By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Career days for Hayden seniors Emily Lee and Chase Blaser helped propel Hayden to a sweep of the girls and boys team titles in Monday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional at Gage Bowl.
Lee claimed the girls individual championship with a three-game series of 602 while leading the Wildcats to the team title by a 2,550-2,354 margin over Ottawa while Blaser finished second individually with a 684 series as Hayden won the boys team crown by a 3,369-3,156 margin over the Cyclones.
Hayden's boys bowling team celebrates a mark during the Baker format games in Monday's Class 4A-1A regional. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Wildcats will compete in the 4A-1A state tournament for the second straight season next Thursday at Bowlero Northrock in Wichita.
Lee, who finished 11th in the state meet as a junior, rolled games of 217, 204 and 181, shattering her previous career-best series.
Hayden senior Emily Lee shot a 602 series to take girls individual honors in Monday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"This is my first 600,'' Lee said. "I think a 546 was my next highest scratch series. I think it really helped having a coach always there. Mr. (Ed) Lee (Hayden assistant) was always there and he would help me with all my pickups and all of that.''
Hayden also got a third-place individual finish from Ashley Lee, Emily's twin sister, with a 487 series while junior Jenna Henkensiefken placed fifth (429), junior Emily Peterson 11th (382), sophomore Maura Valdivia 14th (367) and senior Viola Geminiani 21st (321).
Hayden senior Chase Blaser shot a 684 series with a 279 in Monday's Class 4A-1A bowling regional. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Blaser opened his day with a 183 before improving to 222 in the second game and finishing his series with a personal-record 279.
Blaser, ninth in 4A-1A as a junior, rolled 11 strikes in his third game, with only a one-pin spare in the third frame preventing him from a perfect 300 game.
"I was a little bit upset about that one, but I could kind of see it coming,'' Blaser said. "(The last pin) toppled over a little uneasily a couple of frames beforehand and I made a little move and got them the rest of the way. That is my new personal high game.''
The Wildcats also got a fifth-place finish from senior John Strickland (634), a sixth from sophomore Kelton Meier (633), a seventh from senior Caston Meier (562), a ninth-place finish from sophomore Reece Renyer (556) and a 12th-place showing from senior Trevor Christy (547).
The girls state competition will get under way at 8:50 next Thursday, followed by the boys at 1:40 p.m.
"I feel way more confident than last year,'' Lee said.
Blaser said the Hayden boys are also looking forward to the state event.
"We're very excited for next week,'' said Blaser. "Last year we ended up getting fifth, which was a little below where we had wanted, but it was everybody's first time. This year having looked at all the averages and things we're looking to make a deep run.''
CLASS 4A-1A REGIONAL
At Gage Bowl
BOYS
Team scores
Hayden 3,369, Ottawa 3,156, Atchison 2,841, Washington County 2,669, Bishop Miege 2,526, Maranatha Academy 2,234.
Individual results
1. Jackson Snowden, Atchison, 688; 2. Chase Blaser, Hayden, 684; 3. Shane Circle, Ottawa, 646; 4. Tucker Huband, Washington County, 636; 5. John Strickland, Hayden, 634; 6. Kelton Meier, Hayden, 633; 7. Caston Meier, Hayden, 562; 8. Jackson Sopinski, Bishop Miege, 557; 9. Reese Renyer, Hayden, 556; 10. Kaiden Knapp, Ottawa, 551.
Other Hayden -- 12. Trevor Christy, 547.
Individual state qualifiers -- Jackson Snowden, Ottawa; Tucker Huband, Washington County; Jackson Sopinski, Bishop Miege; Greyson Dekeyser, Bishop Miege; Logan Crosswhite, Atchison; Braden Oglesby, Maranatha Academy.
GIRLS
Team scores
Hayden 2,550, Ottawa 2,354, Bishop Miege 2,153, Washington County 1,827, Atchison 1,791, Maranatha Academy 1,214.
Individual results
1. Emily Lee, Hayden, 602; 2. Kathy Gillet, Ottawa, 568; 3. Ashley Lee, Hayden, 487; 4. Gabby Gallaher, Bishop Miege, 466; 5. Jenna Henkensiefken, Hayden, 429; 6. Allison Huffman, Ottawa, 422; 7. Harper Dekeyser, Bishop Miege, 415; 8. Addiston Verhulst, Bishop Miege, 399; 9. Lilly Buchli, Washington County, 396; 10. Abigail Huffman, Ottawa, 384.
Other Hayden -- 11. Emily Peterson, 382; 14. Maura Valdivia, 367; Viola Geminiani, 321.
Individual state qualifiers -- Gabby Gallaher, Bishop Miege; Harper DeKeyser, Bishop Miege; Addiston Verhulst, Bishop Miege; Lilly Buchli, Washington County; Zoe Chambers, Maranatha Academy; Carolyn Fryman, Atchison.
Rural girls, Megan Glinka, Wildcats' Meier claim Centennial League title
Washburn Rural's Megan Glinka and Hayden's Kelton Meier claimed the Centennial League individual titles in Friday's league meet at Junction City while Rural won the girls team championship by a 2,816-2,663 margin over Junction City.
Glinka rolled a 597 three-game series to post a 50-pin win in the girls division, while Rural also got a fourth-place individual finish from Camrynn Ahrens (534) and an eighth-place showing from Kenzie Lawson (503).
Hayden's girls finished fifth as a team, with Ashley Lee finishing fifth (524) and Emily Lee sixth (523).
Meier bowled a 675 series to take the boys individual title by three pins while leading the Wildcats to a second-place team finish behind Emporia (3,170-3,126).
Topeka High's Hunter Mitchell finished third individually with a 626 series while Hayden's Caston Meier (598) placed sixth, Washburn Rural's Cody Spangler (596) seventh, Hayden's Chase Blaser (587) eighth, Rural's Tyler Faurot ninth (584) and Rural's Logan Glinka 10th (579).
Rural placed third as a team with a 3,101 team score.
City schools sweep UKC championships
Seaman and Shawnee Heights combined to sweep the individual and team championships in Friday's United Kansas Conference championships at Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence.
Seaman swept the UKC team titles, with the Viking girls winning by a 3,043-2,709 margin over Basehor-Linwood, while the Seaman boys winning by a 3,553-3,342 margin over defending Class 5A state champion Shawnee Heights.
Shawnee Heights' Addison VanMetre shot a 649 series to win the girls individual title by 16 pins while Seaman's Alex Prescott shot an outstanding 756 series to win the boys title by 55 pins.
Seaman's girls got a third-place finish from Laci Cole (616), a sixth-place finish from Paige Snyder (578), an eighth from Leah Crawford (568) and a ninth from Claire LaDuke (558).
On the boys side, Seaman put four bowlers in the top 10, with Skyler Meggison (685) finishing fourth, Dylan Hunt (663) fifth and Connor Griffin (628) 10th.
Chevy Stallbaumer (654) led Shawnee Heights with an eighth-place finish.
