BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
The Great Bend Panther bowlers needed every single pin from Bryce Moore (279) and Dalton Murphy (279). Moore and Murphy both strung together 11 consecutive strikes after starting their games with an open frame.
The Panthers held off Garden City 6-5 in Tuesday's Western Athletic dual match because the defending Western Athletic Conference champions scored a 3,035 total with a 2,500 series and 535 Baker score.
The Panthers defeated Garden City 860-803 and 892-811 with their best game scores of the season. Garden City won the first series, 786-748. The Panthers outscored the Buffaloes 2,500 to 2,400.
Garden City swept the one-point Baker games 226-184; 172-159; and 196-192, but the Panthers gained two extra points for most pins scored.
Defending WAC Player of the Year Moore (674, 171-279-224) earned medalist honors to continue to dominate WAC matches.
"I'm very proud of my team. They rolled really well today," Moore said. "Our team energy was really good today. Everybody was excited today. We played good Baker games, but Garden City played better."
Other Panther finishers were runner-up Dalton Murphy, 635 (160-196-279); sixth-place Evan Shell, 581 (211-196-174); seventh-place Corbin Stanley, 566 (174-177-215); ninth-place Ashton Ensley, 529 (192-172-165); 12th-place Dalton Dicks, 483 (141-189-153) rounded out the Panther scoring.
Great Bend Panther Paige Wagner was WAC medalist for the third time at 625 (195-175-255). Wagner's 255 with nine strikes barely missed her best high school score of 256 posted last year.
"I played pretty good today," Wagner said. "I left the 10-pin standing a lot today. We played good as a team in Bakers again today. We were happy with those scores."
Other finishers were sixth-place Lexy Fox, 500 (151-134-205); ninth-place Zues Garcia, 430 (131-129-130); 10th place Nichole Griffin, 427 (152-161-124); 11th-place Ali Fryberger, 422 (127-156-159); and 12th-place Kristy Wittig, 416 (194-138-134).
Great Bend coach David Feldbauer liked the progress his teams have made.
"The second game we came out on fire and dominated the third game, which was a great performance. It gave us a 100-pin lead going to Baker games," Feldbauer said. "The boys bowled really well today. We stayed close in the Baker games."
The defending WAC girls champion Garden City swept past the Panthers 9-2 for the second time this season. Garden City swept the series, 761-642; 736-610; and 774-763;. Great Bend's girls salvaged two Baker games, 179-172 and 190-171.
"The girls bowled very well again in Baker games," Feldbauer said. "They need to develop confidence in the regular games."
GREAT BEND BOYS 6, GARDEN CITY 5
SERIES—GC def. GB, 786-748; GB def. GC, 860-803; GB def. GC, 892-811; Baker scores—GC def. GB, 226-184; GC def. GB, 172-159; GC def. GB, 196-192.
1—Great Bend, 3,035 (2,500/Baker 535); 1—Bryce Moore, 674 (171-279-224); 2—Dalton Murphy, 635 (160-196-279); 6—Evan Shell, 581 (211-196-174); 7—Corbin Stanley, 566 (174-177-215); 9—Ashton Ensley, 529 (192-172-165); 12—Dalton Dicks, 483 (141-189-153).
2—Garden City, 2,994 (2,400/Baker 594); 3—Caleb Carr, 607 (203-194-210); 4—Kaden Whitehurst, 594 (182-192-215); 5—Jayce Farr, 592 (212-177-203); 8—Ty Weilert, 561 (177-201-183); 3—Justin Erwin, 513 (155-211-147); 10—Dion Resendiz, 504 (189-190-125);
GARDEN CITY GIRLS 9, GREAT BEND 2
SERIES—GC def. GB, 761-642; GC def. GB, 736-610; GC def. GB, 774-763; Baker scores—GB def. GC, 179-172; GC def. GB, 192-182; GB def. GC, 190-171.
1—Garden City, 2,806 (2,271/Baker 535); 2—Holly Bridges, 612 (189-203-220); 3—Karly Larson, 553 (202-183-168); 4—Angie Leeper, 550 (199-168-183); 5—Emilee Giger, 533 (145-182-203); 7—Lily Leeper, 476 (164-155-157); 8—Britney Cruz, 474 (171-159-144).
2—Great Bend, 2,566 (2,015/Baker 551); 1—Paige Wagner, 625 (195-175-255); 6—Lexy Fox, 500 (151-134-205); 9—Zues Garcia, 430 (131-129-130); 10—Nichole Griffin, 427 (152-161-124); 11—Ali Fryberger, 422 (127-156-159); 12—Kristy Wittig, 416 (194-138-134)
