With a one-pin victory in the third game of the championship series, the Great Bend High School boys’ bowling team swept the season-opening Western Athletic Conference Baker’s Invitational.
The Lady Panthers also finished first after a rough start in the qualifying round on Thursday afternoon at Walnut Bowl.
“I thought the boys came out on fire, and stayed hot all day long,” GBHS head coach Mike Perry said. “It’s a senior-laden team, and you can tell. They weren’t intimidated. They came out ready to go.
“On the girls side, we ended up placing second in the qualifying round. We missed a lot of easy spares. We need to get to work on that. On the bright side, we hit all our spares in the Baker’s matches. We were able to come through.”
The Panthers rolled past Liberal in the first two games of the championship series, winning 211-150 and 245-201. However, the third game came down to the last attempt in the last frame.
Senior Dakota Conaway, who bowled a high series of 650 in the qualifying round to earn a gold individual medal, bowled into a split with his first heave in the 10th frame. He knocked down one pin with his second to secure the sweep.
“Dakota, he shoots a lot of tournaments,” Perry said. “He’s bowling all the time.”
Daniel Herrman also received an individual medal for second-highest series bowled at 642.
Garden City’s boys finished third, beating Dodge City in five games.
“It’s a great way to start the season,” Perry said. “We get to see what the rest of the conference has and set up our averages for the season.”
The Lady Panthers took four games to put away Garden City in the best-of-five championship series.
Great Bend jumped ahead, winning the first two games 149-147 and 172-136.
The Lady Buffaloes took Game 3, 219-157, but the Lady Panthers rallied in the fourth for a 193-151 victory.
Great Bend’s Miranda Hejny bowled a high series of 554 in the qualifying round, earning her the girls’ gold individual medal.
“She was the leader,” Perry said of Hejny. “She never shot any big games. She’s just consistent. She’s always consistent. She’s just a girl you can count on.
“The other girls, I’m impressed with how they stepped up in the Baker’s matches, because as a team, we didn’t bowl so well in the qualifying round. But every one of them was hitting shots in the Baker’s.”
Liberal’s girls topped Dodge City in four games.
Great Bend hosts a triangular on Tuesday against Dodge City and Salina-Sacred Heart, starting at 3 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING
Western Athletic Conference
Baker’s Invitational
At Great Bend
Walnut Bowl
Thursday
BOYS
Championship series
Great Bend 3, Liberal 0
211-150, 245-201, 193-192
Third place
Garden City 3, Dodge City 2
Semifinal
Great Bend 3, Dodge City 0
214-184, 263-195, 214-200
Liberal 3, Garden City 2
175-216, 159-163, 200-180, 178-170, 205-138
Great Bend results
Qualifying round
Dakota Conaway, 237-225-188 — 650; Daniel Herrman, 183-214-245 — 642; Eric Ruiz, 201-223-163 — 587; Jeff Meitler, 198-194-173 — 565; Kolt Ramey, 174-184-200 — 558; Alex Morgan, 165-157-191 — 513
GIRLS
Championship series
Great Bend 3, Garden City 1
149-147, 172-136, 157-219, 193-151
Third place
Liberal 3, Dodge City 1
132-144, 160-141, 153-143, 181-146
Semifinal
Great Bend 3, Liberal 0
148-140, 159-158, 154-125
Garden City 3, Dodge City 2
100-157, 109-120, 166-140, 177-148, 156-110
Great Bend results
Qualifying round
Miranda Hejny, 192-177-185 — 554; Kelli Kirmer, 180-168-122 — 470; Sterling McAllister, 178-133-156 — 467; Addie Soukup, 150-180-123 — 453; Alex Eye, 133-135-150 — 418; Jessica Sterba, 124-144-128 — 396
