By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Washburn Rural's girls bowling team started fast and finished the same way in Friday's Class 6A girls bowling tournament at Northrock Lanes, posting a 3rd-place team finish while four Junior Blues earned individual state medals.
Washburn Rural finished with a 3,233 team total, taking third behind Campus (3,347) and Garden City (3,287) while junior Kaitlyn Doyal finished 7th individually with a 631-three-game series, senior Hannah Casto was 9th (607), sophomore Callie Hart 16th (574) and sophomore Amaya Buchanan 17th (572).
![Washburn Rural junior Kaitlyn Doyal reacts after a strike in Friday's 6A state bowling tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]](/images/aa-images/Doyal.jpg)
Washburn Rural junior Kaitlyn Doyal reacts after a strike in Friday's 6A state bowling tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Freshman Claire Ireland finished 29th individually (522) while senior Logan Wiesendanger was 30th (519).
"As a team we got our medals, we got our trophy and we shot really well as a team today,'' Casto said. "I'm really proud of the team. I think this was one of our best days bowling together as a team. It was amazing.''
Doyal agreed.
"I feel great about today,'' Doyal said. "I think it's mostly about a team effort and not individually, but it all comes down to staying hyped up and cheering everybody on.''
Doyal put together games of 242, 204 and 185 to lead the Junior Blues while Casto had games of 210, 190 and 207 to finish 2 spots behind her teammate.
"I didn't strike as much as I wanted to,'' Casto said. "I really struggled trying to find a correct line, but I just tried getting as many spares as I could and try to save myself to be able to make my goals for today.''
Washburn Rural senior Hannah Casto celebrates with her team after a strike in Friday's 6A state bowling tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural bowled an 877 first game in American Tenpins to take the tournament lead, but fell to third with an 814 2nd game as Garden City (948) and Campus (903) both turned in big games and Rural struggled in the third game (738) as Campus (908) and Garden City (812) pulled away.
The Junior Blues fought back in its four Baker format games, however, recording a tournament-high 804 total, including a 237 final game to cement its 3rd-place finish by 314 pins over 4th-place Olathe North.
"The girls have worked hard through the season coming down to this piece, which is what we wanted at the end,'' Rural coach Jo Ricard said. "We struggled some in that 3rd game (of American Tenpin) and we knew we had to come out and do well in Baker.
"We did well in the Baker, we just couldn't quite pick up what we needed to. Garden City always makes a huge push down here and so does Campus. I'm proud of the girls. They have done an excellent job and I'm very happy and pleased with what they've done today and for the season.''
Topeka High junior Gabriella McCarthy earned a state medal with a 15th-place finish (587) while competing as an individual.
Trojan junior Majayla Boyd finished 41st with a 487 series.
Campus continued its state dominance with its 3rd straight team championship and its 5th in 6 years, led by senior Piper Reams, who won the individual championship with a 715 series and finished with a 280 game. The Colts had 5 individual medalists.
CLASS 6A GIRLS STATE BOWLING
Team scores
Campus 3,347, Garden City 3,287, Washburn Rural 3,233, Olathe North 2,919, Olathe East 2,829, Manhattan 2,690, Lawrence 2,589, Shawnee Mission North 2,490..
Individual results
1. Piper Reams, Campus, 715; 2. Skylar Valdez, Olathe North, 694; 3. Dakota Lennen, Campus, 666; 4. Lily-Ann Leeper, Garden City, 654; 5. Kaylie Nelson, Wichita Northwest, 642; 6. Holly Bridges, Garden City, 638; 7. Kaitlyn Doyal, Washburn Rural, 631; 8. Brooke Ptacek, Garden City, 621; 9. Hannah Casto, Washburn Rural, 607; 10. Shaniah Moore, Wichita Heights, 602; 11. Casey Feast, Campus, 600; 12. Hope Resendiz, Garden City, 594; 13. Audrey Valdez, Olathe North, 587 (221); 14. Ella Adkins, Campus, 587 (215); 15. Gabriella McCarthy, Topeka High, 587; 16. Callie Hart, Washburn Rural, 574; 17. Amaya Buchanan, Washburn Rural, 572; 18. Victoria Cocannouer, Wichita East, 571; 19. Savannah Hsu, Campus, 564; 20. Alyssa Williams, Shawnee Mission North, 560.
Other Washburn Rural -- 29. Claire Ireland, 522; 30. Logan Wiesendanger, 519.
Other Topeka High -- 41. Majayla Boyd, 487.
