By Jim Misunas
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend’s bowling teams appeared headed for a sweep of rival Garden City Tuesday at Walnut Bowl. The girls cruised to a 7-4 Western Athletic Conference victory.
The Great Bend boys were up 4-0 on the defending Class 6A state champions after winning the first two games.
Garden City’s Taylor Larsen got on a roll with a career best 299 game that gave the Buffaloes a 45-pin lead with a 914 game despite losing two of three head-to-head games.
Larsen left a 9-pin on his 12th attempt at a strike. Teammate Karl Larson shot an identical 299 game last year against Great Bend.
Larsen kept the momentum in the Baker style team format. Larsen delivered three strikes to clinch the first game 193-180.
Great Bend worked its way back in position with a 205-152 second game Baker victory to slice the Buffaloes’ lead to five pins.
But Larsen rolled three more strokes in the 10th frame in the critical third game that went down to the final roll by Panther bowler Jordan Black.
“Definitely, finishing with three strikes in the Bakers was more important than the 299,” Larsen said. “If I don’t roll three strikes, we probably lose.”
Larsen’s three strikes handed Garden City a 212 total in the third game after back-to-back strikes by the Buffaloes. Great Bend’s Blake Sheets and Jacob Holden shot strikes to give Black an opportunity. Black needed three strikes for a Panther victory, but left one pin after a strike on his first attempt.
“We were right there with a state championship team. It felt like a heavyweight match because both teams were taking their shots back-and-forth,” said Great Bend coach Mike Perry. “I was happy the way they performed. They relaxed and had fun in the moment. Every shot matters. We missed a spare and that forced Jordan to strike out in the 10th game.”
Garden City earned two points for winning two of three games in the Baker format. Garden City won the team format 6-5. Garden City gained an additional two points for most total pins 3,079 to 3,064.
Panther Blake Sheets shot a career best 651 series on games of 213, 233 and 205. Jordan Black was third with a 637 total on games of 187, 266 and 184. Great Bend posted the high game of 923 when Black (266), Sheets (233), Holden (214) and A.J. Roberts (210) exceeded 210.
“That’s my best score,” Sheets said. “I was consistent today and stayed under the ball like I wanted. About the middle of the first game, I was where I wanted to be. It’s hard to lose like that.”

PANTHER GIRLS WIN
Medalist Allie Brodrick posted a score of 656 on games of 231, 223 and 202. Elsi Miller placed third (566) on games of 169, 199 and 203. Garden City’s returning state qualifier Ryleigh Whitehurst was runner-up (649) with scores of 201, 180 and 268. Great Bend downed Garden City 753-745 and 807-713 to win two of three games. The Panthers edged the Buffaloes 2,801 to 2,784 to earn two crucial team points.
Brodrick improved her score by 78 pins from last week. Miller improved 75 pins. Brodrick found her line and achieved her goal of rolling better than 200 in all three single games.
“Garden City is one of our biggest rivals,” Brodrick said. “It was good to beat them. We shot way better than last week.”
The Buffaloes rallied to win two of three games in the Baker style format. The Panthers won the second game 190-138 after losing 180-172 and 178-145.

GARDEN CITY JV SWEEPS -- Garden City swept the junior varsity division 9-2 in the boys and 7-4 in the girls. Garden City's Greg Landgraf (638) and Garden City's Emilee Giger (455) posted the best scores. Great Bend's Keaton Reneau placed fourth (490). Panther Sydney Soukup (423) placed second in the girls division.    

GARDEN CITY BOYS 6, GREAT BEND 5
GREAT BEND
2—Blake Sheets, 651, 213, 233, 205
3—Jordan Black, 637, 187, 266, 184
4—Jacob Holden, 619, 211, 214, 194
9—A.J. Roberts, 542, 163, 210, 169
10—Drew Reed, 535, 177, 177, 181
12—Kameron Keener, 486, 155, 148, 183

GARDEN CITY
1—Taylor Larsen, 692, 161, 232, 299
5—Jacob Griffin, 599, 183, 216, 200
8—Karl Larson, 552, 187, 192, 173
6—Brayden Bicket, 5692, 189, 198, 205
7—Aaron Schafer, 591, 211, 174, 206
11—Kris Henderson, 526, 160, 162, 204
GB (2,477) def. GC (2,522), 788-770; GB def. GC, 923-838; GC def. GB, 914-734
BAKER FORMAT—GC def. GB, 193-180 GB def. GC, 205-152; GC def. GB, 212-202
TOTAL PINS—GC 3,079, GB 3,064

GREAT BEND GIRLS 7, GARDEN CITY 4
1—Allie Brodrick, 656, 231, 223, 202
3—Elsi Miller, 566, 169, 199, 203
4—Kylynn Keeler, 530, 169, 192, 169
8—Jordan Vsetecka, 503, 181, 194, 128
9—McKenzy Black, 494, 151, 183, 160
12—Lexy Fox, 428, 172, 133, 123

GARDEN CITY
2—Ryleigh Whitehurst, 649, 201, 180, 268
5—Alexis Leon, 522, 209, 152, 167
6—Faith Whited, 515, 166, 166, 183
7—Karly Larson, 511, 137, 215, 159
10—Madison Farr, 486, 151, 123, 212
11—Angelina Leeper, 442, 169, 136, 137
GB (2,094) def. GC (2,088), 753-745; GB def. GC 807-713; GC def. GB, 830-734
BAKER FORMAT—GC def. GB, 180-172; GB def. GC, 190-138; GC def. GB, 178-145
TOTAL PINS—GB 2,801, GC 2,784

GARDEN CITY JV 9, GREAT BEND 2
GREAT BEND JV
4—Keaton Reneau, 490, 128, 199, 163
5—Brodie Owens, 489, 192, 142, 155
8—Daegan Davis, 428, 143, 142, 143
9—Dalton Dicks, 420, 131, 143, 146
10—Cordell Stanley, 419, 152, 133, 134
11—Dalton Murphy, 418, 157, 123, 138

GARDEN CITY JV
1—Greg Landgraf, 638, 137, 236, 265
2—Dalton Park, 515, 164, 165, 188
3—Daniel Darter, 496, 180, 149, 167
6—Isaac George, 470, 178, 124, 168
7—Zane Roth, 465, 140, 162, 163
12—Deo Rios, 330, 129, 111, 98
GC (2,160) def. GB (1,877); GC def. GB, 662-644; GC def. GB, 712-626; GC def. GB, 786-607
BAKER FORMAT—GB def. GC 214-146; GC def. GB, 167-160; GB def. GC 211-147
TOTAL PINS—GC 2,620, GB 2,462

GARDEN CITY JV 7, GREAT BEND 4
GREAT BEND JV
2—Sydney Soukup, 423, 144, 133, 146
3—Jessica Disque, 364, 98, 110, 146
7—Audrianna Bender, 334, 123, 97, 114
10—Madison Jones, 289, 110, 107, 72

GARDEN CITY JV
1—Emilee Giger, 455, 127, 170, 158
4—Miranda Canal, 352, 95, 130, 127
5—Vanessa Salazar, 344, 112, 134, 98
6—Mikayla Hernandez, 341, 107, 121, 113
8—Diana Martinez, 319, 90, 100, 129
9—Arlene Rios, 304, 109, 108, 87
GC (1,537) def. GB (1,410); GB def. GC, 475-455; GC def. GB 555-457; GC def. GB, 527-478
BAKER FORMAT—GC def. GB 127-103; GB def. GC, 142-128; GB def. GC 137-99
TOTAL PINS—GC 1,891, GB 1,792