BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HUTCHINSON — Returning Great Bend state medalist Kaylin Wahlmeier and her band of merry Panthers qualified for the 5A girls state bowling championship with a hard-fought third-place regional finish with 2,744 pins.
Wahlmeier won the 5A state title in 2022. The Panthers captured the 5A state bowling title at Wichita last year.
Topeka Seaman (2,800) won the girls regional and Salina South (2,770) placed runner-up. The top three teams and six individuals qualify for the 5A state tournament March 2.
Wahlmeier placed fifth (563 (150-214-199). Zoey Mayberry placed 10th (514 (135-191-188). Emilee Nelson placed 12th (509 (188-163-158); and Brooklyn Mayberry finished 15th (498 (193-137-168). 30th-place Paige Heine, 422 (134-138-150); 60th-place Rionna Rodriguez, 298 (88-99-111) rounded out the state tournament lineup.
"It was a difficult shot. But we stepped up in the second and third games and rolled two 700 series," said Great Bend coach David Feldbauer. "We struggled when they didn't reoil the lanes. It'll be more consistent conditions at state. The girls have a good chance pulling out a victory."
The Panthers posted a 3-game total of 2,085 (666/706/713) and a Baker total of 659. Brooklyn Mayberry fired 193 and Nelson 188 in Game 1. Wahlmeier (214) and Zoey Maberry (191) led Game 2. Wahlmeier (199) and Zoey Mayberry (188) led Game 3.
The Panther boys finished seventh with 2,820 pins. Quentin Miller placed 16th (559 (187-223-149); Joshua Manning, 20th ( 547 (188-137-222); Daegan Miller, 21st (547 (193-182-172); Brantley Vsetecka, 44th (471 (182-160-129); Kayden Detrich, 52nd (418 (133-99-186); and Keaton Wahlmeier, 65th (313 (101-103-109).
Quentin Miller, Manning and Daegan Miller barely missed qualifying as individuals for a team that improved as the season progressed.
"It's a positive with the first time the guys have played at regionals. It was good to see them shooting in the 500s and almost make state," Feldbauer said. "Now, we've got experience. They'll perform well next year."
5A GIRLS REGIONAL (TOP 3 QUALIFY)
TOTAL PINS—1—Topeka Seaman, 2,800; 2—Salina South, 2,770; 3—Great Bend 2,744; 4—Topeka West, 2,604; 5—Shawnee Heights, 2,474; 6—Emporia, 2,330; 7—Salina Central, 2,285; 8—Hutchinson, 2,240; 9—Hays, 2,235; 10—Newton, 2,231; 11—Highland Park, 1,803
PANTHER SERIES (2,085)—5—Kaylin Wahlmeier, 563 (150-214-199); 10—Zoey Mayberry, 514 (135-191-188); 12—Emilee Nelson, 509 (188-163-158); 15—Brooklyn Mayberry, 498 (193-137-168); 30—Paige Heine, 422 (134-138-150); 60—Rionna Rodriguez, 298 (88-99-111)
PANTHER BAKER SCORES (659)—170-168-134-187
TOP 10 MEDALISTS—1—Rutschman, Topeka West, 606 (194-233-179); 2—Turkin, Seaman, 571 (176-191-204); 3—Lambeth, SS, 570 (193-219-158); 4—Show, Salina Central, 565 (215-137-213); 5—Wahlmeier, GB, 563 (150-214-199); 6—Vargas, SS, 543 (202-180-161); 7—LaDuke, Seaman, 206-158-177); 8—McKay, Emporia, 535 (181-185-169); 9—Mize, Seaman, 526 (178-182-166); 10—Zoey Mayberry, GB, 514 (135-191-188)
5A BOYS REGIONAL (TOP 3 QUALIFY)
1—Topeka Seaman, 3,239; 2—Shawnee Heights, 3,219; 3—Hutchinson, 3,186; 4—Emporia, 3,129; 5—Salina South, 2,991; 6—Topeka West, 2,900; 7—Great Bend, 2,820; 8—Highland Park, 2,745; 9—Newton, 2,605; 10—Hays, 2,535; 11—Salina Central, 2,285
PANTHER SERIES (2,181)—16—Quentin Miller, 559 (187-223-149); 20—Joshua Manning, 547 (188-137-222); 21—Daegan Miller, 547 (193-182-172); 44—Brantley Vsetecka, 471 (182-160-129); 52—Kayden Detrich, 418 (133-99-186); 65—Keaton Wahlmeier, 313 (101-103-109)
PANTHER BAKER SCORES (639)—184-124-172-159
TOP 10 MEDALISTS—1—Bofink, Hutchinson, 672 (204-240-228); 2—Liggett, Emporia, 644 (268-161-215); 3—Parkhurst, Seaman, 640 (181-212-247); 4—Figueroa, Seaman, 640 (211-197-232); 5—Reyes, Highland Park, 635 (259-194-182); 6—Hunt, Seaman, 626 (202-214-210); 7—Davis, Shawnee Heights, 604 (207-163-234); 8—Crouch, Emporia; 598 (183-217-198); 9—Peterson, SS, 594 (185-235-174); 10—Ummel, Hutchinson, 589 (193-151-245)
