BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — Three Great Bend top 10 finishers return to Wichita’s Northrock Lanes Thursday seven games away from a 5A state bowling championship. The boys start at 1:40 p.m.
They were 12 pins away from a state title last year when Topeka West (3,217) edged the Panthers (3,205). The Panthers built a 137-pin lead with two Baker games left. Topeka West closed with 275/208 games while Great Bend finished with 160/164 Baker games with six open frames.
Last year’s 5A state runner-up Bryce Moore (643), fifth-place Jordan Black (640) and eighth-place A.J. Roberts (620) provide a trio of top 10 finishers. Western Athletic Conference champion Moore rolled brilliantly in the Baker format with four strikes and four spares.
“Last year was tough on the boys because we had the lead,” said Great Bend coach Mike Perry. “They battled in a pressure situation. Our goal is to knock down as many pins as we can every game. You want to take what you’re doing frame-by-frame. You can’t get ahead of yourself.”
Perry wants Cordell Stanley, Dalton Dicks and Blake Sheets to contribute behind his trio of state medalists.
“It’s a team concept. I want all six players counting their score at some point,” Perry said. “Every player is a part of that equation. You want to keep everybody up and not get down mentally.”
Last week, Dicks converted a 4/10 split that helped the Panthers gain momentum at 5A regionals.
State experience means the players are familiar with the excessive noise and distractions associated with a highly-charged state atmosphere.
“You want to stay right in the middle and treat the day like a long-distance race,” he said. “It’s easy to get caught up in the moment. You want to stay loose and hope somebody steps up that day.”
The Baker format plays five players, but the sixth player must be ready to step in.
“You’ve got to be mentally ready,” Perry said.
Great Bend’s boys earned a 2013 state title and runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2018. The Panther girls won the 2017 title and placed runner-up in 2016.
PANTHER GIRLS — Lexy Fox (490) placed 20th last year. She joins Paige Wagner, Nichole Griffin, Shanaeia Mehlhaff, Sarah Mehlhaff and Kristy Wittig. The girls start at 8:50 a.m. Thursday.
“They’re spunky and competitive,” Perry said. “They’ve improved. They’ve worked hard to qualify for state. You don’t want them to take a state trip for granted. We want to play loose and have fun. We’ve got several girls who can contend for the top 20.”
5A GIRLS QUALIFIERS
BUHLER (2,801)—Mary Chambers, McKinley Cross, Alyssa Herl, Adria Huiett, Jaiden Montandon, Sidney Ropp
DESOTO (2,321)—Maddie Beal, Maddy Calvello, Ella Fixsen, Riley Harmon-Moore, Mason Johannes, Tiye’ Kindred
EMPORIA (2,731)—Lexie Adams, Laney Dobson, Kinsey Miller, Maddie Munoz, Libby Ross, Beth Schwerdtferger
GREAT BEND (2,711)—Paige Wagner 547, Lexy Fox 532, Nichole Griffin 472, Shanaeia Mehlhaff 437, Sarah Mehlhaff 426, Kristy Wittig 398
KC TURNER (2,277)—Juliana Bloomer, Megan Fabac, Toiyana Guliford, Ashlyn Page, Rylee Saragusa, AnnAlise Willis
LANSING (2,572)—Aubree Dutton, Jenna Hagan, Cynthia Phillips, Brynne Qualley, Paige Sorensen, Kyah Surritte
