WICHITA — Your momma warned there would be days like this.
She just didn’t tell you it would happen during the Class 5-1A state bowling championships.
Western Athletic Conference and 5A regional champion Great Bend High School performed flat with a last-place 12th-place finish in the Class 5-1A championship.
The Panthers started off poorly with a 630 ten-pin game. Things get a little better with 726 and 712 games for 2,068 pins. But the Panthers’ team effort delivered Baker-style games of 154, 185, 138 and 167, well under their season average. The Panthers finished 12th with a total pin count of 2,646.
“It was a great experience for these players to compete at state,” said Great Bend coach Mike Perry. “We accomplished some of our goals – winning the WAC title, the regional and the Andover Tournament. You want to finish the season at the state tournament and we did that.”
None of the Panthers broke 200 for a team where every player typically broke 200 during a Western Athletic Conference outing.
“That’s the first time I ever remember that happening, and one of the few times where I remember everyone shooting under their scoring average,” said Perry. “We could never get on track. We started pressing and mentally you’re out of it. We crashed. We need to learn from this and grind it out.”
Western Athletic Conference champion Jordan Black finished 50th (521) on games of 170-185-166.
The other Panther finishers were Kameron Keener, 52nd (519); Brodie Owens, 55th (506); A.J. Roberts, 67th (490); Blake Sheets, 77th (463) and Jacob Holden, 80th (453).
Topeka Seaman captured first place (3,348), 201 pins ahead of runner-up Topeka West (3,147) with Wichita Heights third (3,100).
Holden and Owens are graduating seniors with the other four players returning.
“We spent energy cheering for the girls and came out flat,” Perry said. “It wasn’t our day. We tried everything we could. We moved inside and outside, tried equipment changes, pep talks and tough talks. We were lost and never got comfortable.”
Buhler’s Colton McArthur captured the Class 5-1A state title (661) on games of 219-236-206. Topeka West’s Adam Wood was runner-up (643) and Topeka Seaman’s Ethan Cowen placed third (636).

CLASS 5-1A BOYS
WICHITA’S NORTHROCK LANES
TEAM TOTALS
1—Topeka Seaman 3,348 – 2,540 (852-819-869); Baker, 808 (181-204-221-202)
2—Topeka West 3,147 – 2,377 (769-780-828); Baker, 770 (141-203-218-208)
3—Wichita Heights 3,100 – 2,400 (851-760-789); Baker, 700 (162-215-161-162)
4—Goddard 3,089 – 2,339 (825-766-747); Baker, 750 (169-160-177-244)
5—Leavenworth 2,964 (705-720-715); Baker, 824 (232-172-205-215)
6—Salina South 2,963 – 2,241 (733-748-760); Baker, 722 (195-190-148-189)
7—Shawnee Heights 2,922 – 2,198 (750-709-739); Baker, 724 (200-175-166-183)
8—Wichita Carroll 2,912 – 2,220 (739-756-725); Baker, 692 (178-225-129-160)
9—Mulvane 2,791 – 2,101 (709-749-643); Baker, 690 (203-132-70-185)
10—Shawnee-Mill Valley 2,757 – 2,013 (707-628-678); Baker, 744 (193-167-226-158)
11—Lansing, 2,688 – 2,124 – (696-719-709); Baker, 564 (151-140-128-145)
12—GREAT BEND – 2,646 – 2,068 (630-726-712); Baker, 578 (154-185-138-167)
50—Jordan Black, 521 (170-185-166)
52—Kameron Keener, 519 (164-175-180)
55—Brodie Owens, 506 (137-182-187)
67—A.J. Roberts, 490 (123-184-178)
77—Blake Sheets, 463 (159-158-146)
80—Jacob Holden, 453 (119-167-167)

TOP 20 INDIVIDUALS
1—Colton McArthur, Buhler, 661 (219-236-206)
2—Adam Wood, Topeka West, 643 (229-189-225)
3—Ethan Cowen, Topeka Seaman, 636 (202-222-212)
4—Noah Belt, Topeka Seaman, 623 (180-234-209)
5—Trevor Reed, Goddard, 621 (258-202-161)
6—Kael Titus, Mulvane, 613 (225-206-182)
7—Dillon Malone, Wichita Carroll, 612 (232-224-156)
8—Ryan George, Wichita Heights, 603 (225-188-190)
9—Sean Cauthron, DeSoto, 600 (190-233-177)
10—Brayden Prockish, Shawnee Hts. 600 (180-195-225)
11—Dylan Tidwell, Topeka West, 595 (172-192-231)
12—Daniel Erickson, DeSoto, 589 (189-191-209)
13—Kyle Miller, Salina South, 589 (199-183-207)
14—Chris Marcum, Wichita Heights, 582 (196-210-176)
15—Troy Freeman, Goddard, 581 (214-172-195)
16—Tyler Lovegren, DeSoto, 581 (180-211-190)
17—Caleb James, Andover Central, 580 (182-202-196)
18—Bill O’Donnell, Leavenworth, 578 (193-195-190)
19—Eddie Sack, Emporia, 577 (254-135-188)
20—Caleb Limes, Wichita Heights, 575 (203-149-223)