By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- A year ago, Josh Hammons was Washburn Rural's lone representative in the Class 6A state bowling tournament after qualftying as an individual.
Washburn Rural reacts to the news that it had won the Class 6A state bowling championship Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Josh Hammons hoists the state championship trophy Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Hammons was back at state Friday with the full Rural team in tow and the Junior Blues brought home a state championship after one of the most dominating performances in state history.
"It's 100 percent better,'' Hammons said.
The Junior Blues built a precarious 11-pin advantage through the three American Ten-Pin games and then buried the field with a crazy-good performance in the four Baker format games, finishing with a 135-pin victory over runner-up Olathe Northwest.
It was the comeback of the year for a Washburn Rural team which didn't make it to state a year ago after a disappointing performance at regionals.
Rural's winning 3,711 pin total was the most ever scored by a 6A team in the state tournament. Only Kapaun Mt. Carmel in 2021 finished with a higher total, winning 5-1A that season by 355 pins with a 3,769 total.
“We’ve stressed all year long what it was going to take,” Washburn Rural coach Jo Ricard said. “All week long, it’s been to the boys, ‘Do what you’re capable of doing and let’s let it all fall together from there.’ ”
Washburn Rural turned in a very solid performance in its opening three games, with senior Hammons, sophomore Logan Glinka and senior Walker Thompson all posting top-11 individual finishes.
Washburn Rural senior Walker Thompson leaps for joy after delivering a strike in Baker play at Friday's Class 6A state bowling tournament at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after winning Friday's Class 6A state bowling tournament by 135 pins. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
But it was in the Baker games where the Junior Blues truly shined, putting together games of 212, 267, 222 and 279 to turn a tight team race into a runaway. Rural's 980 Baker total is believed to be the highest ever in state history.
Rural opened the second Baker game with nine straight strikes and put together nine straight strikes in the fourth game after a first-frame spare.
“We just all threw great shots,” Glinka said. “We worked all season for it and when it came time to do it, we threw great shots. We got excited, and there were nerves with that, but we just kept throwing great shots. All of us.”
Thompson said that as Baker play went on and Rural kept delivering strike after strike, the team started feeling more and more confident.
“I could feel we were gaining it,” he said. “Shot after shot after shot, it was like, ‘Are you kidding me? We’re going to do this!’ ''
Hammons, who had finished 10th at state last season, finished fourth individually with a 725 series (247, 259, 219) while Glinka was seventh in his first state tournament with a 696 series (205, 254, 237) and Thompson placed 11th at 671 (245, 216, 210).
“That’s all I could have hoped for,” Hammons said of his individual series. “I just wanted to shoot well for the team. I wasn’t worried about myself.
“I was really happy with the number I put up and the placing I got. I’ll take it any day.”
The Junior Blues also got a 22nd-place finish from senior Geo Peoples (626) while senior Reece Godby shot a 560 series and sophomore Tyler Faurot a 495.
“We’re so versatile,” Thompson said. “If I’m having a bad day, I have Geo or Josh to pick it up right beside me. Or Logan or Tyler – his first varsity meet he rolled like a 684, he came in swinging – and Reece.
"We’re so good and if one of us is doing bad, we’ve got five other guys who are very capable. It takes off the pressure. We’ve got each other’s back.”
Washburn Rural junior Claire Ireland earned a Class 6A state medal with a 586 series Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Ireland earns 11th-place girls medal
Washburn Rural junior Claire Ireland finished 11th individually in the 6A girls state tournament, while the Junior Blues finished sixth as a team.
Ireland had games of 204, 222 and 160 to finish with a 586 three-game series.
Gabriella Martinez shot a 540 series and Ashley Billups a 539 to finish 24th and 25th, respectively, while the Junior Blues also got a 497 series from Elizabeth Poling, a 476 from Taylin Sakers and a 433 from Hailey Beyer.
Washburn Rural ranked third as a team through two games and started the four Baker format games in fourth place before ranking seventh among the nine shools in Baker to finish sixth overall (2,874).
CLASS 6A STATE BOWLING
At Northrock Lanes Wichita
GIRLS
Team scores
Olathe East 3,269, Campus 3,074, Dodge City 2,977, Olathe Northwest 2,958, Garden City 2,928, Washburn Rural 2,874, Shawnee Mission West 2,779, Olathe North 2,727, Mill Valley 2,703.
Individual results
1. Morgan Henning, Derby, 717; 2. Macy Proctor, Olathe East, 660; 3. Reagan Reynolds, Olathe East, 656; 4. Kiara Gonzalez, Mill Valley, 654; 5. Aubrie Thomas, Olathe South, 643; 6. Hope Resendiz, Garden City, 629; 7. McKenzie Craig, Campus, 629; 8. Taylor Lenz, Dodge City, 617; 9. Skyler Holmes, Olathe Northwest, 606; 10. Myranda Rogers, Gardner-Edgerton, 600; 11. Claire Ireland, Washburn Rural, 586; 12. Baraylie Apperson, Olathe Northwest, 584; 13. Kiley Parkhurst, Shawnee Mission West, 579; 14. Savannah Hsu, Campus, 579; 15. Brooklyn Peck, Shawnee Mission Northwest; 16. Kate Nuzum, Lawrence, 572; 17. Lauren Leonardi, Olathe East, 567; 18. Jaden Rabe, Dodge City, 559; 19. Chloe Carr, Garden City, 555; 20. Victoria Martinez, Junction City, 554.
Other Washburn Rural -- Gabriella Martinez 540, Ashley Billups 539, Elizabeth Poling 497, Taylin Sakers 476, Hailey Beyer 433.
BOYS
Team scores
Washburn Rural 3,711, Olathe Northwest 3,576, Garden City 3,507, Olathe North 3,465, Shawnee Mission East 3,422, Mill Valley 3,343, Derby 3,198, Shawnee Mission West 2,973, Campus 2,864.
Individual results
1. Thomas Mitchell, Olathe Northwest, 759; 2. KJ Burns, Garden City, 736; 3. Torrey Lindsay, Junction City, 732; 4. Josh Hammons, Washburn Rural, 725; 5. Christian Lahey, Shawnee Mission East, 717; 6. Paul Stigall, Olathe North, 712; 7. Logan Glinka, Washburn Rural, 696; 8. Kasen Hunsaker, Olathe West, 693; 9. Dylan Deprima, Olathe Northwest, 690; 10. Carter Stigall, Olathe North, 678; 11. Walker Thompson, Washburn Rural, 671; 12. Peter Dokoloas, Olathe South, 670; 13. Athen Villarreal, Garden City, 660; 14. Mason Browning, Olathe Northwest, 656; 15. Jacob Bush, Campus, 654; 16. Mason Craven, Shawnee Mission East, 659; 17. Timothy Dean, Wichita South, 648; 18. Kaden Strasser, Garden City, 647; 19. Brett Stockwell, Mill Valley, 644; 20. Zach Sederquist, Shawnee Mission East, 636.
Other Washburn Rural -- Geo Peoples 626, Reece Godby 560, Tyler Faurot 495.
