The Great Bend High School boys’ bowling team will be heading to the Class 5-1A state tournament on Friday at Northrock Lanes in Wichita after winning its regional on Saturday.
The Panthers finished with total of 2,415 pins, beating second-place finisher Liberal, which finished with 2,364. The top two teams at each regional qualify for the state tournament.
The GBHS girls finished in third place overall, and will be sending three bowlers to the state tournament.
“To be honest, the boys came out a little tense in that first game,” GBHS head coach Mike Perry said. “I think they felt a little added pressure playing in front of the home fans.”
Dakota Conaway was Great Bend’s leading bowler with a series of 601 and a top game of 227.
Eric Ruiz finished with a series of 585 for seventh place. He had a high game of 220. Kolt Ramey rolled a 581 series and a high game of 267 for eighth place.
The top 10 bowlers won medals.
The Lady Panthers finished with a total of 2,069 pins. Buhler finished in first place with 2,372 and McPherson took second place, beating Great Bend by 62 pins with a total of 2,131.
Jacy Quade led the Lady Panthers with a series of 526, taking ninth place as the Great Bend girl’s only medalist. Her top game was 197.
Kelli Kirmer finished in 11th place and Miranda Hejny finished in 12th place. Both will join Quade at the state tournament.
Maddie Roach finished tied for 13th place with Kimberly Banley of Liberal. Both girls bowled a 500 series. Banley won the tiebreaker with a game of 184, beating Roach’s top game of 177 to take the final individual spot at the state tourney.

                                                                    — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING
Class 5-1A state regional

At Walnut Bowl
Great Bend

Saturday

BOYS
Team scores
1. Great Bend, 2,415; 2. Liberal, 2,364; 3. McPherson, 2,298; 4. Cheney, 2,244; 5. Salina Sacred Heart, 2,198; 6. Newton, 2,197; 7. Holcomb, 2,056; 8. Buhler, 2,009; 9. Andale, 2,008; 10. Garden Plain, 783; 11. Little River, 534.
Great Bend results
Dakota Conaway, 180-194-227 — 601; Eric Ruiz, 169-220-196 — 585; Kolt Ramey, 180-134-267 — 581; Mark Lang, 166-191-194 — 551; Daniel Herrman, 180-147-211 — 538; Jeff Meitler, 153-200-159 — 512

GIRLS
Team scores
1. Buhler, 2,372; 2. McPherson, 2,131; 3. Great Bend, 2,069; 4. Newton, 1,990; 5. Liberal, 1,924; 6. Maize South, 1,923; 7. Holcomb, 1,741; 8. Cheney, 1,719; 9. Andale, 1,374; 10. Garden Plain, 685.
Great Bend results
Jacy Quade, 176-153-197 — 526; Kelli Kirmer, 178-181-155 — 514; Miranda Hejny, 164-174-168 — 506; Maddie Roach, 177-147-176 — 500; Erin Bowers, 166-166-157 — 489; Addie Soukup, 141-150-147 — 438