By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Obviously, the ultimate goal for Washburn Rural's girls bowling team was to win the state championship in Thursday's Class 6A state meet at Bowlero-Northrock.
Washburn Rural's girls bowling team poses for a picture after finishing second in Thursday's Class 6A state tournament at Bowlero-Northrock. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
But Jo Ricard and her Junior Blues know that finishing second to perennial state power Campus was no small feat.
Campus captured its seventh state title over the past nine seasons, with runnerup finishes in the other two years, by a 3,255-3,092 margin over Washburn Rural, which out-distanced Olathe Northwest by 102 pins for the runnerup spot.
"It is still a great accomplishment,'' Ricard said. "That's the first team we've gotten second with since Steve (Peoples) and I started in on the girls side of the program, so we gave it a run for our money. The first two games we were right there, right in it, and then the third game we dropped off and put ourselves in a little bit of a hole and then it wasn't quite what we had been bowling with the Baker.''
"We're going home with something, which is better than nothing,' said Rural senior Claire Ireland, who led the Junior Blues with a 14th-place individual finish. "I think our three 10-pin games we felt more confident about and then Baker was a little iffy.
"Campus just bowled better than us all-around.''
Washburn Rural senior Claire Ireland reacts after bowling a strike on the final ball of her high school career in Thursday's Class 6A state tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural's Gabby Martinez receives a hug from fellow senior Claire Ireland at the conclusion of Thursday's Class 6A state bowling tournament. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Ireland bowled a 594 series to earn her second straight 6A state medal while sophomore Camrynn Ahrens shot a 557, junior Ashley Billups a 557, senior Gabby Martinez a 552, freshman Megan Glinka a 535 and junior Elizabeth Poling a 509 series.
"I will take that happily,'' Ireland said about earning another state medal.
Wichita Northwest Kalee Stockstill captured the individual championship with a 705 three-game series while Wichita East junior Bella Lumbreras was second with a 663 series and Garden City junior Kyleigh Whitehurst third with a 662.
Campus put three bowlers in the top 20, led by fourth-place Allie Gentry with a 657.
CLASS 6A STATE BOWLING TOURNAMENT
At Bowlero-Northrock
GIRLS
Team scores
Campus 3,255, Washburn Rural 3,092, Olathe Northwest 2,990, Wichita Northwest 2,981, Mill Valley 2,929, Shawnee Mission West 2,865, Blue Valley Northwest 2,838, Derby 2,823, Olathe South 2,743.
Individual results
1. Kalee Stockstill, Wichita Northwest, 705; 2. Belle Lumbreras, Wichita East, 663; 3. Kyleigh Whitehurst, Garden City, 662; 4. Allie Gentry, Campus, 657; 5. Tai Level, Wichita Heights, 654; 6. Myranda Rogers, Gardner-Edgerton, 633; 7. Riley Emerson, Campus, 631; 8. Morgan Henning, Derby, 626; 9. Molly Dunwiddie, Olathe North, 622; 10. Brooklyn Peck, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 615; 11. Kiara Gonzalez, Mill Valley, 615; 12. Skyler Holmes, Olathe Northwest, 607; 13. Karma Bitner, Olathe West, 600; 14. Claire Ireland, Washburn Rural, 594; 15. Alicyn Glasscock, Olathe Northwest, 592; 16. Lexie Eberle, Olathe West, 583; 17. Aubrie Thomas, Olathe South, 581; 18. McKenzie Goupil, Campus, 577; 19. Amaya Laskey, Blue Valley Northwest, 573; 20. Gentry Larson, Blue Valley West, 565.
Other Washburn Rural -- Camrynn Ahrens 557, Ashley Billups 557, Gabby Martinez 552, Megan Glinka 535, Elizabeth Poling 509.
