By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
When Great Bend's bowling team starts the 2021 season Saturday in Wichita, they'll take things one meet at a time.
Four sessions will be scheduled and teams will be separated Friday and Saturday due to virus protocols. Each team will roll 12 Baker-style games where each bowler rolls two frames per game.
Great Bend Panther Bryce Moore is a 5A state bowling runner-up and two-time Western Athletic Bowler of the Year after averaging 221 last season. Moore is committed to bowl at Barton Community College next year.
Moore earned an 11th-place finish (655) at state and 41st-place finish in 2019 after he earned 5A state runner-up honors with a 643 series as a freshman. Moore also earned WAC Player of the Year honors two years ago. Great Bend’s boys placed runner-up to Garden City last season 68-63 after beating the Buffaloes to win the Western Athletic Conference in 2019. The Panthers placed fourth in regionals (3,345).
Junior sensation Paige Wagner is primed for an encore performance after earning WAC Bowler of the Year and placing as eighth 5A medalist last year (615). Wagner earned WAC Bowler of the Year after averaging 197. She has placed eighth and 15th (529) at the 5A state meet. Wagner sparked a regional championship with a 249 game that earned medalist honors.
‘‘With Bryce Moore and Paige Wagner, we know they’ll have great seasons,” said Great Bend coach David Feldbauer. “They’ve bowled at a high level in league, regionals and state competition.”
Joining Moore will be Corbin Stanley, Brady Burnham, Ashton Ensley, Bradley Heine and Jalen Daniels. Wagner will join Addie Ehrlich, Nichole Griffin, Emma Mayhill, Kristy Wittig and Sahara Rhiza.
"We'll be competitive," Feldbauer said. "The big difference is we'll separate teams."
Great Bend’s girls placed sixth (2,880) and seventh (2,521) at 5A state the past two years. Other returning state qualifiers are Nicole Griffin (498, 45th) and Kristi Wittig (452, 63rd).
GREAT BEND BOYS
SENIORS—Bryce Moore (2nd—643; 11th—684; 41st—505; REG 1st—702; 4th—687; 8th—627); Corbin Stanley (24th—655; 31st—534; REG 6th—625; 8th—627); Daniel Aldridge; Brady Burnham; Ashton Ensley (REG 519)
JUNIORS—Deklyn Craven, Bradley Heine, Caleb Murphy
SOPHOMORES—Jalen Daniels, Dylan Ferguson, Caleb McNett
GREAT BEND GIRLS
SENIORS—Addie Ehrlich; Nichole Griffin (45th—498; 82nd—357; REG—516; 19th—472); Tatum Sander; Emma Mayhill
JUNIORS— Paige Wagner (8th—615; 15th—529; REG 1st—645; 6th—547); Kristy Wittig (63rd—452; 78th—364; REG 417; 40th—398); Jenna Dean; Vanessa Delgadillo
SOPHOMORES— Aliyah Fryberger (48th—489; REG 528); Sahara Rziha
NINTH-GRADERS—Izzabo Cox, Emilee Nelson, Jordan Sohm, Kaylin Wahlmeier
SCHEDULE—1-9—at Wichita Carroll Tournament; 1-14—Dodge City; 1-19—Garden City; 1-28—at Liberal; 1-29-30—at Wichita, Great Plains Tournament; 2-4—at Dodge City; 2-9—at Garden City; 2-11—Liberal; 2-13—at Andover Tournament; 2-16—WAC JV at Dodge City; 2-18—WAC at Garden City; 2-22—at 5A regional; 3-4-5—5A state at Wichita, Rock Lanes
