By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Centennial League boys bowling tournament was a battle to the very end, with Seaman's Ethan Burns pulling out the individual title while Washburn Rural claimed the team championship Wednesday at West Ridge Lanes.
Washburn Rural won the team title by a mere four pins over Seaman (3,503-3,499) while the chase for individual honors was even closer, with Burns rolling a 728 three-game series to edge Rural's Josh Hammons by two pins.
Seaman's Ethan Burns rolled a 728 three-game series to win the individual title in Wednesday's Centennial League bowling tournament. [Submitted]
Washburn Rural's Josh Hammons finished second individually in the Centennial League tournament with a 726 series, leading the Junior Blues to the team championship by four pins over Seaman. [Submitted]
Washburn Rural built a big lead through American Ten-Pin and was able to barely hold off Seaman through the four Baker Format games.
Hammons led three Junior Blues in the top 10 and four in the top 13, with Walker Thompson finishing third (683), Logan Glinka 10th (623) and Geo Peoples 13th (599).
"We went in with the same mindset, just throw good shots over and over and don't worry about what other people do,'' Hammons said. "We just stayed consistent all day.''
Rural coach Jo Ricard agreed
"We started off extremely well and towards the end we started to tense and tighten up a little bit through the third game and so forth and I had my assistant (Steve Peoples) talk with them to get them all back on board heading into Baker,'' Ricard said.
Burns was one of three Seaman bowlers in the top 12, with Zander White ninth (625) and Jack Easum 12th (618).
Burns bowled a 692 series in a makeup meet on Tuesday at West Ridge and he said that success carried over to the league meet.
"I was pretty confident because I figured that it wouldn't change from yesterday,'' Burns said. "I figured it would be the same sort off conditions from yesterday.''
Burns finished the battle for the individual title would go down to the wire.
"I knew it was going to be very, very close either way,'' Burns said.
Topeka West's Cole Rodriguez placed 11th individually with a 623 series, winning a tiebreaker with Easum, while Cayden Thompson took 14th (697) and Wyatt Eastman 15th (586) for the Chargers.
Hayden's Camden Schrickel took 16th with a 582 series.
Hayden, Highland Park, Seaman and Topeka West will compete in a Class 5A-1A regional tournament next Tuesday at Emporia's Flint Hills Lanes while Washburn Rural and Topeka High will compete in a 6A regional on Friday, Feb. 25, at West Ridge.
Participants in both tournaments will be vying for berths in the state tournaments at Wichita's Northrock Lanes on March 3 (6A) and 4 (5A-1A).
Hammons said that the Junior Blues' performance was a good lead-in to postseason.
"This is a feel-good moment and we're going into regionals with a lot of confidence and I think having this title will really help us out on the lanes,'' Hammons said.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE BOYS BOWLING
Team scores
Washburn Rural 3,503, Seaman 3,499, Junction City 3,417, Emporia 3,249, Topeka West 3,074, Hayden 2,993, Topeka High 2,895, Manhattan 2,854, Highland Park 1,945.
Individual results
1. Ethan Burns, Seaman, 728; 2. Josh Hammons, Washburn Rural, 726; 3. Walker Thompson, Washburn Rural, 683; 4. Khalil Sanchez, Emporia, 679; 5. Torrey Lindsay, Junction City, 658; 6. Landyn Ziegenhirt, Junction City, 657; 7. Logan Lindsley, Junction City, 640; 8. Cael Smith, Junction City, 636; 9. Zander White, Seaman, 625; 10. Logan Glinka, Washburn Rural, 623 (258); 11. Cole Rodriguez, Topeka West, 623 (220); 12. Jack Easum, Seaman, 618; 13. Geo Peoples, Washburn Rural, 599; 14. Cayden Thompson, Topeka West, 597; 15. Wyatt Eastman, Topeka West, 586; 16. Camden Schrickel, Hayden, 582; 17. Chase Swift, Emporia, 576; 18. Colton Swift, Emporia, 564; 19. Morgan Liggett, Emporia, 562 (246); 20. Jaden Moreno, Manhattan, 562 (211).
