LIBERAL — Liberal’s underdog bowling team rallied for a 6-5 victory over Great Bend with a stunning final Baker game of 268 to force a tie at 2,952 pins. The Redskins beat Great Bend by 76 pins in the final Baker game at Billy’s Ayr Lanes.
One less Liberal pin and Great Bend would’ve won.
But Liberal won the 2-point tiebreaker 499-461 on fifth-best score in the three-game series to clinch the Western Athletic Conference match, 6-5. The Panthers led 4-2 after the three-game series.
“It’s frustrating because every player on our team could’ve scored one more pin,” said Great Bend coach Mike Perry. “Every pin matters.”
Great Bend’s Jordan Black, the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was top scorer with a 717 series on games of 237, 244 and 236. Black recorded the second-highest series in school history with a 760 series at Dodge City. Panther Bryce Moore placed fourth at 567 (159, 216, 192) and Cameron Keener placed fifth at 564 (175, 170, 219).
Liberal’s Duncan Hinz led the Redskins at 627 (200-255-172).
Great Bend’s Jordan Vsetescka placed first at 534 (160, 180, 193) as scores were low on the Liberal lanes. Liberal beat the Panthers 7-4. Lexi Fox placed third at 483 (162, 154, 167) and Sarah Mehlhaff finished fifth at 482 (154, 149, 179).
The Great Bend boys lead Liberal by 10 points heading to the WAC Tournament Feb. 15 at Great Bend. The Panthers, the defending WAC champion, own a 52-14 record and Liberal is 42-24.
Defending WAC girls and 6A state champion Garden City has already clinched the WAC title with a 62-4 record.

LIBERAL BOYS 6, GREAT BEND 5 (tiebreaker 499-461) 
Team Series (3-Game Totals)
1—Great Bend 2,410; 2—Liberal 2,337
Liberal def. GB, 823-788; GB def. Liberal, 809-784; GB def. Liberal 813-730
LIBERAL—2—Hinz, 200-255-172—627; 3—Hill, 213-191-196—600; 6—Gomez, 202-179-158—539; 7—Warren, 180-159-179—518; 8—Aguliar, 208-138-163—509; 9—Green, 156-156-183—495
GREAT BEND—2—Jordan Black, 237-244-236—717; 4—Bryce Moore, 159-216-192—567; 5—Kameron Keener, 175-170-219—564; 10—Corbin Stanley, 191-170-129—490; 11—A.J. Roberts, 185-127-166—478; 14—Cordell Stanley, 127-179-132—438
BAKER SCORES
1—Liberal 204-143-268—615; Total Pins 2,952
2—Great Bend 174-176-192—542; Total Pins 2,952

LIBERAL GIRLS 7, GREAT BEND 4
Team Series (3-Game Totals)
1—Great Bend 599-605-659—1,863; 1—Liberal 631-584-609—1,824
Liberal def. GB, 631-599; GB def. Liberal, 605-584; GB def. Liberal 659-609
LIBERAL—5—Killingsworth, 197-144-130—471; 7—Zeledon, 138-140-163—441; 8—Wilson, 156-154-120—430; 9—Herrera, 121-126-179—426; 10—Pacheco, 140-146-137—423; 18—Amaro-Gonzalez, 87-101-124—312
GREAT BEND—1—Jordan Vsetescka, 160-180-193—534; 3—Lexi Fox, 162-154-167—483; 4—Sarah Mehlhaff, 154-149-179—482; 14—Maggie Hillman, 115-122-104—341; 16—Brynn Boxberger, 122-913-110—323; 17—Zujeiry Garcia, 88-113-120—321
BAKER SCORES
1—Liberal 160-212-143—515; Total Pins 2,339
2—Great Bend 145-149-119—413; Total Pins 2,276

LIBERAL JV BOYS 6, GREAT BEND 5
Team Series (3-Game Totals)
1—Liberal 1,925; 2—Great Bend 1,605
Liberal def. GB, 694-507; Liberal def. GB, 652-480; GB def. Liberal, 618-579
GREAT BEND—4—Dalton Dicks, 146-122-185—453; 5—Dalton Murphy, 139-125-133—397; 6—Devin Brown, 114-115-156—385; 10—Ashton Ensley, 98-118-136—352; 11—Daniel Aldridge, 94-112-141—347; 12—Ethan Reneau, 108-91-136—335
LIBERAL—1—Brown, 196-163-162—521; 2—Hayes, 187-167-135—489; 3—Gerhardt, 151-182-137—470; 7—Thomas, 118-117-145—380; 8—Garcia, 124-140-109—373; 9—Hammel, 160-106-106—372
BAKER SCORES
1—Great Bend 159-114-167—440; Total Pins 2,045
2—Liberal 125-176-118—419; Total Pins 2,344

LIBERAL JV GIRLS 8, GREAT BEND 3
Team Series (3-Game Totals)
1—Liberal 537-535-523—1,595; 2—Great Bend 548-435-483—1,466
GB def. Liberal, 548-537; Liberal def. GB, 535-535; Liberal def. GB, 523-483
LIBERAL—1—Holcomb, 161-162-125—448; 2—Moreno, 132-102-170—404; 4—Dozier, 126-140-113—379; 7—Naranjo, 99-131-115—345; 10—Gutierrez, 118-91-110—319; 12—Vasquez, 94-102-96—292
GREAT BEND—3—Abby Miller, 180-101-112—393; 5—Giselle Sanchez, 114-101-137—352; 6—Nicole Griffin, 124-103-108—346; 8—Ruth Williams, 119-116-108—343; 9—Madison Huslig, 114-115-110—339; 11—Tatum Sander, 125-78-115—318;
BAKER SCORES
1—Liberal 100-135-148—383; Total Pins 1,978
2—Great Bend 103-117-109—329; Total Pins 1,795