DODGE CITY — The Great Bend High School bowling teams won close matches against Western Athletic Conference foe Dodge City on Tuesday.
The Panthers finished WAC play 4-3 after both match and Bakers format. The boys are 14-7 in the conference.
The Lady Panthers, who also beat Dodge City 4-3, are 15-6 in the WAC.
Both teams finished with the same score, but went about it in different ways.
“The boys struggled at times,” GBHS head coach Mike Perry said. “We lost in match play, but the boys caught on fire in the Bakers format. They were bowling very good as a team. They just hit their stride.
“The girls were the exact opposite. We won the first three games in match play, but lost all three Bakers games.”
The boys were led by Eric Ruiz, who finished with a top game of 279 and a top series with 689.
“Ruiz has just been a rock for us,” Perry said of the returning WAC champion. “He just consistently hits his mark. He gets strikes and picks up his spares. I think he’s the No. 1 bowler in the WAC average-wise. I know he is.
“He and Dakota (Conaway) are co-captains for the team, and they are great leaders. We had a tie in out of the Bakers games and I chose Ruiz and Conaway to got head-to-head with Dodge City’s best two bowlers. They won the tiebreaker for us.”
Conaway bowled a 594 series.
The Lady Panthers were led by senior Jacy Quade, who rolled a 547 series and a top game of 200.
Maddie Roach was the No. 2 bowler for the girls with a 528 series.

— Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING

At Dodge City

Tuesday

GIRLS
Team results
1. Great Bend, 2,547; 2. Dodge City, 2,284; 3. Holcomb, 2,026
Bakers format
Great Bend, 150-140-156 — 446; Dodge City, 150-149-177 — 476; Holcomb, 117-132-147 — 396
Varsity results
Jacy Quade, 200-158-189 — 547; Maddie Roach, 185-166-177 — 528; Miranda Hejny, 193-148-171 — 512; Kelli Kirmer, 143-145-183 — 471; Erin Bowers, 141-184-143 — 468; Abby Rose, 106-152-128 — 386
Junior varsity results
Courtney Seever, 159-140-152 — 451; Jessica Sterba, 111-175-126 — 412; Sterling McAllister, 133-142-134 — 409; Addie Soukup, 137-126-145 — 408; Alex Eye, 106-129-156 — 391; Kira Bunn, 73-75-80 — 228

BOYS
Team results
1. Great Bend, 3,100; 2. Dodge City, 3,195; 3. Holcomb, 2,779.
Bakers format
Great Bend, 216-213-214 — 643; Dodge City, 180-188-214 — 528; Holcomb, 172-228-214 — 614
Varsity results
Eric Ruiz, 279-216-194 — 689; Dakota Conaway, 212-194-188 — 594; Jeff Meitler, 178-184-225 — 587; Kolt Ramey, 178-207-190 — 573; Daniel Herrman, 177-175-201 — 553; Mark Lang, 157-146-188 — 491.
Junior varsity results
Matt Black, 149-137-200 — 486; John Baker 146-174-155 — 475; Alex Morgan, 139-136-178 — 453; Gregg Hunter, 123-169-151 — 443