By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Amaya Buchanan, Josh Hammons and their Washburn Rural teammates will be looking for higher scores as the 2022 high school bowling season moves forward.
But both Junior Blues junior standouts were certainly happy with the way things started in Wednesday's Topeka High quadrangular at Gage Bowl.
Buchanan won the girls individual title with a 638 three-game series as the Junior Blues won the team championship by a 2,158-2,145 margin over Junction City while Hammons was the boys champ with a 675 series while Rural won the team championship by a 2,598-2,449 margin over host Topeka High.
Amaya Buchanan
Josh Hammons
Buchanan and Hammons agreed that it was great to get the season off and running.
"I honestly felt really good,'' Buchanan said. "Everyone had a great attitude and it was really fun. We were all there supporting each other and it was the best time I've had in a long time.''
Hammons agreed that Wednesday was a big day for the Junior Blues.
"I think there was definitely some pressure on the field, but we had our buddies around and we were cheering each other on and keeping each other's heads high and we just went out and executed today,'' Hammons said.
Both Rural standouts said they thought their series Wednesday were a good starting point for the year.
"I'm feeling pretty good,'' Hammons said. "I set a good average for the start of the season. I think our team's coming out really hot and I think this shows that we're a big name to beat.''
Buchanan agreed.
"It was a good starting point,'' she said. "I feel like I could have done a little bit better, but for the first one I've had in a long time because I had not bowled in a hot minute, it was really good.''
Rural's Matt Hartter finished fourth in the boys standings with a 635 series while Logan Glinka placed fifth with a 625 series.
Buchanan's Rural teammate, Kaitlyn Doyal, placed second individually with a 558 series in the girls standings.
Washburn Rural bowling coach Jo Ricard (center) talks with her team after the Junior Blues swept the team and individual titles in Wednesday's Topeka High bowling quadrangular. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Overall, Washburn Rural coach Jo Ricard said she thought Wednesday was a good jumping off point for the Junior Blues.
"You just want to get a good start with things,'' Ricard said. "We saw some things and we'll see some things the next two days when we're in Lawrence before we go back and get some practice next week.
"We always say we don't want our best game in the beginning, we want the best in the end. This is our starting point and let's build and go from there.''
Shawnee Heights' Aiden VanMetre rolled a 637 series to place third in the boys standings while Topeka High's Gabbi McCarthy took third with a 544 series and Shawnee Heights' Karli Gilliland was fifth with a 522 in the girls division.
TOPEKA HIGH QUADRANGULAR
BOYS
Team scores
Washburn Rural 2,598, Topeka High 2,449, Shawnee Heights 2,440, Junction City 2,352.
Individual results
1. Josh Hammons, Washburn Rural, 675; 2. Lindsay, Junction City, 671; 3. Aiden VanMetre, Shawnee Heights, 637; 4. Matt Hartter, Washburn Rural, 635; 5. Logan Glinka, Washburn Rural, 625.
GIRLS
Team scores
Washburn Rural 2,158, Junction City 2,145, Shawnee Heights 1,937, Topeka High 1,885.
Individual results
1. Amaya Buchanan, Washburn Rural, 638; 2. Kaitlyn Doyal, Washburn Rural, 558; 3. Gabbi McCarthy, Topeka High, 544; 4. Swango, Junction City, 543; 5. Karli Gilliland, Shawnee Heights, 522.
