BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunsas@gbtribune.com

Garden City's powerhouse bowling programs swept the Western Athletic Conference bowling championships Tuesday at Walnut Bowl. The Buffalo boys had already clinched the WAC title prior to Tuesday's league tournament.

Garden City's boys scored 84 points to finish well ahead of Liberal (51). Garden City's girls fought hard to pull off a 70-65 WAC championship victory over the Great Bend Panthers. Great Bend outdueled the Buffaloes 2-1 in Baker games.

Great Bend's Kaylin Wahlmeier earned WAC medalist honors with her best series score of the season at 666 (203-246-217). Her career best is 690. The 5A teams compete at Hutchinson for regionals next week.

"Everyone was happy with the way they bowled today. Everyone stepped up in individuals. Everyone gave it their all," Wahlmeier said. "We wish we would've done a little better in Bakers. But Garden City is a really tough team. We almost beat them. We hope we can bowl like this next week at regionals."

Great Bend's girls provided some intrigue with a three-game advantage over Garden City. But The Panthers' outside shot of overhauling the Buffaloes vanished when Dodge City edged the Panthers in Baker games, 171-174, 193-191, 167-157. The Red Demons gained an additional point with a 531-522 advantage.

The Panthers started out hot with a three-game total of 2,339 (790-829-720) to beat the Buffaloes (2,190) in all three games (728-759-703). Panther Kaylin Wahlmeier (666) continued her splendid play with games of 203-246-217. Sahara Rhiza placed third (569, 202-189-178) and Jenna Dean finished seventh (522 (212-166-144).

Garden City's Holly Bridges (209 avg.) was WAC Player of the Year. Great Bend's Kaylin Wahlmeier (206.6) and Sahara Rhiza (177) earned first -team All-WAC honors. Panthers Aliyah Fryberger (169) and Jenna Dean (167) and Emilee Nelson (163) earned honorable mention honors.

Each team rolled three series games and nine Baker games in head-to-head matchups.

Garden City's Kaden Whitehurst (667) led a one-two-three finish for the Buffaloes with Burns (638) and Weilert (637) backing him up. The Buffaloes (2,583) cruised to three easy series wins with scores of 826, 873, 884. Whitehurst (209 avg.) was WAC Player of the Year joining K.J. Burns (207), Ty Weilert (202) and Garrett Messenger (200) on the first team.

WAC GIRLS BOWLING

ALL WAC—GARDEN CITY—Holly Bridges, Kyleigh Whitehurst; GREAT BEND—Kaylin Wahlmeier, Sahara Rhiza; DODGE CITY—Jaden Rabe, Camryn Lenz; HONORABLE MENTION—GREAT BEND—Aliyah Fryberger, Jenna Dean, Emilee Nelson; GARDEN CITY—Brooke Ptacek, Lily Leeper, Hope Resendiz

SERIES GAMES

1—GREAT BEND, 2,339 (790-829-720) (1—Kaylin Wahlmeier, 666 (203-246-217); 3—Sahara Rhiza, 569 (202-189-178); 7—Jenna Dean, 522 (212-166-144); 9—Aliyah Fryberger, 500 (150-191-159); 10—Kristy Wittig, 498 (150-203-145); 12—Emilee Nelson, 486 (173-147-166)

2—GARDEN CITY,  2,190 (728-759-703); 2—Bridges, (214-215-174); 5—Whitehurst, 559 (165-226-168); 11—Lily Leeper, 497 (177-155-165); 15—Harlie Leeper, 465 (106-163-196); 16—Resendiz, 452 (172-115-165); 18—Ptacek, 444 (162-124-158)

3—DODGE CITY, 1,996 (663-693-640); 8—Rabe, 508 (149-208-151); 13—Camryn Lenz, 479 (149-155-175); 17—Bitler, 450 (160-160-130); 19—Taylor Lenz, 431 (133-154-144); 23—Moreno, 339 (98-117-124)

4—LIBERAL, 1,881 (666-588-627); 4—Head, 567 (190-220-157); 14—Carlile, 477 (188-123-166); 20—Winner, 400 (125-119-156); 21—Ramirez, 391 (163-123-105); 22—Cook, 385 (115-122-148)

BAKER GAMES

DC (531) def. GB (522) 2-1 (GB 171-174, DC 193-191, DC 167-157); GC (510) def. Liberal (464), 2-1 (GC 156-125, L 162-198, GC 192-141); GC (546) def. DC (493), 3-0; GC 189-181; GC 174-145; GC 183-167); GB (516) def. Liberal (469), 2-1; GB 179-145; GB 160-146; L 178-177) ; GB (489) def. GC (458), 2-1; GB def. GC 170-140; GB def. GC 162-157; GC def. GB 161-157; Liberal (523) def. DC (480), 2-1; DC 181-126; L 206-203; L 148-139

WAC BOYS BOWLING

SERIES GAMES
1—GARDEN CITY, 2,583 (826-873-884);1—Whitehurst, 667 (216-232-219); 2—Burns, 638 (201-224-213); 3—Weilert, 637 (225-175-237); 6—Messenger, 568 (184-190-194); 8—Strasser, 564 (170-179-215); 14—Farr, 519 (152-227-140)

2—LIBERAL, 2,262 (732-739-791); 4—Rubio, 583 (153-189-241); 7—Clumsky, 567 (185-174-208); 9—King, 550 (184-187-179); 11-Brekenkamp, 543 (204-189-150); 21—Campos, 444 (139-142-163); 23—Cook, 434 (159-147-128)

3—GREAT BEND, 2,144 (710-717-717); 5—Dylan Ferguson, 579 (212-182-185); 13—Jalen Daniels, 524 (178-202-204); 15—Jordan Manning, 501 (202-152-147); 19—Caleb Murphy, 461 (134-172-155); 20—Caleb McNett, 456 (162-161-133)

4—DODGE CITY, 2,108 (723-651-734); 9—Young, 550 (182-177-191); 12—Barnett, 527 (161-153-213); 16—Webb, 500 (191-161-148); 17—Martinez, 498 (160-156-182); 18—Pogue, 494 (189-157-148)

BAKER GAMES

GC (584) def. GB (540), 2-1; GB 168-188, GC 203-195; GC 213-157); Liberal (549) def. DC (483), 2-1; L 216-162; L 173-131; DC 190-160); Liberal (536) def. GB (532),  2-1; GB 205-155; L 198-188; L 185-139); GC (532) def. DC (440), 3-0; GC 172-166; GC 174-135; GC 186-139); GC (579) def. Liberal (543), 3-0; GC 188-161; GC 181-172; Tied 210-210; DC(455) def GB (458), 2-1; DC 176-170; DC 168-152; GB 136-111