as the league runner-up. He finished his season with a 55th-place finish in the 5A-1A state tournament. VanMetre was a first-team All-City pick.

Seaman junior Zander White finished eighth in the 2021 state tournament, helping the Vikings finish third in Class 5A-1A. [File photo/TSN]

ZANDER WHITE, Seaman -- White, a junior, earned second-team All-City recognition as a sophomore. White placed eighth in the state tournament with a 665 series to help lead Seaman to a third-place finish in the Class 5A-1A state tournament. White bowled a 277 games in a regular-season quadrangular at Emporia.