SALINA SOUTH (3,189)—Bailey Barry, McKenzie Billings, Stella Gestl, Lauren Lust, Bella Olson, Yessica Salinas
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3,160)—Cayla Bortz, Kylan Huntley, Maddie Liby, Erin Mayfield, Brylee Prockish, Megan Stretton
TOPEKA SEAMAN (3,092)—Caitlin Charity, Brianna Evans, Kaitlyn Evans, Brooklyn McCracken, Makenzie Millard, Brooke Prescott
WICHITA CARROLL (2,757)—Brianna Ast, Kaylee Back, Alex Carter, Jade Pham, Rebecca Ring, Laura Seiler
WICHITA KAPAUN-MT. CARMEL (2,711)—Abegail Aguilar, Paige Birmingham, Chloe Ciecko, Virginia Holzman, Helen Tran, Georgiana Wilhelm
WICHITA NORTHWEST (3,090)—Victoria Alvarez, Kiana Haden, Abby Kennedy, Halee Murphy, Kaylie Nelson, McKenzie Womack
INDIVIDUALS—Andover Central—Jadyn Barr; Erica Bush; Atchison—Alyssa Durkin; Augusta—Kassidy Miller, Sarai Alvarado; Circle—Kaelin Tabor; Eisenhower—Lizzy Beck; Goddard—Rylie Osterman; Highland Park—Kaci Vinsonhaler; Holcomb—Taylor Schlitz; KC Piper—Brooklynn Lamberd, Abigayle Berner; KC Schlagle—Mai Koa Yang; KC Sumner—Saida Soriano; Maur Hill—Nikki Miele; McPherson—Brooke Miller, Haylee Busch; Maize—Mary Rozner; Mulvane—Addyson Schiffelbein; St. Thomas Aquinas—Julia Thomas; Salina Central—KaiLee O’Connor; Shawnee-Maranatha—Cindy Hou;
Valley Center—Jessica Kirkpatrick; Wichita Heights—Shaniah Moore
5A BOYS QUALIFIERS
ANDOVER CENTRAL (3,121)—Tim Blount, Dylan Chavez, Jared Cromly, Caleb James, Kisan Patel, Blake Robison
DESOTO (3,092)—Brayden Baxter, Sean Cauthron, Michael Dittemore, Tyler Lovegren, Cole Proctor, Alex Wright
EL DORADO (3,062)—Ian Bullock, Tucker Cook, Mahlon Hart, Forrest Parker, Tristen Rogers, Braxton Taylor
GREAT BEND (3,195)—Bryce Moore 702, Cordell Stanley 599, A.J. Roberts 598, Jordan Black 526, Dalton Dicks 495, Blake Sheets 485
KC PIPER (3,141)—Brendyn Bard, Cody Davis, Kyron Fergus, Aaron Slaughter, Logan Vogel, John Webb
LANSING (2,864)—Garrett Carl, Kenden Coleman, Hayden Hurley, Wes Miros, Dakota Sill, Cody VanderStaay
MCPHERSON (3,266)—JC Becker, Tytin Goebel, Dylan Krehbiel, Taylor Miller, Blake Snyder, Matthew Stiggins
MULVANE (3,207)—Gauge Harness, Clement Heck, Joel Hileman, Jason Mills, Eian Roach, JD Titus
SALINA SOUTH (3,342)—Jordan Anderson, Kadin Berry, Andrew Froetschner, Carter Lambeth, Griffin Peterson, Dalton Stelter
TOPEKA SEAMAN (3,306)—Noah Belt, DJ Birkenbaugh, Koby Hoar, Cody Mzhickteno, Sturgis Streeter, Trent Turkin
TOPEKA WEST (3,073)—Skylar Barnes, Austin Blazier, Justin Brookens, Connor Brown, Zachary Phillips, Steven Riley
WICHITA NORTHWEST (3,165)—Gabe Alvarez, Brandon Bonta, Layken Clark, Ethan Dingus, Ethan Smith, Jon Turner
INDIVIDUALS—Augusta—JC Roberts, Grant Scrivner; Atchison—Colby Burge, Noah Carter-Martin; Bonner Springs—Zach Reno, James Reno; Emporia—David Dix; Goddard—Brandon Collins, Dallas Bishop; Goddard Eisenhower—Peyton Montgomery; KC Turner—Cody Grasmick; KC Washington—Mekhi Brening; Maize—Grayson Graham; Salina Central—Preston Miller, Brad Gawith; SM Miege—Kaleb Odums, Hunter O’Shea; Topeka Hayden—Colton Broxterman; Valley Center—Cooper Watkins; Wyatt Jones; Wichita Carroll—Blake Albers; Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel—Sam Calderon; Wichita Heights—Chris Marcum, Mack Protheroe
